Printer shows offline in Windows 11
What you see: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners lists your printer as "Offline", and print jobs sit in the queue forever. In most cases the printer is fine — Windows has lost track of it after a sleep cycle, a network change, or a stuck print job.
The fast answer
Run the automated printer troubleshooter in the Get Help app: type "printer" in the taskbar search, or open aka.ms/OfflinePrinter. It clears the common stall causes by itself. If that doesn't do it, work down the eight steps below — they're Microsoft's own sequence, in the order that works most often.
Step 1 — Run the Get Help troubleshooter
Open Get Help (taskbar search: "Get Help") and describe the printer problem, or launch it directly from aka.ms/OfflinePrinter. Note: Microsoft's current offline-printer guidance routes through Get Help, not the old Settings troubleshooter page.
Step 2 — Power-cycle the printer properly
Off → unplug the power cord → wait 30 seconds → replug → on. The 30-second wait matters: it clears the printer's internal network state, which is what "offline" usually means.
Step 3 — Check they're on the same network
Confirm the printer and the PC are on the same Wi-Fi network — especially after a router change or if your PC fell back to a guest network. Many "offline" printers are simply on 2.4GHz while the PC joined 5GHz with a different network name.
Step 4 — Set the printer as default
- Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
- Select your printer > Set as default.
- If the option is missing, turn off "Let Windows manage my default printer" at the top of the same page, then set it again.
Step 5 — Clear the print queue
One corrupted job can hold every job behind it offline. Open the printer's queue (Printers & scanners > select printer > Open print queue), then … > Cancel all.
Step 6 — Restart the Print Spooler
- Taskbar search: services → open the Services app.
- Find Print Spooler, right-click > Restart.
Step 7 — Remove and reinstall the printer
- Printers & scanners > select the printer > Remove > Yes.
- Back on the same page, click Add device next to "Add a printer or scanner" and let Windows find it again.
Step 8 — Restart the PC (and update drivers the right way)
Restart Windows, then check for driver updates via Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates — Microsoft's drivers page names Windows Update the recommended method for printer drivers. Only go to the manufacturer's website (HP, Canon, Epson, Brother) if Windows Update offers nothing.
You'll know it worked when
The printer shows "Ready" in Printers & scanners, and a test page prints: Printers & scanners > select printer > Printer properties > Print test page.
Still broken?
Run Microsoft's connection troubleshooter at aka.ms/PrinterConnection, or contact support at support.microsoft.com/contactus.
Ink & toner that arrives before you run out
Subscription ink (HP Instant Ink and similar) is cheaper than cartridges and removes the "offline because it's empty" failure mode entirely.
Compare ink plans →