How to switch Printer status from Offline to Online in Windows 10?

You might have observed that printer offline Windows 10 might have both an online and an offline state if you frequently use printers at work. Keep in mind that just because your printer is offline doesn't mean it's not still plugged into your computer. If your printer stops working, it could be because your driver needs to be updated or because there was a printing issue. In other words, if your OS notices a problem, it may set your printer's status to offline.

Naturally, you'll need your printer to be online if you want to utilize it. Therefore, we will outline the processes for switching your printer's status from offline to online in this post.

How may a printer's status be changed to "Online"?

In Windows 10, there are numerous ways to turn a printer's status from offline to online. These consist of:

• Checking connectivity and restarting your printer

• Changing the state of your printer

• The Printer Troubleshooter being used

• Taking out and installing the printer

• Networking issues with your printers

Work your way down this list of solutions starting at the top. Continue with the following method if the previous one doesn't work, and so on.

Step 1: Start your printer again and check its connectivity.

Your printer may have entered an idle state if it has been connected but not in use for a while. Here, the simplest course of action would be to briefly turn it off and then turn it back on. Check to see if the issue has been fixed.

The printer must be turned on and linked to your computer in order to be correctly connected to its power supply. Connection problems are one of the biggest causes of offline printer displays, therefore it is best to confirm that everything is linked correctly first. If so, proceed on to the following remedy.

Step 2: Change Your Printer Status

To access Windows Settings: Press the Win + I key combination on your keyboard.

• Select Devices > Printers & Scanners from the menu.

• Choose the printer that appears as offline.

• Click Open Queue now.

• Select Printer Offline from the Print Queue window.

• You will see a notification that says: "This step will move the printer from offline to online".

• Your printer's status will change to online once you click Confirm.

• You might need to first clear the print queue for this to work. Your printer may have stopped working because of a print job it was unable to finish.

• Your printer should now be operational once you set its status to "online."

Continue to the next step if this one hasn't worked.

Step 3: Run the Printer Troubleshooter

The Printer Troubleshooter, which is a component of Windows' internal troubleshooting toolkit, is made to address a range of printer-related issues on your computer, such as driver failures, connectivity problems, the need to restart printer-related services, etc. How to use the printer troubleshooter is as follows:

• Open the Troubleshoot menu under Settings > Update and Security.

• To open the tool, click Printer Troubleshooter.

• The programme will check your printer and any associated software for any problems, and if any are found, it will fix them.

Step 4: Remove and Add the Printer

Try removing the printer from the system and adding it again if the previously mentioned option did not work. It is a rather easy process. You might also need to download some OEM programme and drivers, though. Here's what to do next:

• Unplug the printer from your computer.

• Select Devices > Printers & Scanners from the menu.

• Select the printer by clicking it.

• Choose Remove device.

• Reconnect the printer now.

• Now, Windows need to incorporate it automatically and set up the required drivers.

• You must add the newly connected printer online if your system does not recognize it: click Choose the "The printer that I want isn't listed" link when adding a printer or scanner.

• The printer must now be manually installed, which includes downloading and setting up the required drivers.

 

If manually installing drivers on your PC makes you uncomfortable, you might want to use a tool that does it for you. A programme like fixingerror Driver Updater will automatically check your system's drivers for any problems that are currently present or could arise in the future. It will then compile a report on any outdated or missing drivers that it finds and, with just one click, update them to the most recent versions advised by the manufacturer.

Step 5: Troubleshoot Your Printer Network

If your computer is unable to connect to your network printer, its status can be changed to offline. Try connecting a separate computer to the printer. If everything is in order, your network may be the issue rather than the printer. You must investigate your network problems in order to resolve it. The issue could be brought on by a firewall issue that is enabled or one of several other network issues. It might be preferable to seek professional assistance if you have never dealt with a situation of this nature previously.

Finally, think about adding performance-enhancing software like fixingerror to give your system a little boost overall and ensure that all the programme are operating correctly. The programme will perform a thorough system scan and find any unnecessary files (such as user temporary files, web browser cache, unused error logs, leftover Windows Update files, temporary Sun Java files, unneeded Microsoft Office cache and so on). After that, they can be safely eliminated from your system without creating any problems. By doing this, you can free up gigabytes of space on your computer without going overboard with pricey hardware upgrades.

We hope you were able to switch your printer's status from online to offline so you can use it without any issues going forward. Which of the aforementioned solutions has been most effective for you? Tell us in the comments section.