Complete Guide: How Do I Get My Printer Back Online

BySmith Victor  Last updated on
How to Get My Printer Back Online

Do you want to bring your printer back online? Don’t you know how to get my printer back online? Well, you have landed on the right page. To bring your printing device back online, you are required to follow the troubleshooting steps carefully. By following the correct troubleshooting steps, you can make sure that your printer communicates efficiently with your computer.

Are you looking for troubleshooting methods that may allow your device to remain available for printing tasks? If so, we have got you covered. In this comprehensive guide, you will get ideas to resolve offline printer issues and get back to seamless printing.

Buckle up!!

Why Is My Canon Printer Offline?

There are a range of reasons that cause your offline status with your Canon printer. You may have to encounter this issue, even if you are connected to your computer or network. By addressing these issues, you can surely be aware of how to get my printer back online and ready for printing.

Connection Issues:

In case, the printer is not properly connected to your Wi-Fi or computer, it may appear offline. Due to loose or disconnected cables, poor Wi-Fi signals, and more, you have to suffer from this issue.

Printer Settings:

Sometimes, the printer may not be set as the default printer. Or it can be paused in the system settings. It prevents your printing device from receiving print commands.

Driver Issues:

Due to the outdated or corrupted printer drivers, you have to encounter communication issues between the printer & the computer. That way, all these things make it show offline.

Paper Jams or Errors:

In case, there is a paper jam or another error, your printer may appear offline. A few more errors include – low ink levels.

Network Configuration:

Incorrect network configurations can also lead to the printer appearing offline. It may include – IP address conflicts.

The Step-By-Step Process To Get My Printer Back Online

1. Check Printer Connections

First of all, you need to make sure that you have proper connections. It is truly the first and the most crucial step in troubleshooting a printer that shows offline. Whether your printer is connected via a cable- USB or a wireless network, unstable or disrupted connections can cause your printer to go offline.

For wired printers:

USB cable:

You are required to cross-check that the USB cable is properly plugged into both your computer and the printer. In case the connection is loose, the printer may fail to communicate with the computer. It will surely lead your device to appear offline. So, by unplugging and replugging the cable, you can resolve this issue.

Cable quality:

Now, ensure that the USB cable is in good communication. A damaged cable can disrupt communication between the devices.

For wireless printers:

Wi-Fi connection:

For a wireless printer, you need to confirm that it is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer. In case, the printer is on a different network, the computer won’t be able to detect it.

Router:

By restarting the router, you can also refresh the network and re-establish a stable connection. Just with a simple reboot of both the router and the printer, you can sometimes clear up the issue. It occurs especially after a network glitch or power outage.

Distance from the router:

Suppose, your printer is too far from the Wi-Fi router, it may experience weak signals. As an outcome, it causes a loss of connectivity and appears offline. So, make sure that your printer is within a good range of your router. It will be helpful to you to maintain a strong connection.

2. Set as Default Printer

Sometimes, your computer may be unaware of which printer to send tasks to. Especially, in case you have several printers installed, in this case, your printer could be functioning properly. But, your computer starts sending jobs to another printer by default.
Here’s how you can resolve this:

Windows:

  • Go to “Control Panel”
  • Navigate to “Devices and Printers
  • “Right-click on your printer
  • Select “Set as Default Printer.” It will ensure that all print jobs will be routed to this printer.

Mac:

  • Open “System Preferences.”
  • Choose “Printers & Scanners.”
  • Select your printer from the list.
  • Click “Default Printer” as it will help you ensure that this is the primary device.

Note: Setting your printer as the default will help you prevent confusion. Besides, you can also make sure that your printer is automatically chosen for any future print jobs.

3. Clear Print Queue

A cluttered or jammed print queue can sometimes cause your printer to go offline. Print jobs that are stuck in the queue can halt the entire printing procedure. And it seems that the printer is unresponsive.
All you need to clear your print queue is –

Windows:

  • Go to “Devices and Printers.”
  • Right-click on your printer.
  • Select “See What’s Printing.”
  • Now, a window will be opened. Here, you’ll see the current print jobs.
  • Finally, right-click any job that appears stuck or unresponsive.
  • Last but not least, choose “Cancel.”

