For the reasons we all know, printers have been an integral part of any business or office. Even though technology has advanced to a great extent, there are still many things that cannot be denied the importance of a printer. Because of the importance of printers, it is not uncommon for smooth printing to be interrupted. Brother printer shows offline is something that brands cannot afford to ignore. It is because printers are technical devices and cannot be expected to work flawlessly forever. This guide will help you fix the problems that cause your printer to go offline from time to time. We’ll discuss the causes and how to get your printer back online.
Why Your Printer Is Offline
Are you wondering why your printer shows offline when you attempt to print a document? We don’t know the cause, but there are many. Let us take a look at them all and then we will discuss possible solutions.
- If your printer cannot communicate with your mobile device or PC, it will display offline.
- A printer can go offline if there is no network connection.
- It is possible that the USB cable connecting the printer and the computer may be defective.
- This can be used to get your printer off-line if you have a stuck print job.
These are the causes of your printer saying offline. Let’s now see what solutions you have.
How do I bring a printer online that is showing offline?
If the problem isn’t due to a poor network or damaged cable, you can fix it offline by using
1. Restart your printer
If your internet connection is working but the printer is not showing up, you can reset the printer. This will restart the device and bring it online.
2. You can set the printer online manually
It is also possible to set up your printer online on both Windows and Mac, as described here.
For Windows
- Go to the Start> menu and scroll down to the section titled ‘Devices and Printers>. You will find a complete list of all printers that are connected to your computer.
- Right-click the printer icon, then click on the option “See what’s printing”.
- To close the print spooler window, uncheck the box next to the option “Use Printer Offline”
- This will hopefully bring the printer online under Windows
For Mac
- Click on ‘System Preferences” from the dock of your Mac device and then click on ‘Print & Scan.
- Choose your printer, and if there is a yellow light beside its name, double-click on it. Then click on Resume’.
- You can now print a document to see if it shows up online.
3. Reinstall the printer
Next, you can remove your printer and then reinstall it.
To get rid of the printer,
- See the ‘Devices and Printers’ section
- Right-click your printer and click ‘Remove’
To reinstall your printer:
- Go to the Devices and Printers section
- Click on “Add a Printer” and follow the instructions to install your printer
4. Run the Troubleshooter
A printer may also become unavailable due to problems with the Windows printing system. To resolve this issue, you can use the troubleshooter
- Click on Control Panel to go to the section ‘Printers & Scanners’.
- Choose your printer, then click on the option “Manage”
- To the left, you’ll see a few options. Click on ‘Run the Troubleshooter.’
- Windows will begin looking for problems with your printer
- To resolve the problem, click on the button ‘Apply this Fix’.
5. Reinstall the Printer Driver
If your printer driver is out of date, the issue could also be related. The driver for your printer must be up-to-date. You can download the most recent version from the manufacturer’s site. It is easy to find the model number and name of your printer. Then, download the appropriate driver for your operating system. Once it has been installed, you can check if your printer comes back online.
This was how to get your printer online from offline. If your printer does not show up on Windows 10, visit Microsoft’s official support site.
Also Read: Download Epson L380 Driver Printer & Scanner
