Printer says offline? How to get it back on the WiFi and printing

If we sent you this link, start at the top and work down the checks in order. When a printer says Offline, it’s usually not broken: it has lost its WiFi connection, and the computer can no longer reach it. The makers’ own pages point to the usual reasons: a new modem, a changed WiFi name or password, or the printer and the computer on different networks. If you’d rather someone sorted it beside you, home tech support that sets the printer up on your WiFi does exactly that.

Why does my printer say it’s offline?

Offline means your computer can’t reach the printer. HP puts it plainly: you may see a “printer offline” error if your device can’t communicate with your printer. Microsoft’s own page is for a printer that shows as Offline even though it is powered on and connected, which is the usual case.

Usually the printer is fine and the link between it and the computer isn’t. On a WiFi printer, that link runs through the modem, so anything that changes the WiFi can break it:

• The link has dropped. HP’s and Brother’s first fix is to restart the printer, the computer and the modem, so they connect again.
• There’s a new modem, or the WiFi name or password changed. Brother says that when a router is replaced, or its security settings are changed, the printer has to be reconnected to the new network. HP has a support article for the same thing, titled “Wi-Fi connection is lost after router or network settings change”.
• The computer and the printer are on different networks. Microsoft and Apple both list this.

The other way round, where the printer prints but no websites load, is a different problem: the internet is out and your home network is still working.

Pick what happened

Printing fine The connection dropped The WiFi name or password changed Back on the WiFi

Home WiFiNew WiFi Home WiFiNew WiFi Old WiFi Home WiFiNew WiFi Offline

Printing fine

The laptop sends the page over the modem's WiFi to the printer, and it prints. Both are on the same WiFi network.

The connection dropped

The laptop is still on the WiFi, but the printer's link has dropped, so the laptop can't reach it and says Offline. The first fix is to restart the printer, the computer and the modem, so they connect again.

The WiFi name or password changed

The modem has a new WiFi name or password. The laptop was given the new one, but the printer is still looking for the old one. Join the printer to the new WiFi from its own screen, its WiFi button or its maker's app.

Back on the WiFi

The printer has joined the modem's WiFi again, on the same network as the laptop. The laptop can reach it, and the page prints.

First, turn the printer off and on again

Turn the printer off, unplug it, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in and turn it on. That is Microsoft’s first step, and HP’s and Brother’s too. HP and Brother both say to restart the computer and the modem as well, and Brother says to wait two minutes before you try to print.

1. 1

   Turn the printer off at the wall

   Press its power button, then unplug it. Wait 30 seconds.

2. 2

   Restart the computer

   Restart it from the Start menu on Windows, or the Apple menu on a Mac.

3. 3

   Restart the modem as well

   HP and Brother both include the modem. Turn it off and on, and give it five minutes to come back up fully before the printer goes back on.

4. 4

   Turn the printer back on

   Plug it in, turn it on, and give it two minutes to join the WiFi before you print.

Restart the modem the right way, not with the reset button: a long press on reset wipes its settings, including the WiFi name and password every device uses. Restarting the modem and NBN box in the right order shows how.

Is the printer still connected to the WiFi?

Check on the printer itself, not on the computer. Microsoft says to look in the printer’s own menu for its WiFi connection, and that many printers have a menu option to test their wireless connectivity. If the printer can’t see the WiFi, nothing on the computer will fix it.

There are three ways to tell, depending on the printer:

• The WiFi light. Canon says a flashing blue wireless light turns solid when the printer is connected. A light that keeps flashing means it’s still trying.
• The printer’s screen. If it has one, look in its settings for Wireless, Wi-Fi or Network, and its status or connection test.
• A network report. Many printers can print a network report or a wireless test page from their own menu; Microsoft says many have a menu option to test their wireless connection. Your printer’s manual or its maker’s support page has the steps for your model.

Brother’s page explains what to look for on that report. The network name (SSID) should be your WiFi’s name. The wireless link status should say Link OK. The IP address, the printer’s number on your network, shouldn’t be 0.0.0.0 or start with 169.254. If any of those is wrong, the printer is off your WiFi, and the section on joining it to the WiFi below is the fix.