Mac:

  • Open “System Preferences.”
  • In the next step, open “Printers & Scanners.”
  • Choose your printer.
  • Click “Open Print Queue.” To accomplish this process, you can manually cancel or pause any stuck print jobs from this screen.

To be precise, by clearing the print queue, you can initiate and reset the printing process. Apart from that, it will be worth resolving any jobs that may have caused the printer to go offline.

4. Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers

Obsolete or corrupted printer drivers are a common reason why printers go offline. Drivers that are not correct or updated as per the latest version available, your computer device may indulge in danger. Your device may have to recognize the printer which will lead to connectivity issues.
Here’s what you need to do:

Update drivers:

To kick-start the process of updating or reinstalling your printer drivers, you have to visit the manufacturer’s website of your printer. The websites may be concerned with the brands of the printer namely – Canon, HP, Epson, etc.

Now, look for the latest drivers available as per your exclusive printer model. Now, download and install the latest drivers so that you can confirm the compatibility with your operating system.

Automatic update:

There are a few operating systems such as – Windows. They may automatically detect driver issues as well as prompt you to update them. You can also check for the driver updates. For this, you are required to go to “Device Manager.” Next, right-click on your printer, and choose “Update Driver.”

Reinstall drivers:

In case, upgrading the drivers does not work, uninstall the current drivers. Later on, reinstall them from scratch. To do this, go to “Device Manager.” Now, right-click your printer> choose “uninstall” and then reinstall the drivers.
So, upgradation and reinstallation of the printer drivers can help you make sure that your printer and computer device can communicate properly and solve potential offline issues.

5. Restart Print Spooler

The print spooler is a service on your computer device. It manages print jobs and intercommunication between your computer & the printer. In case, the print spooler stops working, or you are facing an error, it can cause the printer to go offline.

Here are all the important key steps that will assist you in knowing how to restart the print spooler:-

Windows:

  • Press “Windows + R,” it will help you to open the Run dialog box.
  • Type services.msc.
  • Press “Enter.
  • Scroll down the list until you find “Print Spooler.”
  • Right-click it.
  • Select “Restart.”
  • Wait for the service to restart.

Mac:

There is no direct spooler option on Mac. but restarting the printer as well as the computer often reset all background printing services.

Now, it is damn sure that by restarting the print spooler you can easily refresh the connection between your computer & printer. It often helps you resolve offline issues.

6. Check Printer Status

It’s once in a blue that the issue may be as simple as the printer being set to “Use Printer Offline” mode. In case, this option is accidentally enabled, you have to disconnect the printer from your computer even though the hardware and software are functioning fine.
To fix this issue, what you need to do is –

Windows:

  • Go to “Devices and Printers.”
  • Right-click on your printer.
  • Uncheck “Use Printer Offline” if it’s chosen.

Mac:

Make sure that the printer is showing as “Online” in “System Preferences” > “Printers & Scanners.”Suppose, it is listed as offline, you need to reconnect to the network. You can also reset the printer.

In short, it is clear that by disabling the “Use Printer Offline” option, you can bring your printer back online. This way, you will get ready to receive print jobs.

7. Restart Devices

Last but not least, just with a simple restart of all related devices, you can solve the issue. These devices include – your printer, computer, and router. Power cycles can help you clear out any bugs or glitches that may be affecting the connectivity.
The steps to restart each device involve –

Printer:

First of all, turn off the printer, and unplug it from the power source for around 30 seconds. After that, you can plug it back in and turn it on.

Computer:

By restarting your computer, you can reset its network connections and refresh communication with the printer.

Router:

Now, unplug your router for 30 seconds, and then plug it back in. It will reset the network and ensure that your devices are properly connected.
In a nutshell, by restarting all devices you can refresh the connections. Along with this, you can also solve connectivity issues with minimal effort.

Final Words

Hopefully, after walking through this post, you will be aware of how to get my printer back online.