Printers showing Offline

Question

Hi everyone,

We have recently started to encounter an issue where printers for some users are showing offline, this affects some but not all users and is intermittent

We have a 2022 print server with clients running either windows 10 or 11 22H2

These are the steps that we can take to reproduce the issue for the affected users

1. User prints to queue on the server - no issue
2. User send another job - Printer offline
3. User tests to a local USB printer - no issue
4. Restart the Print spooler on the client - issue resolve

Has anyone seen this before?

Thanks,

Answer 1

Hello there,

When printers are showing as "Offline," it indicates that the computer is unable to communicate with the printer. Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve this issue:

Check the printer connections: Ensure that the printer is properly connected to the computer and power source. Verify that the USB, Ethernet, or Wi-Fi cables are securely connected. If using a network printer, check the network connection and ensure the printer has a valid IP address.

Restart the printer: Power off the printer, wait for a few seconds, and then power it back on. This simple step can often resolve temporary communication issues.

Check printer status: Open the "Devices and Printers" or "Printers & Scanners" settings on your computer and locate the printer in question. Check the printer status to see if there are any error messages or notifications that could indicate the cause of the offline status.

Clear print queue: A large or stuck print job in the print queue can sometimes cause the printer to appear offline. Open the print queue, cancel any pending print jobs, and then try printing again.

Restart the computer: Sometimes, restarting the computer can resolve communication issues between the computer and the printer. Restart your computer and see if the printer status changes to online.

Update printer drivers: Outdated or incompatible printer drivers can also cause offline status. Visit the manufacturer's website and download the latest drivers for your specific printer model. Install the updated drivers on your computer and see if it resolves the issue.

Disable offline mode (Windows): In Windows, check if the printer is set to offline mode. Open the "Devices and Printers" or "Printers & Scanners" settings, right-click on the printer, and uncheck the "Use Printer Offline" option, if enabled.

I used AI provided by ChatGPT to formulate part of this response. I have verified that the information is accurate before sharing it with you.

Hope this resolves your Query !!

--If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept it as an answer–