Are you annoyed with the Printer Offline error on your Windows 10 system whenever you move ahead with printing a file? You have checked yourself and all the settings seem to be in tune, your printer is well-connected too but the error keeps on occurring and you are clueless about what is up? If you are one of those people who are experiencing this issue and do not know how to fix the printer offline problem in your Windows 10 then do not worry!
It is not uncommon for Windows 10 users to complain about printer connectivity related issues that automatically cause a completely functional printer to go offline all of a sudden. Most of the complainants who come forwards with this issue have network printers but it is also encountered in the home printers that are perfectly connected to the source. There are multiple reasons that may be triggering this issue so we are going to explain everything in this article and also help you with the solution.
How to resolve Printer Offline Issue
One important thing to keep in mind is that different companies including HP, Canon, etc., provide their in-house tools to diagnose the issue as and when it arises. Hence, if you ever face any such trouble then it is best to look into the feature offered by your printer manufacturer and utilize it to the maximum extent. It will serve as a safer and feasible way to help you in fixing the issue.
We understand that the issue could be caused by a variety of reasons as it is not limited to one single cause which leads to this error. Let us go ahead and discuss some other, most common issues that you may be experiencing and how to troubleshoot those.
How to Troubleshoot My Printer Going Offline in Windows 10
Some Problems Related To Printer Offline Error: Windows 10
- Printer Offline Error: It is not uncommon for the users to report printer offline error issues. The problem is not limited to any single brand and the users of most of the printer manufacturing companies such as Epson, Canon, Ricoh, and HP often complain about it. We will help you with a practical solution shortly in this article.
- Printer Offline Due To SNMP Settings: A lot of times the SNMP feature is the reason why your printer turns to the offline mode. The easiest way to solve this issue is by disabling the SNMP status.
- Printer Displaying Offline Status Through “Error Processing Command”: It is one of the most common issues that is faced by the users in a network printer. The easiest way to fix it is by reinstallation of the printer driver. We are also going to provide another elaborated solution within this article.
- The Printer Goes Offline And Becomes Unable To Ping: There are times when your computer system might not be able to recognize the printer. Often, a lot of people find it hard to ping the network printer. It can be resolved by restarting the printer spooler service. Keep on reading to find out what else can fix this issue.
- Network Printer Offline VPN: This error is encountered by the users when they are using a VPN. The method to solve this problem is by simply changing the VPN configuration in your system.
Printer Unable To Print, Respond, Work, Connect or Show Up: In this case, the printer does not respond and it is another common issue that occurs. You have to check and ensure that the configurations of your printer and in tune and correct.
Solution #1: Work With The Troubleshooter
If you have given a try to the above stated solution but the printer offline error has not resolved then another way to combat this issue is by running the troubleshooter. To do so, follow the steps mentioned here:
- Step 1: Go to the start button and then choose the option for “Settings”.
- Step 2: Then choose the tab that says “Devices option” and then as the next screen opens, press on the option labeled “Troubleshoot”.
- Step 3: Next, click on the “Printer” tab.
- Step 4: There you will see an expanded printer menu. You have to choose the option named “Run the Troubleshooter”.
Once the scanning process completes, you have to check if the printer offline error has been resolved or does it still persists. If you are still facing the problem then you may try our next fix.
Solution #2: Restarting The Print Spooler Service
In this solution, we would begin with restarting the Print Spooler Service to correct the Printer offline issue in your Windows 10 PC. The printers utilize spooler service for printing purposes and as you restart the service it is possible that the error would be fixed.
Here is how you restart the Printer spooler service:
- Step 1: You first have to press the Windows + R key simultaneously and then type in “services.msc” followed by pressing “Enter” and then click on “OK”.
- Step 2: The “services” window will open up. There you have to locate the option that says “Print Spooler” service and then right click on it.
- Step 3: Then go to the menu bar and then choose the option to “Restart”.
Once the Print Spooler service restarts you should check and verify if the printer offline error in your Windows 10 PC has been fixed or not. It should be noted that this is not a permanent fix for the issue and if the problem occurs again, you can simply repeat the entire process.
Solution #3: Did You Check The Printer Properties?
