printer offline
Many users complained about printer connectivity issues that switch printers offline even if they don't seem to have any problems.
· This problem has several possible causes but most of the time it's because of a missing or problematic driver for your printer.
· If you want to learn more about printers, bookmark our Printers page for further reference.
· Our Tech Troubleshooting Hub provides you with solutions to any other software or hardware problem with your PC.
· Get rid of all printer-related issues right now
Printer problems are caused by corrupted or outdated drivers, so you may need dedicated help in order to solve them. Download and install this driver updater tool to make sure you run their latest versions. Check your drivers in 3 easy steps:
1. Download and install here this Driver Updater tool
2. Once installed, click Scan to find outdated and bad printer drivers
3. Click the Update Your Drivers Now after the scan to start the repair/update process
Many Windows 10 users have reported issues regarding printer connectivity and a glitch that can set active printers offline even if they are connected and fully operational.The error is usually encountered when speaking of network printers, but home users with a direct connection to their printer have also complainedWe’ll go about fixing this issue just like most other connectivity related problems, as in most cases, there is a simple explanation to the problem.It should be noted that different manufacturers have their own diagnostics software which can inform the user of what problems come up (HP’s Print and Scan Doctor comes to mind here).If your printer‘s manufacturer provided you with this feature, we encourage you to use it at full extent. More often than not, it will set you in the right direction for finding solutions to your problems.There are many problems that can occur with your printer, and in this article, we’re going to cover the following issues:Printer offline Canon, HP, Ricoh, Epson – A common problem with printers affecting any brand of printer.Printer offline error processing command – Caused by trying to use a network printer.Wireless printer offline – Can appear with all sorts of printers, and many users reported it while using a wireless printer.The printer is offline unable to ping – Your PC can’t recognize your printer.Printer offline SNMP – Thes SNMP feature can cause this issue, can be fixed by disabling the SNMP feature.Network printer offline VPN – Appears when using a VPN and can be fixed by changing your VPN configuration.Printer not responding, printing, working, connecting, showing up – The printer isn’t responding or not working and sometimes it won’t even show up in settings.
Why does the Printer Offline error occur?
The error appears when Windows 10 sees that the printer is unavailable.Unfortunately, most of the time, it can’t tell if the printer is really offline or if it has connectivity problems or printing errors. They might occur when:The connection between the computer and the printer is slow/unresponsiveThe printer has encountered an internal errorThere are multiple unfinished print jobs in the queue
How can I fix the Printer Offline errors in Windows 10?
Reinstall your printer drivers
Check if you’re using a VPN connection
Change printer settings
Restart the Print Spooler service
Change printer properties
Install the latest updates
Add a second printer device
1. Reinstall your printer drivers
Go to the Devices and Printers section in Control Panel.Locate your printer, right-click it, and choose Remove device.Click on Yes when the confirmation dialogue appears.Download the latest driver from your printer manufacturer and install it.Update drivers automaticallyIf you do not have the necessary computer skills to update/fix the drivers manually, we strongly suggest to do it automatically by using DriverFix.This excellent tool does its job automatically. Here’s how you can update your drivers easily:
Download and install DriverFix.
The program will start scanning your PC for outdated drivers automatically and you will just have to wait a few minutes for the scan to complete.After completion, you get a report on all problem drivers found on your PC. Review the list and see if you want to update each driver individually or all at once.To update one driver at a time, click the checkbox from the left of the driver’s name but it’s easier to click the Select All checkbox from the top to automatically install all drivers.
DriverFix
With DriverFix you will update your printer driver quicker than saying Printer Offline error! It will fix all the other drivers too.
2. Check if you’re using a VPN connection
The Printer Offline message can appear if you’re using a network printer and VPN. To fix this problem, it’s advised to disconnect from the VPN and try to access your printer again.If you want to use VPN and your printer, you need to connect the printer directly to your PC using the USB cable.Alternatively, you might be able to fix the problem by adjusting your VPN configuration and granting yourself local network access.Switching to another VPN solution can also fix this problem and Private Internet Access is the best you can get. It will secure your data before it gets accessed and it doesn’t interfere with your printer.And while it’s installed and running, it will protect your PC by hiding your IP address and blocking all unwanted remote access to your computer.
Private Internet Access
If you want a strong and secure VPN solution for your printer, Private Internet Access is the key for that and complete privacy for your browsing.Visit website
4. Change the printer settings
5. Open Control Panel and navigate to your Printers window.
Check if the correct printer is set to Default (Please watch the video below for more information).Right-click on your default printer and select the print queue (See what’s printing).If there are any unfinished tasks, remove them from the list.From the queue window, select Printer and uncheck the Use Printer Offline optionCheck if the printer is correctly connected to your computer (unplug the USB cable and plug it in again).If you own a network printer, try doing a connection test (also, try restarting your router/switch).Turn your printer and computer off and on again.If by now the problem isn’t solved, reinstall the printer‘s drivers.You can’t open Control Panel? Take a look at this step-by-step guide to find a solution
4. Restart the Print Spooler service
Press Windows Key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter or click OK.Locate the Print Spooler service, right-click it and choose Restart from the menu..
5. Change the printer properties
Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.Right-click your printer and choose Printer properties from the menu.Go to the Ports tab, select your printer’s IP address from the list and click on the Configure Port button.
6.Install the latest updates
Press the Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.Navigate to the Update & security section.Click on Check for updates button.
7. Add a second printer device
Follow Steps 1-2 from Solution 5.Select the Ports tab and click on Add Port button.
Select the Standard TCP/IP Port and click on the New Port buttonClick on Next after the Printer Port Wizard starts.Enter the required information. You can get them from your printer’s instruction manual. Click on Next.
We hope this guide helped you solve your printer problems in Windows 10. If you’ve tried all of them and your problem still persists, then you might have a hardware-related problem.In this case, try printing from another computer or try a different printer. Also, if you’re running a wired printer, use a different USB / network cable.If you have any other questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.