You changed the Wi-Fi password, perhaps for security or after a new service setup, and now the printer shows offline on every device. Printers don't learn new passwords by themselves; they keep trying the old one and fail. The fix is to give the printer the new password, and the right method depends on whether it has a screen, your router supports WPS, or you need an app or a temporary cable. This guide covers each option.
What you might be seeing
- Every computer and phone shows the printer offline since the change
- The Wi-Fi indicator on the printer blinks or shows not connected
- Other devices reconnected once you typed the new password on them
- The printer still lists your network name but won't join it
Common causes
- Stored old password
- The printer saved the old password and can't authenticate with the new one.
- Security mode changed too
- The router change may also have switched to a security mode the printer can't use.
- New IP address on reconnecting
- The printer may receive a different address, breaking fixed ports on computers.
- Network name changed
- If the name changed too, the printer is searching for a network that no longer exists.
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.
Don't go back to a weak or widely shared password just to get the printer online; every printer can take the new one through one of these methods.
Confirm the new password exactly
Check the new password on a phone or laptop that connected successfully, or in the router's app or settings. Write it down clearly, noting capitals, numbers and symbols. Many failed attempts come down to one wrong character typed on the printer's small keyboard, so having it in front of you saves time.
Enter it on the printer's screen
From the printer's control panel, go to the wireless or network menu and start the wireless setup wizard. Choose your network, enter the new password using the keyboard's shift and symbol pages, and confirm. The printer replaces its saved details and usually connects within a minute. When the Wi-Fi indicator turns steady, print a network configuration report to confirm the connection and see its address.
Use WPS on printers without a screen
If the printer has no screen but your router supports WPS, press the printer's Wi-Fi or WPS button as the manual describes, then press the router's WPS button within two minutes. The router hands over the new password automatically. If the router has no WPS, or uses WPA3 only, use the app method in the next step.
Reconnect through the manufacturer's app
On a phone already using the new password, open the manufacturer's official app and choose its option to add or set up a printer. If the app can't find the printer, put the printer into wireless setup mode by restoring its network settings, usually with a button combination listed in the manual. The app then joins the printer's temporary setup network and sends the new details.
Use a temporary USB connection
If other methods fail on a printer without a screen, connect it to a computer with a USB cable and run the setup software from the manufacturer's official website. Most installers offer a wireless setup option that uses the USB link to send your network name and password to the printer. Once it's on Wi-Fi, unplug the cable.
Update computers if the address changed
Compare the address on the new configuration report with the old one. If it changed, Windows computers using a fixed TCP/IP port still show the printer offline. Update the port under Printer properties › Ports › Configure Port, or remove and re-add the printer. Macs, phones and Chromebooks normally find it by name once it's back online.
Check whether the security mode changed
If the printer rejects the correct password every time, check whether the router's security mode changed along with the password, for example to WPA3 only, which many older printers can't use. Switch it to WPA2/WPA3 mixed so they can join, keep the strong password, and run the printer's wireless setup again after saving the change.
How to keep it from happening again
- Before changing the Wi-Fi password, note how each printer will be reconnected
- Keep the new password written down somewhere safe
- Reserve the printer's IP address so it returns at the same address
- Choose a long passphrase of ordinary words, which is strong and easy to type on a printer
Common questions
Why didn't the printer reconnect like my phone did?
Your phone asked for the new password when the old one stopped working, but most printers have no way to prompt you, so they quietly keep retrying the saved one. Smart TVs, speakers and other devices that store Wi-Fi details need the same update after a password change.
Do I need to reinstall the printer on my computer?
Usually not. Once the printer rejoins the network, computers that found it by name reconnect by themselves. Only Windows computers with a fixed IP port need attention, and only if the printer's address changed. Updating the port or re-adding the printer takes a minute and doesn't require reinstalling the driver.
Can I change the printer's Wi-Fi password from my computer?
If the printer is still connected by Ethernet or USB, you can often update its wireless settings through its built-in web page or the manufacturer's software. Once it's cut off from the network, the computer can't reach it over Wi-Fi, so you'll need the printer's screen, WPS, the app's setup mode or a temporary cable.
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.