How to Change a Printer from offline to online in Windows 10


Printer errors can be infuriating. They can cause serious downtime in your work. Of all the inconveniences, change a printer from offline to online is the worst. You might wonder why your Wi-Fi printer says offline. It is connected to your Windows computer via the Wi-Fi network.

Well, you are not the only one suffering from such a disaster. But a few tweaks can make your printer online and fix its offline status. The printer is offline; how to fix it—the guide has all the answers you’re looking for.

Let’s get started.

Solve the Printer’s Offline Issue on a Windows 10 PC

Windows 10 users of any printer brand see a “printer offline” message. Your printer says it is offline but is connected to the network. Fortunately, several solutions can fix the offline error. They can make your printer online again.

Experts supervised the following troubleshooting steps. They might help you fix the problem. Let’s start with simpler fixes first:

1. Verify the Connection between Your Printer and Your Computer

Perhaps the offline status is not a false alarm. The connection between the printer and computer might be lost. Inspect all your printer cables if you used them to connect the printer to the computer.

Don’t forget to tighten the cable connections between these devices. If it’s a network printer, then verify that both your machines are connected to the same Wi-Fi router. Additionally, examine the network status of your Wi-Fi router. Chances are that the Wi-Fi router has problems connecting to the ISP.

If Wi-Fi is available, switch to Ethernet and vice versa. Then, check if this restores your printer’s online status.

2. Restart Your Printer

An idle state can be misunderstood as an offline one. When the printer is offline, how to fix it—try restarting your printer. Turn your printer off and wait for a couple of minutes. After that, power on your printer and check if it solves the existing issue. Repeat the same with your computer and see if it works wonders.

Next, inspect all the cables to your printer, including the power one. Ensure that the connecting USB cable is tight enough and that the cord has no damage. You can replace the printer-to-computer cable if it has a tear.

Execute all these hacks and check if the printer offline in Windows 10 error persists.

3. Trust Printer Troubleshooter Program on Windows 10

The best part of Windows 10 is its troubleshooters. They can fix software issues on their own. You can run the Windows 10 printer troubleshooter to fix the problem.

Here’s how you can run the printer troubleshooter:

  • Use the Windows + I keys to open the Settings app on your Windows 10 PC.

  • Next, choose Devices, followed by Printers and Scanners.

  • Look out for the ‘Run the troubleshooter’ option just below Related Settings. The option should be in the right pane of the window.

The printer troubleshooter diagnoses and solves problems by starting necessary checks. It is available on Windows 11 devices. View detailed information to see problems and overcome them. If offline, proceed with the remaining issues.

4. Modify Your Printer’s Status

A glitch or accident might have turned on ‘Use Printer Offline’ for your connected printer. So, you should check whether the concerned status is enabled. Before doing so and changing the status, you might have to clear the print queue.

Here’s how you can clear the print queue on a Windows 10 device:

  • Explore the Settings application on your computer.

  • Navigate to Devices.

  • After that, select Printers and Scanners.

  • Click on your troublesome printer and select the Open Queue option.

Once you clear the clogged print queue, you can proceed with the steps below:

  • Begin by exploring Settings on the Windows 10 computer. Use the Windows + I shortcut or the Start menu to reach Settings.

  • Then, click on Devices and land on Printers & Scanners.

  • Now, choose your printer from the available or connected devices to your computer.

  • Check the toolbar and click on the printer option.

  • Make sure that the ‘Use Printer Offline’ option remains unchecked. So, remove the tick by clicking it if you see the option checked.

Now, check your printer’s status and see if it says offline.

5. Remove and add your printer.

Have you still been dealing with the change a printer from offline to online error message? The link between your computer and the printer may be unstable. That could be the problem. The only solution may be to delete and reinstall your printer on Windows 10. But you might have to download the printer driver and OEM app all over after the process.

Here’s how you can proceed with the hack:

  • If you have connected your printer to your computer via a USB cable, start by unplugging it.

  • Furthermore, open up Settings and choose Devices.

  • Select the option called Printers and Scanners.

  • Then, discover the printer you wish to remove and click on it.

  • Click the Remove Device option.

  • Now, connect your printer to the Windows 10 PC using a USB cable.

The Windows system must add the connected printer back again. Additionally, your computer should install the required driver, too. The overall reinstallation procedure should restore your printer’s online status.