What the printer's network report tells you (Brother's checks)

On the report	What you want to see	If it's not
Network name (SSID)	Your WiFi's name, the one on the modem's sticker or the one you set	The printer is on another network, or none. Join it to yours
Wireless link status	Link OK	It isn't connected. Join it to the WiFi again
IP address	A number that isn't 0.0.0.0 and doesn't start with 169.254	Brother treats either as wrong. Restart the printer and the modem, then join it to the WiFi again
Connection speed	Brother links a low speed with a weak signal	If printing keeps dropping out, move the printer closer to the modem, as Brother and Canon both say

Are the printer and the computer on the same WiFi?

They have to be. Microsoft’s page says to make sure the printer is connected to the same WiFi network as your device, and Apple’s says to check that your Mac and the printer are still on the same network. Check the WiFi name on the computer against the name on the printer’s screen or report.

The usual way they end up apart is a second WiFi name in the house. Microsoft points to extenders, access points and extra routers that each have their own network name: the computer joins one, the printer the other, and they can’t see each other. Put the computer on the same name as the printer, or move the printer onto the main WiFi.

If the WiFi is weak where the printer sits, moving the printer closer to the modem is the makers’ fix. If the WiFi doesn’t reach that room for anything, that’s a coverage problem, and a mesh system with a unit near the printer is usually the answer.

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Gear mentioned here, on Amazon Australia

Product	What it is for	Link
TP-Link Deco X55, 3-pack	WiFi 6 mesh for most homes	View on Amazon for the TP-Link Deco X55, 3-pack (opens in a new tab)

Does the printer need the 2.4GHz WiFi?

Some do. Canon’s setup checks for one of its printers ask whether the modem is working on 2.4GHz, so if your modem gives its 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi separate names, join the printer to the 2.4GHz one; why some devices only join 2.4GHz WiFi, and how to find it on your modem explains the difference.

Smart plugs and bulbs can trip on the same thing: why a smart device says it isn’t responding.

How do I connect the printer to the WiFi again?

From the printer’s own screen or buttons, or with its maker’s app. If the modem is new or the WiFi password has changed, this is the step that fixes it: Brother says a replaced router or changed WiFi security settings mean reconnecting the printer (opens in a new tab) to the new network. Have your WiFi name and password ready before you start.

The WiFi name and password are usually on the sticker on the modem, unless someone has changed them. If they have and you don’t know them, how to log into your modem and find or change the WiFi name and password shows where they are kept.

Three ways a printer joins the WiFi

The way	How it works	From the makers' pages
The printer's own screen	In the printer's settings, open the wireless setup (often called a Wireless Setup Wizard or Wireless LAN Setup), pick your WiFi name and type the password	Canon: choose Wireless LAN Setup, then your network. Brother: the Wireless Setup Wizard
The WPS button	Press the WiFi button on the printer, then the WPS button on the modem. No password to type	Canon's steps for one of its PIXMA printers: hold the printer's WiFi button, then press the modem's WPS button within 2 minutes. Only if your modem has one
The maker's app or setup site	The printer maker's app or setup website walks you through it on a phone or computer	HP: the HP app, with its Diagnose and Fix tool. Canon: guided setup for your model at ij.start.canon

Your printer’s manual or the maker’s support page has the exact steps for your model; Microsoft sends you there too. Once the printer shows it’s connected, add it on the computer again, below.

If the WiFi just won’t hold, many printers can also plug straight into the computer with a USB cable, which doesn’t rely on the WiFi at all. Brother suggests a cable under 2 metres, plugged into the computer itself rather than a hub.

Gear mentioned here, on Amazon Australia

Product	What it is for	Link
UGREEN USB printer cable, 2 m	USB A to B lead for a printer	View on Amazon for the UGREEN USB printer cable, 2 m (opens in a new tab)

How do I fix an offline printer on Windows?

Run Microsoft’s troubleshooter, check the printer is the default, clear anything stuck, and if it’s still offline, remove it and add it again. Do these after the printer itself is back on the WiFi.

Run the printer troubleshooter (Windows 11)

On Windows 11, Microsoft says to start with the automated printer troubleshooter in the Get Help app. Microsoft’s page on troubleshooting offline printer problems in Windows (opens in a new tab) has a Run the troubleshooter in Get Help link at the top, and the rest of the steps below it. On Windows 10, go straight to the steps.

