Printer Shows as Offline but Is Switched On

Why a working printer reports as offline on a computer, and the checks that resolve it in order of likelihood.

Last updated 2026-07-30

Symptom

The printer is powered on and appears healthy, but the computer shows its status as "Offline" and
queued jobs never print.

Likely causes

• The computer and printer are on different networks, or on a guest network.
• The printer's IP address changed after a router restart, and the computer is still using the old one.
• The print spooler service has stalled.
• "Use Printer Offline" was set manually, or set automatically after a failed job.
• A VPN or firewall on the computer is blocking local network traffic.

Fix, in order

1. Print a network configuration page from the printer's own menu and note its IP address.
2. Confirm the computer is on the same network, not a guest network or a different band that the
3. router isolates.
4. In your operating system's printer settings, clear the print queue completely, then uncheck
5. "Use Printer Offline" if it is set.
6. Restart the print spooler. On Windows, restart the "Print Spooler" service. On macOS, reset the
7. printing system from the Printers & Scanners settings.
8. If the IP address has changed, remove the printer from the computer and add it again using the
9. current address.
10. Give the printer a fixed address, either by setting a static IP on the printer or by reserving its
11. address on the router. This prevents the problem recurring after every router restart.
12. Temporarily disable any VPN and retest, then add a local network exception if that was the cause.

When it is a hardware fault

Rarely. Offline status is almost always a network or driver condition. Suspect hardware only if the
printer also fails to print its own self-test page, or if its network indicator never becomes solid
even when placed next to the router.

Getting official help

For warranty service or model-specific network behaviour, contact the manufacturer through the
support channel in your product documentation. We are independent, we are not an authorised support
provider for any manufacturer, and we will never ask for remote access to your device.