Printer says “Offline” but it’s turned on? Here’s the fix

Your printer is on, the lights look normal, but your computer insists it’s offline and jobs just sit in the queue. This is the single most common printer problem, and it’s almost always a connection mix-up between the computer and the printer — not a broken printer.

Why this happens

• The printer got a new IP address from your router, but the computer is still trying the old one.
• “Use Printer Offline” was switched on (sometimes by accident, sometimes by Windows after an error).
• The printer went into deep sleep and dropped its Wi-Fi connection.
• A Windows update changed or broke the printer’s port (often a “WSD” port).
• The computer is on a different network — a guest network, a VPN, or a Wi-Fi extender.

Step 1: Restart in the right order (all computers)

It sounds too simple, but the order matters. The router needs to be ready before the printer asks it for an address, and the printer needs to be on the network before the computer looks for it.

1. Turn off the printer.
2. Unplug the router (and modem, if separate) for 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait until the internet light is steady — usually 1–2 minutes.
3. Turn the printer back on and wait until it shows it’s connected to Wi-Fi.
4. Restart your computer.
5. Try printing again.

Fix printer offline on Windows 11

1. Open Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners and click your printer.
2. Click Open print queue. If you see a Printer menu, open it and make sure Use Printer Offline is not ticked. Cancel any old stuck jobs while you’re there.
3. Print a network configuration page from the printer’s own control panel (usually under Settings or Setup › Reports). Write down the IP address — it looks like 192.168.1.23.
4. Back on the printer’s page in Settings, click Printer properties and open the Ports tab.
5. If the ticked port is a WSD port, or shows an old IP address: click Add Port › Standard TCP/IP Port › New Port, type the IP address from the network page and finish the wizard. Make sure the new port is ticked and click Apply.
6. Print a test page.

Fix printer offline on Windows 10

1. Open Control Panel › Devices and Printers.
2. Right-click your printer and choose See what’s printing. In the Printer menu, untick Use Printer Offline and cancel old jobs.
3. Right-click the printer again › Printer properties › Ports.
4. Check that the ticked port matches the IP address on the printer’s network configuration page. If not, add a Standard TCP/IP Port with the correct address and select it.
5. Click Apply and print a test page.

Fix printer offline on a Mac

1. Restart the printer and confirm its Wi-Fi light is solid, not blinking.
2. Open System Settings › Printers & Scanners (on older macOS: System Preferences). Select the printer and click Printer Queue. If it says Paused, click Resume.
3. Still offline? Select the printer and click Remove Printer, then click Add Printer, Scanner or Fax… and add it again. Your Mac will find the printer’s current address.
4. If it keeps going offline, add it by IP instead: in the Add window click the IP tab (globe icon), type the printer’s IP address, choose IPP as the protocol and click Add.

Stop it happening again

Once printing works, two changes stop most repeat offline errors:

• Reserve the printer’s IP address in your router (look for “DHCP reservation” or “static lease” in the router’s settings). The printer then keeps the same address forever.
• Turn off Wi-Fi power saving or deep sleep on the printer if the menu offers it, or set auto-off to a longer time.

Brand-specific tips

Related fixes

• Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi
• Printer Not Detected
• Print Queue Stuck