Your printer is switched on and may even copy a page, yet Windows lists it as Offline and every job waits in the queue. That status means Windows tried to reach the printer and got no answer, or a setting is telling it not to try. The usual causes are a sleeping printer, a changed IP address, a stuck queue or a status check the printer ignores. This guide moves from quick checks to port and service fixes on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
What you might be seeing
- Offline appears under the printer name in Printers & scanners
- Jobs wait in the queue with an error or offline status
- The printer still copies, or prints from a phone
- The status flips between Offline and Idle
Common causes
- Printer asleep or disconnected
- The printer dropped off the network or went into deep sleep, and Windows lost track of it.
- Outdated port address
- The Windows port still points to an old IP address after the router assigned a new one.
- Offline mode switched on
- Use Printer Offline is turned on, so Windows holds every job.
- Stuck job or spooler
- A failed job or a hung Print Spooler service freezes the queue.
- Status query ignored
- Windows checks the printer's status over SNMP, and a printer that ignores the request can be marked offline even though it would print.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order and test a print after each one. Most people are done within the first few steps.
Check the printer itself first
Look at the printer's display or lights and clear any paper, cover or cartridge message, because some printers stop answering the network until the error is gone. Press a button to wake it. Then open its network or wireless status screen and confirm it shows as connected with an IP address. If it says disconnected, fix the printer's network link before changing anything in Windows.
TipMost printers can print a network configuration page from the setup or reports menu, which lists the current IP address.
Restart in the right order
Turn the printer off and unplug it for 30 seconds. If other devices have had trouble too, restart the router and give it two minutes. Turn the printer on and wait until it is idle, then restart the computer. Starting the printer first lets Windows find it at its current address while the computer boots.
Clear the offline flag and the queue
Open Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners in Windows 11, or Settings › Devices › Printers & scanners in Windows 10, select the printer and choose Open print queue (Open queue in Windows 10). If the window has a Printer menu, make sure Use Printer Offline and Pause Printing are unchecked. Cancel every waiting job, since one damaged job can hold the whole queue in an error state.
Run the printer troubleshooter
In Windows 11, go to Settings › System › Troubleshoot › Other troubleshooters and select Run next to Printer. In Windows 10, use Settings › Update & Security › Troubleshoot › Additional troubleshooters › Printer. Choose your printer when asked. The tool checks the spooler, the queue and the connection, and it fixes some faults by itself. If it reports a fix, print a test page.
Make sure the port matches the printer's address
On the printer's page in Settings, open Printer properties and select the Ports tab; if the options are grayed out, select Change Properties on the General tab first. If the checked port is a Standard TCP/IP port, select Configure Port and compare its address with the printer's network page. If they differ, enter the correct address and select OK. A port named WSD finds the printer automatically and has no address to edit.
Turn off SNMP status for this port
In the same Configure Port window, clear SNMP Status Enabled, select OK, then Apply. Windows uses SNMP only to poll the printer for its status, and some printers answer slowly or not at all, which Windows reads as offline. Jobs still print normally afterward, though ink levels and some warnings may stop appearing in Windows.
Restart the Print Spooler service
Press Windows + R, type
services.mscand press Enter. Right-click Print Spooler and choose Restart, then double-click it and confirm that Startup type is Automatic. The spooler is the Windows service that hands jobs to the printer, and restarting it clears a stalled connection without rebooting the computer. Check the printer's status in Settings again afterward.
How to keep it from happening again
- Reserve a fixed IP address for the printer in your router
- After a power cut, turn the printer on before the computer
- Cancel failed jobs promptly instead of letting them pile up
- Install firmware updates offered in the printer's menu or the manufacturer's app
Common questions
Why does my printer say offline when it is clearly on?
In Windows, offline means the computer can't get a reply, not that the printer is powered down. The printer may have moved to a new IP address or dropped its network link while asleep, or a stuck job may have frozen the queue. Comparing the printer's network page with the Windows port settings settles most cases.
Will a fixed IP address stop the printer going offline?
It helps whenever the cause is an address change, which is common after a router restart. The cleanest method is a reservation in the router, so the printer always receives the same address. A static address set on the printer also works if you pick one outside the router's automatic range.
Is it safe to turn off SNMP status in the port settings?
Yes. Windows only uses that setting to read status details such as ink levels and error messages. Turning it off for one port doesn't open your network or weaken any protection. Errors and warnings still appear on the printer's own display.
This guide is general information written for common home and office printers. Menus and button names vary between models, so check your printer’s manual where a step differs. Printer Problems Solved is independent and not affiliated with any printer manufacturer. See our disclaimer.