Printer Offline? Fix It on Windows 11, Windows 10 and Mac

Offline means Windows cannot reach the printer

Windows keeps a status for each printer. Offline means the PC cannot talk to the device, which is different from "Printer in error state". Microsoft's connection guide says the error state points to paper, ink, an open cover or a paper jam, so look at the printer's own screen before you touch any settings.

Microsoft's offline article has 7 manual steps, and its first suggestion for Windows 11 and 10 is the printer troubleshooter in the Get Help app. Run that first, then continue with the manual steps.

Power-cycle the printer for 30 seconds

Turn the printer off, unplug it, wait 30 seconds, plug it in and turn it on. If the printer is a wireless model, check the network it joined on its own menu or in its manual.

Microsoft adds that this matters with access points, extenders and multiple routers using separate SSIDs. The PC and the printer must be on the same network.

Set the default printer and clear Use Printer Offline

On Windows 11, go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer and choose Set as default. If that button is missing, turn off "Let Windows manage my default printer" and try again.

On Windows 10 the path is Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners > Open queue > Printer > Set As Default Printer. In the same Printer menu, clear Pause Printing and Use Printer Offline if either has a tick.

A worked example: 3 stuck jobs behind an offline label

Say a laptop shows three documents waiting and the printer says Offline. Step 1: open the queue and cancel each job (on Windows 11 use the "..." menu and Cancel all). Step 2: open Services, right-click Print Spooler and choose Restart. Step 3: if the queue still lists the jobs, stop Print Spooler, delete every file in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, then start the spooler again.

Step 4: turn the printer off for at least 60 seconds, which is the wait Microsoft's stuck-queue page gives, switch it on and restart the PC. Print one test page, not all three documents again.

Spooler details: what the folder and service do

Microsoft's connection guide describes the same reset in 6 steps with %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers as the folder. After you delete the files, set Print Spooler back to Startup Type Automatic.

Use the manual folder clean only when cancelling jobs does not empty the queue, as Microsoft's page says. A plain Restart on the Print Spooler row is the lighter first try.

Remove the printer and add it again

On Windows 11 select the printer, choose Remove and then Yes. Add it again with Add device, and wait while Windows searches. If the printer does not appear, choose Add manually, then "Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings". Microsoft's manual route has 8 steps and ends with a test page. When it asks about driver versions, Microsoft says to pick "Replace the current driver" in most cases.

If the printer is not found at all, Device Manager helps: expand Printers, right-click the printer, choose Update driver, and if nothing is offered choose Uninstall device and restart so Windows reinstalls the driver. Also try a different USB port, and for Bluetooth keep both devices switched on and in range.

Windows protected print mode can remove your printer

Windows 11 can turn on a mode that uninstalls printers using third-party drivers. Microsoft says it is designed for Mopria certified printers, which show a shield icon in Printers & scanners, and that over 120 million printers already sold are certified. An older printer without that icon is removed when the mode is switched on, and the driver is deleted from the driver store.

To turn it off, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, scroll to Printer Preferences, select Turn Off under Windows protected print mode and confirm with Yes. A work PC with the mode set by group policy needs an administrator to change it.

The mode also removes software printers. "OneNote (Desktop)" is uninstalled, and Microsoft points to the "OneNote (Desktop) - Protected virtual printer", which comes with OneNote app versions 2410 and later on Windows 11 version 26100 or higher. XPS and fax are removed as well: reinstall XPS from Windows Features (Microsoft XPS Document Writer) and fax from Settings > System > Optional features (Windows Fax and Scan).

ARM PCs and the manufacturer's installer

Some ARM PCs, including Copilot+ PCs, cannot install a printer with the maker's setup program. Add the printer through Windows' own Add a printer instead. To check what you own, open Settings > System > About and look for "ARM based processor" next to System type.

Windows 10 owners should know that support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025, and Microsoft's offline article now recommends Windows 11. The steps above still apply, but the Windows 10 menu names differ: Devices instead of Bluetooth & devices, Open queue instead of Open print queue, and Remove device instead of Remove.

On a Mac, check the network first and then re-add the printer

Apple lists the path as System Settings > Printers & Scanners > Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax. For AirPrint, the printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network as the Mac, and after you turn the printer on Apple advises waiting a minute or two before printing. If printing fails, update macOS in System Settings > General > Software Update and check the maker's site for printer updates.

To remove a broken entry, Control-click the printer in the list, choose Remove Printer and confirm. For a network printer, click the IP button in the add window. The protocol choices are AirPrint, Internet Printing Protocol (IPP), Line Printer Daemon (LPD) and HP Jetdirect - Socket. Apple warns that generic protocols may offer limited features. A Mac with one USB-C port needs a multiport adapter for a USB printer.

The IP form has 6 fields: Address, Protocol, Queue, Name, Location and Use. Enter the printer's IP address or host name in Address. If you do not know the Queue name, Apple suggests leaving it blank or asking your network administrator. Under Use, choose Select Software if nothing appears, and try a generic PostScript or PCL driver if your model is not listed. Newly added printers can take 1 to 2 minutes to appear in the list.

Mistakes that keep a printer offline

Reinstalling the driver while the printer is on another Wi-Fi network does not help, because Microsoft's first network check is that both devices share one network. Deleting spool files before stopping Print Spooler skips the order Microsoft gives. Skipping the restart after Uninstall device skips the step that makes Windows reinstall the driver.

If you are staring at a status message and cannot tell whether it says Offline, Error or Driver unavailable, Crade can read the Printers & scanners window on your screen and name the next step.

Which step suits which situation

A power cycle and network check suit a home Wi-Fi printer that went offline overnight. Cancelling jobs and the spooler reset suit a printer that stopped after one bad document. Reinstalling suits a printer that never appeared on a new PC. A work PC with group policy settings, such as Windows protected print mode, needs an administrator.