Why Does My Printer Keep Going Offline?

When your office printer stubbornly remains offline despite being powered up and plugged into a USB port, the helpless feeling that your hardware holds you captive can raise your frustration level quickly. If you ever wonder why is your printer offline most of the time, there could be several reasons for that.

This guide below on solving the issue of printers going offline will help you out to quickly fix it up. Simply scroll down below and get to know more!

Method 1: Restart Computer and Printer

As simplistic as it sounds, this is a tried and true solution. Restarting your printer and computer can help refresh the components necessary for the two to communicate.

When you restart your printer, turn your printer off, unplug the power cord, and let it sit for at least 30 seconds. Plug your printer back in and turn the printer back on. Make sure it is once again connected to the WiFi.

Method 2: Have you Checked All Cables?

Sometimes, the problem may not be that strange at all. Even a simple loose connection may lead you into this trouble. Having a glare at your printer cables and configurations becomes equally important. Look for every wired connection that is available including USB cables to the power adapter. A small disconnection is even enough for turning off your printer. If your printer is wireless, you may have to check connections from your router. Check if the printer is connected to the router properly or not.

Tip: Never use any type of cable extenders while connecting to a printer. There is always a difference in Printer input power voltage and extender output. If it mismatches, your printer will face a short circuit.

Method 2: Remove and Reinstall Printer

The final solution requires you to remove the printer from your computer and then reinstall it. This will allow the connection between your computer and printer to once again start from scratch.

• Click on the “Start” button on your computer and select “Control Panel” from the list.

• In the window that appears, select “Devices and Printers” (or the equivalent menu option).

• Right-click on your printer and select “Remove device.”

• To reinstall the printer, click “Add a Printer” on the “Devices and Printers” window and follow the prompts.

Method 3: Remove All Pending Print Jobs

To clear the print queue, try the following:

• Select the Start button, then choose Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.

• Choose your printer, then select Open queue.

• Under Document Name, choose any documents listed, then select Document > Cancel. This will remove all pending print jobs.

Method 4: Set Printer as the Default Printer

The default printer is the printer that your computer will prioritize when choosing a printing device. By making your printer the default printer selection, your computer will automatically stay connected to it.

• Click on the “Start” button on your computer and select “Control Panel” from the list.
• In the window that appears, select “Devices and Printers” (or the equivalent menu option).
• Select your printer from the resulting window, and then select “Open Queue.”

• Under the “printer” drop-down, select “Set as Default Printer.”

Method 5: Disable use Printer Offline Mode

If your printer is in Use Printer Offline mode, it definitely won’t work.

• To turn it off, select Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
• Then choose your printer and click Open queue.

• Under Printer, make sure Use Printer Offline is not selected.

All these methods above will help you to get your printer back to work again. If your printer sensors fail to respond, you need to contact the manufacturer or buy a new printer.