Technical errors in electronic devices such as printers are very common, and it can be irritating when they stop working properly. Among all the printer producing companies, HP corporation is probably the finest printer producer company with about a billion users of Hp Printers across the globe. Offline printer issue is a very common problem that users experience while working with Hp Printers. We will try to address how to switch an HP printer from offline to online through this blog.
Check the Cables and the Printer
- Make sure that both the ends of the USB cable are firmly inserted in the sockets. In the case of a networked printer, make sure the Ethernet cable is firmly connected. If you have a wireless printer, make sure your internet connection is stable or check if it’s connected to your router.
- You can also try using the end of the printer cable in multiple ports or sockets on your device if you are connected through a cable.
- You can also try using a different cable to check if it’s the cable that has the fault.
Methods to set the Printer to “Online” Manually
If your printer is unable to connect with your Windows, your operating system may not recognize it as online. Follow the following steps to switch your printer from offline to online:
- Click on the start button. Then click on the Devices and Printers option.
- Find the printer that is showing as offline, and right-click on it. Then tap on See what’s printing option.
- Tap on the Printer link at the top of this window. If the “Use Printer Offline“ option has a checkmark, click on it to eliminate the checkmark.
Troubleshooting steps to turn the Hp printer from Offline to Online
- In the case of a wireless printer, you can try to reboot the printer, then restart your system to check if you can rebuild the wireless connection.
- Updating your wireless printer and its software can sometimes help in changing the printer from offline to online.
- In the case of a wired printer, there might be an issue with the port to which your system is connected.
- To check the port, click on Devices and Printers menu. Then right-click on your printer, then click on Printer Properties.
- Now, select the Ports button at the top of the window. Among the list at the center of the window, select the correct port and tap on Apply and then select OK.
Remove All Pending Print Jobs
- Go to the “See what’s printing” menu mentioned previously. Then right-click on it and cancel any print jobs already present.
- After removing the print jobs, select “Use Printer Online” again.
- If there are any print jobs still present after canceling them, then try restating both your PC and printer.
Remove Printer Drivers and Packages
- Check if you are using Windows as an Admin or sign-in as one.
- Go to the search bar. Now type CMD.
- Type “print /s /t2” including the spaces with the command prompt open. This will open the Print Server Properties window.
- Removes the Driver and Package for the printer that’s showing offline.
- You can now add your printer again. Go to the “Add a Printer” option from Devices and printers.
- Your printer should now be showing as online and allow you to continue printing.
If all the above steps fail to turn your printer from offline to online, there is likely an issue with the printer electronically. In this case, it would be advisable to contact the printer’s manufacturer or a printer technician. Another advice is to check the cost of getting a printer fixed because in some cases it might be more cost-effective to purchase a new printer rather than pay the fixing and maintenance cost.