If the printer shows in the list but reads "Offline", skip straight to Solution 4 - restarting the print spooler fixes most of those cases. If it does not appear at all, the problem is the connection or the driver: on a Wi-Fi printer, confirm it is on the same network as the computer (Solution 2), and on a USB printer, try another port before anything else. After a major Windows update, reinstalling the driver (Solution 5) is almost always the route.
What causes this problem
- A stuck Print Spooler service - the most common cause of a printer showing offline while switched on.
- A driver removed or made incompatible by a Windows update.
- A Wi-Fi printer connected to a different network, or a different band (5 GHz while the computer is on 2.4 GHz).
- A faulty USB cable or a port supplying little power, especially on hubs.
- A print queue stuck on a failed document, blocking everything behind it.
- The printer in deep sleep, not responding until woken manually.
- Check the obvious first: printer genuinely on, no error light flashing, no paper jam, and ink or toner present.
- Identify the connection type - USB, Wi-Fi or wired network. Each takes a different path from here.
- On a Wi-Fi printer, print the network configuration page from its own panel: it shows the IP address and which network it joined.
- Restart everything once, in order: printer, router, computer. That clears a share of cases before any configuration.
Solutions, in the order to try them
1Run the printer troubleshooter
Windows has a printer-specific diagnostic that fixes a stopped service, a stuck queue and a printer marked offline on its own. It is quick and worth doing before the rest.
- Open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
- Find Printer and click Run.
- Choose the problem printer when it asks.
- Let it apply the fixes and test a print.
2Confirm the connection for your printer type
This step separates a network problem from a driver problem. Without it, you can spend hours reinstalling drivers for a printer that is on another network.
- USB: change the port on the computer, avoid hubs and extensions, and try a different cable if you can.
- Wi-Fi: print the configuration page from the printer's panel and check the network name matches the one the computer is on.
- Wi-Fi: many routers run separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. Older printers only see 2.4 GHz - the computer must be on the same one.
- Wired network: check that the light on the printer's network port is lit.
3Add the printer manually
When the printer does not show up in the automatic search, adding it by IP address usually works first time - and it is more stable than auto-detection on networks with many devices.
- Take the printer's IP address from the configuration page you printed.
- Open Settings > Bluetooth and devices > Printers and scanners > Add device.
- Click The printer that I want isn't listed.
- Choose Add a printer using a TCP/IP address and enter the IP.
- Let Windows find the driver, or point it at the manufacturer's driver.
4Restart the spooler service and clear the queue
This is the fix for a printer reading Offline while switched on, and for a queue that will not move. Run these in Command Prompt as Administrator, in order. The second command empties the entire queue.
net stop spooler
del /Q /F /S "%systemroot%\System32\spool\PRINTERS\*.*"
net start spooler5Remove and reinstall the driver
After a major Windows update, an old driver can end up incompatible. Removing it completely and installing the manufacturer's version fixes what a simple reinstall does not.
- Open Settings > Bluetooth and devices > Printers and scanners, click the printer and choose Remove.
- Open Print Server Properties (type printui /s /t2 in Windows + R), go to the Drivers tab and remove the printer's driver.
- Download the current driver from the manufacturer's site, for the exact model.
- Install it and add the printer again.
6Disable sleep and offline mode
Some problems keep coming back because the printer drops into deep sleep, or because Windows was set to use it offline at some point.
- In Printers and scanners, open the printer and go to Printing preferences or Properties.
- Look for Use Printer Offline and untick it if it is set.
- On the printer's own panel, increase the time before it enters power saving.
- For a USB printer, disable USB selective suspend in Device Manager, under the USB hub properties.
Applies to
| System | Status |
|---|---|
| Windows 11 (22H2-24H2) | Confirmed |
| Windows 10 (21H2-22H2) | Confirmed |
| HP, Epson, Brother and Canon printers | The Windows steps apply to all of them; each brand's panel and wizard differ |
Menu names can change slightly between versions. If a step above does not match what you see on screen, the official support page from the manufacturer has the most current wording for your version.
Frequently asked questions
Last checked: Aug 28, 2026 · We review this guide whenever the manufacturer changes the process.