As per the experts, a sure shot way to fix the printer offline error in Windows 10 is by making some necessary changes in the printer properties. This works but only for the network printers. To proceed with updating the printer properties, you have to follow the steps mentioned here:
- Step 1: First, open the Control Panel in your computer system and then visit the option that says “Devices and Printers”.
- Step 2: Then you have to right click on the option that reads “Printer” and as a menu appears, click on “Printer Properties”.
- Step 3: Next, open the tab that reads “Ports”. A whole list will be displayed on the screen and you have to select “Printer’s IP address” and then click on “Configure Port”.
- Step 4: As you move ahead make sure to uncheck the box next to “SNMP Status Enabled” and then click on the “OK” option to save the settings.
This is one of the easiest and most possible ways to fix printer offline error in Windows 10.
Solution #4: Try Updating Your Windows System
Another way to solve the printer offline error in Windows 10 is by installing all the necessary updates available for Windows. Most of the time Windows 10 efficiently downloads the updates automatically as and when they are available, but there are times when a user may have skipped it. So, it is better to check manually. This is how you can do it:
- Step 1: To begin with, simultaneously press Windows + I key to open the “Settings” app.
- Step 2: Next, as the Settings app open you need to move to the option “Update & Security”.
- Step 3: Then, click on “Check for Updates”.
If there are updates available for your device then the Windows will commence the downloading and once, they are installed you can go ahead and check if the printer offline issue has been resolved.
Solution #5: Check For The VPN Connection
The users who are working on a network printer along with a VPN should understand that this may also lead to printer offline error appearing in the system. To solve this problem, you should disconnect the VPN and try using the printer again. However, if a user needs the VPN and the printer then they may go ahead with plugging the printer directly into the computer with the help of a USB cable.
Another way is to adjust the VPN configuration and allowing the local network access to yourself to solve the printer is an offline error in Windows 10. You can also try to go for another VPN connection which may help fix the printer offline error.
Solution #6: Re-installing The Printer Drivers
If you have checked the printer status and it did not seem to work for you then you can try reinstalling the printer drivers to solve the printer offline error in Windows 10. These steps will help you in doing it:
- Step 1: On your computer open the Control Panel and then go to the option labeled “Devices and Printers”.
- Step 2: There you need to look for your printer and then right click on it. Go ahead and click on “Remove device”.
- Step 3: A confirmation dialog box will appear on the screen. You have to click on “Yes”.
- Step 4: As you remove the printer make sure to download the latest driver available by the printer manufacturer and then install it.
After completing all these steps, you should check to see whether or not you have been able to resolve the printer offline error in Windows 10.
Solution #7: Connect Another Printer Device
A lot of experts recommend fixing the printer offline error by adding another printer device in the existing set-up. However, one thing to note is that it only works in case of network connection. You can try adding a second printer by following these steps.
- Step 1: Open the Control Panel in the settings and then click on the option that says “Devices and Printers”.
- Step 2: Now, select your printer, right click on it, and then select the option “Remove Device”.
- Step 3: Next, click on the “Ports” tab and then select the option labeled “Add port”.
- Step 4: Then you have to click on “Standard TCP/IP Port” and then select “New Port”.
- Step 5: As you do the above stated, the “Printer Port Wizard” will start. Then you have to click on “Next”.
- Step 6: Here, you need to type in the necessary information and then click on the option “Next”.
As you are done, your printer offline error in Windows 10 will be fixed successfully!
Final Words
The printer offline error is encountered by the users in Windows 10 and there is no single reason that leads to this issue. We have mentioned all the possible causes that result in this error along with the possible solutions that have been able to help a lot of users, worldwide. You need to check yourself and analyze the reason that might be causing the issue in your PC and troubleshoot it accordingly. If you have tried all these fixes and nothing seems to work then there could possibly a fault in the hardware of the computer that you are using, or in the printer itself. A wired printer could have fallen prey to a USB or network cables issue. Try checking everything and we are sure you will be able to resolve the problem easily and in no time. We hope this article helped you as we have provided an in-depth explanation of the problem and all the feasible ways that are beneficial for solving it.
