HP printers are feature-rich devices offering stable performance. However, technical issues are common with them too. HP printer offline is a commonly reported error for which average users need help.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to troubleshoot the status. The offline status means that your printer cannot communicate with your computer. Basically, it’s an HP printer wireless connectivity problem that hinders the printer from connecting with the system.
Why Is My HP Printer Offline?
The offline error message indicates that the printer is unable to communicate with your computer. Connection problems between the printer and the system are one of the main reasons for this HP printer error.
Besides that, other causes include the following:
- The printer is set to run in an offline mode.
- Your HP printer drivers are old and need to be updated.
- The computer and printer are not on the same network.
- Your HP printer is not set as the default printer.
- Wrong print spooler settings are another reason.
- Improper printer installation.
✅Fixes for HP Printer Showing Offline?
The causes above must have provided you with more insight into the offline error on your HP printer. Here are the major remedies for the issue.
✔️How to set up your HP printer as the default device?
The printer must be set as default to ensure that it is working properly.
- Tap the Windows button and go to the ‘Control Panel.’
- Here, under ‘Devices and Printers,’ choose your HP printer.
- If the printer has a green check, it is configured as a default printer.
- If not, right-click on it and choose ‘Set as default printer.’
- This will make the printer go from offline to online.
✔️Where to Find HP Printer Offline Setting?
You may find a wireless HP printer says offline if the offline mode is enabled. To disable this mode, use these points.
- Go to ‘Settings’ from the ‘Start’ menu.
- Tap ‘Devices and Printers.’
- You will see several printers.
- Choose and right-tap your HP printer.
- From the menu, deselect the ‘Use Printer Offline’ option.
- This will bring the printer back online.
✔️Why Regularly Checking Cables and Cartridges is Important?
If the cables and cartridges are loose or improperly installed, you will invariably find that the HP printer keeps going offline. So, inspect all the power cords and cables and take corrective measures if necessary.
Here are some things to check.
- Visually examine the cables and wires to check if they are worn out.
- Clean the Ethernet ports and ensure that the Ethernet cord is linked to an active port.
- Try connecting cords to other sockets. You can also use different cords to find out whether they are the source of the problem.
- Restart your router, printer, and computer and see if the error resolves.
- Ensure that the cartridges of your printer are properly installed.
- Examine your printer for paper jams.
✔️How to troubleshoot HP printer connectivity?
Your system and printer should be on the same Wi-Fi network. To check whether this is the case or not, go to the Control Panel of your printer and choose ‘Network Settings.’
Hit ‘Confirm network settings’ to see the current internet connection status of the printer.
Alternatively, you can also check the connectivity through the HP Print and Scan Doctor.
- Download the Print and Scan Doctor program from HP.
- After downloading, run the program.
- When it opens, tap ‘Start’ and choose your printer.
- If you don’t find your printer on the list, turn it off and check again.
- If there is a connection issue, HP Print and Scan Doctor will give you the necessary instructions to resolve it.
- Tap ‘Yes’ when prompted to enable updates for the printer.
- Similarly, tap ‘Yes’ when asked to make your HP printer the default device.
- Finally, take a test print.
✔️How to Update Your HP Printer Driver?
Outdated or faulty drivers often cause various problems in printers. So, a good HP printer offline fix is updating the drivers.
- Open the Run dialog box and type devmgmt.msc on it.
- Press Enter.
- In the ‘Device Manager’ window, expand the ‘Printers’ tab.
- Find the model number of your printer.
- Right-click on it and select ‘Update Driver.’
- It would be best to choose the ‘Automatic Update’ option.
- After the driver update process ends, restart your system.
✔️How to Reinstall Printer Drivers?
If, after updating the drivers, the printer shows an offline status, reinstall the drivers.
- Go to the ‘Devices and Printers’ section.
- Find your printer and right-click it.
- Tap to remove the device.
- Open the Run box and input ‘CMD.’
- Hit Enter.
- The command prompt window will open.
- Input ‘print ui /s /t2’
- Press Enter.
- The Printer Server Properties window will open.
- Right-click on the symbol of your printer and choose ‘Remove drivers and package.’
- Now, get back to the ‘Devices and printers’ section.
- Tap ‘Add a printer.’
- Your system will detect the HP printer.
- Tap it and go by the on-screen guidelines.
- This will reinstall the printer and drivers.
✔️How to check if my printer has a WSD port?
You can check whether your printer employs a WSD port and change the Startup Type to Automatic to fix HP printer offline issue.
- From the Start button on your system, go to Control Panel.
- Now choose ‘Devices and Printers’ from the new window.
- Right-tap your printer and choose the ‘Printer Properties’ option.
- Tap the ‘Ports’ tab and check if the printer utilizes a WSD port.
- If it does, search for the ‘Services’ app on your system.
- In its pop-up, locate ‘Function Discovery Resource Publication’ and ‘Function Discovery Provider Host.’
- Find whether their status is ‘Running.’
- The Startup Type should be Automatic.
- If it does not show Running and Automatic, right-tap the service and choose ‘Properties.’
- Modify the Startup Type to Automatic and tap ‘OK.’
✔️How to Cancel Print Jobs?
If there are many jobs in your printer queue, it becomes difficult for the printer to operate properly. So, if you notice that your HP printer says offline, cancelling print jobs is a good fix to try.
- Head to your system’s Control Panel and choose ‘Devices and Printers.’
- Right-tap the icon of the HP printer and choose ‘See what’s printing.’
- Now right-tap every print job and choose ‘Cancel.’
✔️Looking for solutions to print spooler setup problems?
Your printer will become offline when the print spooler service stops functioning. Kickstart it with these points.
- Launch the Run dialog box.
- Besides the ‘Open’ field, write ‘services.msc.’
- Tap the Enter key or press ‘OK.’
- You will see many services listed.
- Find ‘Print Spooler.’
- Now, right-click on ‘Print Spooler’ and choose ‘Stop.’
- This will pause this service.
- Go to the address of Windows File Explorer.
- Here, type ‘C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Printer
- Tap ‘OK.’
- In the printer folder, eliminate all the files by selecting them.
- This will clear the print queue.
- Now, get back to the print spooler service.
- Right-tap it and opt for the ‘Start’ option.
- This action will make the spooler service start again.
- You can now restart your system as well as the printer.
- The offline status will be gone.
Concluding Words
Keep in mind to always install HP printers and drivers properly to benefit from optimal printer functioning. You should also check printer settings and rectify them to prevent the printer from going offline. These measures will help you tackle the HP printer offline problem successfully. Check out our quick and straightforward solution to resolve the printer error problems and continue printing without any interruptions.