An offline printer in the middle of an important job can be frustrating as the device becomes unavailable. As a consequence, your printing job remains incomplete. Lots of reasons can make your printer offline no matter what the brand or model is.

The offline printer issue can easily be addressed if the root cause is known. That’s why Printer Repair Dubai experts are here with probable reasons and distinct solutions for an offline printer. Let’s review them and get your offline printer out of the stuck situation.

printer offline

Reasons Why Your Printer is Offline

Printer Repair Dubai pros confirm that a printer can appear offline if it fails to connect to a computer or mobile device over a wireless network or via a cable. Thus, the printer can’t communicate with the computer and print anything.

Typically, a printer’s offline status is a temporary glitch and some simple fixes can retain its online condition. Rarely, a broken hardware component or failed printer can trigger the offline status. Let’s check out all the possible reasons behind an offline printer:

  • The connection between the printer and the computer or the network is vaguely strong.
  • Perhaps, the printer has encountered an error code.
  • On the other hand, the cable connecting the printer and computer might be damaged.
  • The internet connection might be down.
  • Antivirus, firewall, and other software can interfere with the printer’s online status.
  • The printer might have its offline status turned on.
  • Otherwise, the printer may have an overloaded print queue.
  • However, the printer has outdated drivers.

Now, let’s move on to the potential solutions for an offline printer.

How to Fix an Offline Printer

Have you identified the exact reason for the offline printer? Then, you can apply the right fix according to the reason. Otherwise, you can go through the following proven fixes as suggested by a printer repair near me.

1. Ensure the Printer is Turned on and Connected

The first solution is to make sure that the printer is turned on. It can be a silly mistake that you haven’t turned on the printer. So, double-check the printer’s power status and turn it on if it’s off. In addition, the printer should connect to a Wi-Fi network when you opt for a wireless connection.

On a related note, the printer should connect to the same wireless network to which the computer or mobile device connects. You can also check the printer’s manual for instructions about how you can add it to a wireless network.

2. Restart Your Printer and Computer

Printer repair services Dubai pros suggest a power cycle for your printer if it stays offline or unavailable. For a quick restart or power-cycle, here’s what you have to follow:

  • Turn off your printer, first.
  • Afterwards, detach your printer’s plug from the power outlet.
  • Wait for 30 seconds or so.
  • Next, plug the printer back into a functioning power outlet.
  • Turn on your printer and check its status if it’s back online.

On the other hand, you can restart your Windows or Mac computer. Restarting your device will refresh the services and components essential for the communication between the printer and computer. Additionally, it can flush out temporary software glitches from the system.

3. Disable the Offline Mode

It’s possible to manually set the printer to its offline mode if you have connected a Windows PC to it. So, this particular offline mode setting can restrict the respective printer from being available if it’s shared over a local network.

However, this solution is exclusively available for Windows users. Here’s what Windows users can apply, as suggested by printer repair services Dubai:

  • Open Settings with the Windows + I keyboard shortcut.
  • Next, select Devices from the main Settings menu.
  • Hit the option called Printers & Scanners.
  • Now, check out your printer and select it.
  • Afterwards, click on Open Queue and go to the Printer tab.
  • Uncheck the option that says, ‘Use Printer Offline’.

4. Check the Connecting Cable for Damage

Does your printer connect to the computer or mobile device directly via a compatible cable? If yes, a loose connection might force your printer to stay offline. Hence, a printer repair service near me suggests that you should tighten the cable and recheck the printer’s status.

On the other hand, a broken cable connecting the USB printer and computer might be the culprit for the offline issue. So, inspect the cable loosely and see if you can spot any physical damage. Indeed, a crushed cable might be torn from the inside and it’s not a competent choice for a functional connection.

Hence, replace the existing broken cable with a new and working one. 

5. Strengthen the Wireless Connection

A wireless printer doesn’t require a USB cable to connect to the intended computer. Instead, it should be on the same Wi-Fi network that your computer joins. If your computer still detects the printer as  an offline device, you can try the following tricks recommended by printer repair services in Dubai:

  • Disconnect your printer and computer from the network and power cycle the router. Once the router is up and running, you can connect your devices back to the network and check if the offline status disappears.
  • Have you changed the password of the Wi-Fi network recently? So, you should update the credentials on your printer too. Read the printer’s manual to know how you can forget the network and add it again with the right credentials.
  • Rese your printer’s Wi-Fi configurations. Most wireless printers have a dedicated button or a combination of buttons to restore factory defaults for wireless settings. 
  • On a related note, you can keep your printer, router, and computer closer to each other. Otherwise, wireless signals might be weakened by thick walls, electronics, etc. 