In case the printer doesn’t show up even though it’s plugged in, you can select ‘Add a printer or scanner.’ Next, choose the option that says, ‘The printer that I want isn’t listed.’ After that, your system will let you add the printer manually. Please follow the on-screen instructions. They may fix the printer offline error in Windows 10.

6. Reinstate the Print Spooler Service

The printer is offline. How to fix it—are you still dealing with it? The following simple yet effective steps can help you get out of the loop. Restart the print spooler service using your Windows 10 computer. The print spooler service controls the computer’s interaction with the printer.

So, you can give restarting the print spooler a try. Who knows, this might bring your printer back online. Here’s how you can restart the print spooler service on your Windows 10 system:

  • Click the Windows icon to explore the Start Menu.

  • Next, type “Services” inside the Windows Search box.

  • Open up the relevant application from all the appearing results.

  • Then, scroll down until you see the Print Spooler service in the Name column.

  • Next, right-click on the Print Spooler option and select Restart.

7. Label your printer as Default.

Reportedly, Windows can mark the last-used printer as the default one. You may then get problems or a “printer offline” error when trying to connect to another printer. So, set the faulty printer as default to avoid the problem. It says offline, but it is connected.

Let’s check out how you can label a printer as the default:

  • To begin with, open Settings.

  • Go to Devices, followed by Printers & Scanners.

  • Next, click on the printer that you want to fix. Choose the Open Queue option.

  • From the toolbar at the top, select Printer and click on ‘Set as Default Printer’.

Now, a message may pop up to warn you about Windows not handling default printers anymore. Click on OK to agree with it. Return to the feature by following the steps above. Then, click ‘Allow Windows to manage my default printer.’

8. Troubleshooting Hacks for Network Printers

Is it a network printer stuck at the printer offline Windows 10 error? Typically, a network printer exhibits an offline status when the computer can’t reach it. Check if your printer is connected to another computer rather than the intended one.

If yes, please restore the connection between your printer and computer. So, a firewall issue can lead to similar consequences. Examine if your printer is blocked somehow. Otherwise, you can seek expert intervention to restore the connectivity.

9. Update Your Printer Driver

Outdated printer drivers can cause printer offline errors. The connected computer is not to blame. Hence, you can spot outdated drivers and update them. But you should keep your printer connected to your Windows 10 computer with a USB cable. Then go through the following guidelines to update printer drivers:

  • Navigate to the Device Manager window via the Start menu or Windows Search option. Otherwise, you can use the Windows + X key shortcut to open the Device Manager window directly.

  • Now, locate the category called Printers.

  • Double-click on Printers.

  • Next, find your offline printer and right-click on it.

  • Finally, select the Update Driver option.

Update your printer’s status in Device Manager. If it doesn’t show, visit the printer maker’s website, like Brother, Canon, Epson, HP, or Xerox.

10. Deactivate the SNMP port for the printer.

This hack is for offline printers connected to a computer. The active SNMP port can cause issues and label the device as offline. SNMP helps network administrators retrieve device information.

To resolve the printer offline error in Windows 10, disable the SNMP port for your printer:

  • Go to your Windows 10 Settings with the Windows + I shortcut.

  • Next, click on Bluetooth & Devices or Devices.

  • Select Printers & Scanners from the next window.

  • Then, choose the offline printer and click on Printer Properties.

  • Choose the Ports tab and look out for the SNMP checkbox.

  • Uncheck the SNMP checkbox if you find it active.

  • Now, apply your changes and choose OK.

Check if the printer offline error still exists.

11. Use the Dedicated Printer Software for Troubleshooting

If your printer is offline, check for its print management software. Install the software on your Windows 10 device or from the printer’s CD or official website:

  • Go to your system settings using the Windows + I shortcut.

  • Next, click on Devices, followed by Printers and Scanners.

  • Choose your printer and click the Manage option.

  • A button called ‘Open printer app’ will pop up if your PC already has the software.

So, check the printer software for help. Your printer is offline but connected to the Windows 10 PC.

In Conclusion…

Hopefully, the guide helped you mitigate the printer offline Windows 10 error. If you can’t fix your printer, seek an expert at Printer Repair Dubai. If the existing offline printer stops responding, you might need a new one.

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