Printer Says Offline But Is Connected

Last updated: July 21, 2026 · 5 min read

Why Does My Printer Say Offline When It’s Clearly On?

This is one of the most frustrating printer problems. You can see the printer is on. The lights are lit. Maybe it even printed fine yesterday. But your computer insists it’s offline.

Here’s what’s really happening. Your computer and printer talk to each other through a connection — either a cable or WiFi. When that conversation gets interrupted, even for a second, Windows or Mac sometimes gets confused. It marks the printer as “offline” and won’t send print jobs to it.

Think of it like a phone call that got dropped. Both phones work fine, but they’re not talking to each other anymore.

According to AARP, 91% of adults 50+ now own a smartphone, yet many still struggle with everyday tech problems. Printer issues top the list. You’re not alone in this.

How Do I Get My Printer to Get Back Online?

Let’s start with the simplest fixes first. These work for most people, whether you have an HP printer offline but connected to wifi, a Brother printer says offline but is connected, or any other brand.

Step 1: Restart Everything

This sounds almost too simple, but it works about 70% of the time. Here’s exactly what to do:

1. Turn off your printer: Press the power button and wait until all lights go off. Don’t worry if it takes a few seconds.
2. Unplug the power cord: Pull the cord out of the back of the printer. Also unplug it from the wall outlet if you can reach it easily.
3. Wait 30 full seconds: Count to 30 slowly. This gives the printer’s memory time to clear completely.
4. Plug everything back in: Connect the power cord to the printer first, then to the wall outlet.
5. Turn the printer back on: Press the power button and wait for it to finish starting up. You’ll usually see lights blink as it gets ready.
6. Restart your computer too: Close all programs and restart Windows or Mac. This clears your computer’s memory as well.

After both devices restart, try printing a test page. Many times, the problem is solved right here.

Step 2: Check the “Use Printer Offline” Setting

Windows has a setting that can accidentally get turned on. It tells your computer to stop sending jobs to the printer. Let’s make sure it’s turned off.

For printer says offline but is connected windows 10:

1. Open Settings: Click the Start button (the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner) and click the gear icon.
2. Go to Devices: Click “Devices,” then click “Printers & scanners” on the left side.
3. Find your printer: Look for your printer’s name in the list and click on it.
4. Open the print queue: Click “Open queue” or “Open printer queue.”
5. Check the Printer menu: At the top of the window, click “Printer” in the menu bar. If you see a checkmark next to “Use Printer Offline,” click it to turn it off.

For printer says offline but is connected windows 11, the steps are almost the same. Just look for “Bluetooth & devices” instead of “Devices.”

According to Microsoft’s official guidance, this setting sometimes gets turned on when Windows updates or when your WiFi connection drops briefly.

How Do I Switch My Printer From Offline to Online?

If the steps above didn’t work, let’s look at connection-specific fixes. The solution depends on how your printer connects to your computer.

For WiFi Printers

When your Canon printer says offline but is connected to wifi or your Epson printer says offline but is connected, the WiFi signal might be weak or unstable.

1. Check the WiFi icon on your printer: Most printers have a small screen or lights that show WiFi status. Make sure it shows connected.
2. Move the printer closer to your router: Even if the printer shows connected, a weak signal causes problems. Try moving it within 10 feet of your WiFi router as a test.
3. Print a network configuration page: Most printers have a button combination or menu option to print this page. It shows if the printer really has a WiFi connection. Check your printer’s manual or look for “Network” in the printer’s menu screen.
4. Reconnect to WiFi: On your printer’s screen or buttons, find the WiFi setup option. Select your home network name again and enter the password. This creates a fresh connection.

For USB Cable Printers

If your printer says offline but is connected to ethernet or USB, the cable might be loose.

1. Check both ends of the cable: Unplug the USB cable from both your computer and the printer. Look at the ends — they should be clean and not bent.
2. Wait 10 seconds: Give the computer time to forget the connection.
3. Plug it back in firmly: Push the USB cable into the printer until you hear or feel a small click. Do the same on the computer end.
4. Try a different USB port: If your computer has multiple USB ports, try a different one. Sometimes one port develops problems.

How Do I Get My HP Printer Back Online?

Why is my hp printer offline but connected to wifi? HP printers have one additional common issue. They use a feature called “SNMP Status” that sometimes causes offline errors.

Here’s how to fix it:

1. Open Devices and Printers: Type “printers” in the Windows search box and click “Devices and Printers.”
2. Right-click your HP printer: Find your printer’s icon, right-click it, and choose “Printer properties” (not just “Properties”).
3. Click the Ports tab: You’ll see several tabs at the top. Click “Ports.”
4. Click Configure Port: Find the button that says “Configure Port” and click it.
5. Uncheck SNMP Status: Look for a checkbox that says “SNMP Status Enabled” and remove the checkmark. Click OK, then OK again.

Don’t worry if this sounds technical. You’re just telling Windows to stop using a fancy monitoring feature that doesn’t always work right. If you’d rather have someone walk you through it, our printer help service can do this with you watching.

Why Won’t My Printer Print Even Though It’s Connected to Wi-Fi?

Sometimes the printer shows connected to WiFi, but print jobs just sit in the queue and never print. This usually means one of three things:

The printer is connected to a different network. If you have both a 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi network at home (many routers create both), your printer might be on one and your computer on the other. They can’t talk to each other across different networks.

Your firewall is blocking the connection. Windows or your antivirus software might be stopping the printer communication. Temporarily turning off Windows Firewall for 2 minutes can test this. If printing suddenly works, you know the firewall is the problem.

The printer has an old IP address saved. On WiFi, your router assigns each device a number called an IP address. If this changes and your computer remembers the old one, it can’t find the printer anymore.

For a printer says offline but is connected mac, the process is similar but you’ll go to System Preferences, then Printers & Scanners, then click the minus button to remove the printer and the plus button to add it fresh.

When Should You Ask for Help Instead of Fixing It Yourself?

You’ve tried the basic fixes. You’ve restarted everything. You’ve checked the settings. But it’s still not working. That’s okay. Some printer problems need expert help.

Consider calling for help when:

• You’ve spent more than 15 minutes trying fixes and nothing has changed
• The printer worked fine for months and suddenly stopped with no changes you can remember
• Error messages pop up that don’t make sense or ask for technical information
• You’re worried about clicking the wrong thing and making it worse

Professional help doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re smart enough to know when a problem needs someone with experience. The PC Buddy can connect to your computer remotely and fix printer problems while you watch. No house visit needed. We explain each step so you learn what was wrong.

For more guidance on printer troubleshooting, AARP’s tech help resources offer additional tips written specifically for older adults.