Set the printer as the default

Make sure Windows is sending to the right printer. On Windows 11, Microsoft’s steps are:

1. 1

   Select Start, then Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners.

2. 2

   Under Printer preferences, turn Let Windows manage my default printer off.

3. 3

   Select your printer in the list of installed printers.

4. 4

   Select Set as default, next to the printer's name.

On Windows 10: right-click the Start button and select Settings, then Devices, then Printers & scanners. Untick Let Windows manage my default printer, select your printer, select Manage, then Set as default.

Clear the queue, and check Use Printer Offline

A stuck page can hold up everything behind it. In Printers & scanners, select the printer, select Open print queue, then the three dots (…), and select Cancel all if anything is waiting. Then print again.

Brother’s and Canon’s pages both point to a Windows setting called Use Printer Offline. Canon says that if the offline message appears, this setting may be switched on. Brother’s steps: open Control Panel, then Hardware and Sound, then Devices and Printers, right-click the printer and choose See What’s Printing. In the window that opens, make sure Pause Printing and Use Printer Offline are not ticked.

Remove the printer and add it again

If it still says Offline, Microsoft’s next step is to remove it and add it back. In Printers & scanners, select the printer, select Remove (on Windows 10, Remove device), then Yes. With the printer on and connected to the WiFi, select Add device, wait for the printer to appear in the list, and select Add device next to it. Then restart the computer; Microsoft says a restart can refresh the parts Windows needs to talk to the printer.

How do I fix an offline printer on a Mac?

Check the queue isn’t paused, check the Mac and the printer are on the same WiFi, then remove and add the printer. These are Apple’s steps from its page to solve printing problems on Mac (opens in a new tab).

• Resume the printer. Click the Print Centre icon in the Dock. If the printer is paused, click Resume. A job that’s stuck can be selected and removed with Delete Job.
• Check you sent it to the right printer. Apple notes you may have printed to a different printer. Choose yours in the print window, or set it as the default: Apple menu, System Settings, Printers & Scanners, then the Default printer pop-up menu.
• Check the printer. Apple’s list: the status lights look normal, it has paper and none is jammed, and it has ink or toner.
• Add it again. In System Settings, click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar, then Add Printer, Scanner or Fax. Select your WiFi printer and click Add; Apple says it may take a minute or two to appear. Once it prints, remove the old one: Control-click it in the printer list and choose Remove Printer.

On an older Mac, such as one on macOS Monterey, it’s Apple menu, System Preferences, then Printers & Scanners, and the Add button is the plus at the bottom of the printer list. Most printers work with a Mac without extra software through AirPrint; Apple says to install the maker’s latest software for one that doesn’t.

Be careful with printer “support” numbers

Use only the printer maker’s own website and app. When we checked these steps, searching for printer help turned up pages that weren’t the makers’ own, some with phone numbers to ring. Scamwatch says remote access scammers pose as a computer company or a technical support provider and ask for remote access to your computer.

If anyone asks to take over your computer to fix the printer, say no and hang up. How the fake technician call works, and what to do if you let one in has the rest. A real home visit from us is booked by you; we don’t ring you first and we don’t offer remote support.

When to call us, and when you don’t need to

You don’t need us if the steps above bring it back. A printer that jams, smudges, shows a hardware error or won’t power on is a question for its maker; HP’s own page for a printer that says offline (opens in a new tab) and its Diagnose and Fix tool are a good place to start for an HP. We don’t repair printers.

Call us when it’s the setup that’s beaten you:

• The printer won’t stay on the WiFi, or it joins and drops off again by the next day.
• You’ve got a new modem and the printer, the computer and everything else need joining to it.
• The printer has never worked with this computer, or it’s still in its box.

A home tech support visit puts the printer on the WiFi and the computer printing to it, and we show you how to bring it back yourself next time. If the WiFi doesn’t reach the room the printer is in, a WiFi technician fixes the coverage so it stays connected. If nothing in the house can get online, start with an internet technician who tests the connection itself.

Not sure which you need? Send us a message with your printer’s make and model and what it’s doing, or ring 02 9188 1577.