If your Brother printer is offline and you are wondering how to get it online, you are not alone. Many users experience this issue even when the printer is connected to WiFi or plugged into the computer. When a printer shows offline status, it means the computer cannot communicate with the device properly.
The good news is that most offline printer problems are caused by simple settings or network issues. With a few troubleshooting steps, you can usually bring your printer back online quickly.
In this guide from Printer Offline Fix, you will learn why your Brother printer shows offline and how to fix it step by step so you can start printing again.
Why Your Brother Printer Shows Offline
Before fixing the issue, it helps to understand why it happens. A printer may appear offline even when it is connected to the network.
Common causes include:
- The printer is set to Use Printer Offline mode
- WiFi or network connection problems
- Printer driver issues
- Print spooler service errors
- Multiple printers installed on the computer
- Incorrect printer port settings
Any of these problems can stop communication between the computer and the printer, which causes the offline message.
Check If the Printer Is Set to Offline Mode
The most common reason a Brother printer is offline is the offline mode setting in Windows.
Follow these steps to check the setting:
- Open Control Panel
- Click Devices and Printers
- Find your Brother printer in the list
- Right-click the printer icon
- Click See what’s printing
- Select Printer from the menu
- Uncheck Use Printer Offline
After disabling this option, try printing a document again.
In many cases, this simple fix brings the printer back online immediately.
Restart the Brother Printer and Router
Temporary network problems can also cause the printer to appear offline.
Restarting both the printer and the WiFi router often restores the connection.
Steps
- Turn off the Brother printer
- Turn off the WiFi router
- Wait about one minute
- Turn the router back on
- Turn the printer back on
Once both devices reconnect to the network, check if the printer status changes to online.
Set the Brother Printer as Default
If multiple printers are installed on your computer, Windows may send print jobs to the wrong device.
Setting your Brother printer as the default ensures the computer uses the correct printer.
Steps
- Open Control Panel
- Click Devices and Printers
- Locate your Brother printer
- Right-click the printer
- Select Set as Default Printer
A green check mark will appear on the printer icon once it is set as the default device.
Restart the Print Spooler Service
The print spooler manages print jobs between the computer and the printer. If this service stops working, the printer may appear offline.
Restarting the spooler service can fix this problem.
Steps
- Press Windows + R on your keyboard
- Type msc and press Enter
- Find Print Spooler in the list
- Right-click it and choose Restart
After restarting the service, send a test print job to see if the printer is online.
Update or Reinstall the Brother Printer Driver
Outdated or corrupted printer drivers can also cause the offline error.
Updating the driver helps ensure the printer communicates correctly with your computer.
Update driver steps
- Open Device Manager
- Expand the Printers section
- Right-click your Brother printer
- Select Update Driver
If updating the driver does not work, uninstall the printer and install the latest driver from the Brother support website.
Installing updated drivers often resolves many printer communication problems.
Check the Printer Network Connection
If your Brother printer is connected through WiFi, network issues may cause the offline message.
Make sure:
- The printer is connected to the correct WiFi network
- The router is working properly
- The printer signal strength is strong
You can print a network configuration page from the printer to check its connection details.
If the printer and computer are connected to different networks, the computer may not detect the printer correctly.
Update Printer Port Settings
Incorrect port settings can prevent the printer from communicating with your computer.
Follow these steps to verify the port settings.
- Open Devices and Printers
- Right-click your Brother printer
- Select Printer Properties
- Click the Ports tab
- Ensure the correct port is selected
Most network printers use a TCP/IP port.
If the port settings are incorrect, update them using the printer’s current IP address.
Remove and Reinstall the Printer
If the printer still appears offline, reinstalling it can help reset all configuration settings.
Steps
- Open Devices and Printers
- Right-click your Brother printer
- Click Remove Device
- Restart your computer
- Add the printer again using Add Printer
During setup, choose the wireless option so the printer reconnects to your network.
Reinstalling the printer often fixes persistent offline problems.
Prevent Brother Printer Offline Issues
Once your printer is working again, you can follow a few simple practices to avoid future offline errors.
Helpful tips include:
- Keep printer drivers updated
- Ensure stable WiFi connectivity
- Restart the printer occasionally
- Avoid installing duplicate printers
- Check printer status before sending print jobs
These small steps help maintain a stable connection between your computer and the printer.
When to Contact Brother Support
If none of the troubleshooting steps solve the problem, the issue may be related to hardware or firmware.
You should contact Brother support if:
- The printer cannot connect to WiFi
- The printer frequently disconnects from the network
- Error codes appear on the printer screen
- The printer does not respond to commands
Support technicians can help diagnose deeper hardware issues.
Final Thoughts
If your Brother printer is offline and you are wondering how to get it online, the issue is usually caused by printer settings, driver problems, or network communication errors.
Fortunately, most offline printer problems can be fixed with simple troubleshooting steps such as checking the printer settings, restarting devices, updating drivers, and reinstalling the printer.
By following the solutions in this guide from Printer Offline Fix, you can restore your Brother printer to online status and continue printing without interruptions.
