How to Fix Printer Offline – Why Is My Printer Offline?

If you’re searching how printer offline fix, chances are you’re staring at a message that says “Printer is Offline” even though your device is turned on and connected.

It’s frustrating. I know. I’ve helped thousands of users deal with this exact issue.

I’m Mark Thomson, a printer support specialist with over 10 years of experience resolving printer offline and connectivity issues. At Printer Offline Fix, this is one of the most common problems we solve daily.

The good news? In most cases, your printer isn’t broken. It’s a communication issue. And yes, it can usually be fixed quickly.

Let’s walk through why this happens and how to fix printer offline issues properly.

Why Is My Printer Offline?

When your computer says your printer is offline, it means your system cannot communicate with the printer.

That doesn’t always mean the printer is disconnected.

Common reasons include:

• Incorrect printer port (WSD instead of TCP/IP)
• IP address changed after router restart
• Windows update replaced drivers
• Print Spooler service stopped
• “Use Printer Offline” enabled
• Printer stuck in sleep mode
• Network mismatch (2.4GHz vs 5GHz)

If you’re asking, “Why is my printer offline?”, one of these is likely the cause.

My Printer Is Offline but It’s Connected – What Does That Mean?

This is extremely common.

Your Wi-Fi light is solid.
Your printer is powered on.
But Windows still says offline.

That means:

The printer is connected to the network, but your computer is trying to communicate using outdated settings.

Most often, it’s either:

• A WSD port issue
• An IP address conflict
• A driver mismatch

The fix is usually on the computer side, not the printer.

How to Fix Printer Offline (Step-by-Step)

Here’s the correct way to approach a printer offline fix.

Follow these in order.

Step 1: Disable “Use Printer Offline”

This is simple but often overlooked.

1. Open Control Panel
2. Go to Devices and Printers
3. Right-click your printer
4. Click “See what’s printing”
5. Click Printer in the top menu
6. Uncheck “Use Printer Offline”

If it was enabled, your printer should immediately show online.

Step 2: Restart Print Spooler Service

If your printer says offline repeatedly, restart the Print Spooler.

1. Press Windows + R
2. Type services.msc
3. Find Print Spooler
4. Right-click → Restart

This service controls print communication. If it crashes, your printer appears offline.

Step 3: Check Printer Port (Very Important)

Many recurring offline issues are caused by WSD ports.

To check:

1. Go to Printer Properties
2. Click the Ports tab
3. If it says WSD-xxxx, that may be the problem

Switching to a Standard TCP/IP port is often the permanent solution.

This alone fixes many cases where printer says offline even after reinstalling.

Step 4: Assign a Static IP Address

If your router assigns dynamic IP addresses, your printer’s IP may change.

When that happens, your computer looks for the old address.

Result?
Printer offline.

To fix:

• Log into your router
• Reserve the printer’s IP address
• Or manually assign a static IP

Static IP + TCP/IP port creates stable communication.

Step 5: Reinstall the Correct Driver

Windows updates frequently replace manufacturer drivers.

If your printer went offline after a Windows update, uninstall and reinstall the official driver from the printer manufacturer’s website.

Avoid generic Windows drivers.

Step 6: Restart Everything

Sometimes a simple full reset works:

• Turn off printer
• Unplug router
• Restart computer
• Wait 60 seconds
• Power everything back on

This refreshes network assignments.

Why Does Printer Say Offline After Windows Update?

This is one of the most searched questions.

Updates can:

• Replace drivers
• Change port settings
• Disable services
• Reset default printers

If your printer was working fine before an update, check the port and driver first.

Printer Offline but Works From Phone?

If it prints from your phone but not your computer:

Your printer is fine.
Your network is fine.
The issue is Windows configuration.

Focus on:

• Driver reinstall
• Port change
• IP address correction

Printer Keeps Going Offline Repeatedly?

If your printer goes offline every few days, it’s usually:

• WSD port instability
• IP address changes
• Router reboot conflicts
• Sleep mode failure

Permanent fix requires configuration adjustment, not just reinstalling.

At Printer Offline Fix, we see this pattern daily.