6. Clear the Print Queue

All your assigned print jobs sit in the print queue. If a print job fails anyhow, it can prevent other jobs from proceeding and complete. Hence, printer repair Dubai experts recommend clearing the print queue in the following manner on a Windows computer:

  • Start by browsing the Settings menu on your Windows computer.
  • Next, click Devices and go to Printers & Scanners on the side panel.
  • Now, choose your printer and select Open Queue.
  • Afterwards, right-click on any blank spot in the Print Queue window.
  • Then, choose ‘Cancel All Documents’.

However, clearing the print queue on a Mac is a little bit different. Go to Dock and click on your printer’s icon from there. Next, select print jobs one by one and opt for the Delete option.

7. Set the Printer as the Default Option

Are you still seeing the offline status on your computer when you try to use the printer? A printer repair near me advises that setting the printer as a default one can reduce your tantrums. Here’s how you can set your printer as the default one on a Windows PC:

  • Click the Windows or Start icon from the bottom-left corner of the Taskbar.
  • Next, hit Settings and choose Devices.
  • Now, select Printers & Scanners from the left sidebar.
  • After that, select your printer from the list of devices and hit the ‘Open Queue’ button.
  • Head towards the Printer tab and opt for ‘Set As Default Printer’.

Apart from the above-mentioned steps, make sure you uncheck the following options under the Printer tab:

  • Pause Printing
  • Use Printer Offline

A message might appear and it will say, ‘Windows will stop managing your default printer for you’. Simply, select OK and check if you can use the problematic printer now.

8. Try Windows Printer Troubleshooter

Lucky for Windows users, they can troubleshoot printer issues, network faults, and much more by running built-in Windows utilities. Now, you can run the Windows Printer Troubleshooter and let the tool detect if there’s an underlying problem with the system.

According to a printer repair in Dubai, here’s how you can proceed with the troubleshooting on a Windows 10 device:

  • Go to Settings on your Windows computer. Use the Windows + I shortcut to open up Settings.
  • Next, hover over the Update & Security column.
  • Click Troubleshoot from the sidebar.
  • Look for the Printer Troubleshooter and run it.

If it’s a Windows 11 PC, here’s what you have to go through:

  • Navigate to Settings and hit the System option.
  • Afterwards, click Troubleshoot.
  • Proceed with the Other Trouble-shooters and run the printer one.

Make sure you abide by all the on-screen instructions. The troubleshooting tool will detect all the underlying errors along with applicable solutions. The troubleshooter might tell you what to do to get rid of the nuisance.

However, there’s no dedicated troubleshooter on Mac computers to eliminate such errors.

9. Try to Restart the Print Spooler on Windows

A Print Spooler is a typical component that stores print jobs in the memory. Printer repair services in Dubai confirm that a printer may flag itself offline if the print spooler stops working. Hence, it’s important to restart the spooler service and you have to go through the following guidelines for the mission:

  • Open a Run utility with the Windows + R keyboard shortcut.
  • Input ‘services.msc’ in the box. Now, hit the OK button.
  • Under Services (Local), locate Print Spooler and check if its status appears to be ‘running’. Otherwise, right-click on Print Spooler.
  • Choose the Restart option from the context menu.

10. Update your Printer’s Driver

Outdated printing software or driver can force your printer to remain offline. This happens because the connected computer or mobile device finds the printer to be incompatible. Depending on your printer’s manufacturer guidelines, you can update the device’s driver.

Later, check if the offline status persists on your printer. Apart from drivers or software, you might have to update your printer firmware. A printer repair service near me suggests visiting the manufacturer’s website for clear instructions on driver and firmware updates.

11. Reinstall Your Printer

The printer repair services Dubai team recommends removing the printer and reinstalling it to eliminate the issue. If it’s a Windows PC, here’s what you can do:

  • Launch Settings and go to Devices.
  • Now, click Printers & Scanners from the left panel.
  • Select your printer and opt for ‘Remove Device’.
  • Additionally, you have to delete all the printer software that is related to the printer.

On a Mac computer, here’s how you can uninstall a printer:

  • Hit the Apple icon from the top-left corner.
  • Then, click on System Settings or System Preferences.
  • Choose Printers and Scanners.
  • Now, select the troublesome printer and hit the remove or ‘-’ button.

Once you uninstall the printer, start installing it from scratch. Refer to the instruction manual if required.

In Conclusion…

Broken hardware can cause the printer to stay in the offline mode forever. Get in touch with a printer repair in Dubai if you still suffer from the offline error.