Printer Shows Offline: Spooler Reset and Port Fixes
Independent guide — no official affiliation with the platforms mentioned.
Short answer
To fix an offline printer, restart the Print Spooler service first, then untick 'Use Printer Offline'. Check the port: USB00x for USB printers, the TCP/IP address for network printers. All steps take about 10 minutes.
01 — Step-by-step fix
Step-by-step fix
Check the physical connection
Confirm the printer is on, the USB cable is seated, or the Wi-Fi light is lit. Unplug and re-plug the cable.
Restart the Print Spooler service
Press Windows + R, type 'services.msc', find 'Print Spooler', right-click and Restart.
A stuck print queue is the most common cause of offline status. Restarting clears it.
Untick 'Use Printer Offline'
Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > your printer > Open print queue, and in the Printer menu untick 'Use Printer Offline' if set.
Check the printer port
In Printer properties > Ports, the right port must be selected: USB00x for USB, the printer's IP (TCP/IP) for network printers.
Remove and re-add the printer
If nothing worked, delete the printer and add it again. Windows auto-discovers network printers; otherwise install the vendor's driver.
Tips
- You can read the printer's IP from its own menu (Settings > Network).
- If offline issues started after a Windows update, reinstall the driver.
02 — Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
The printer says offline but still prints — why?
Status detection is lagging. A spooler restart fixes the display; update the driver if it keeps recurring.
My network printer keeps going offline — what do I do?
Assign it a static IP and create a TCP/IP port to that IP in Windows. Changing DHCP addresses are the classic cause.
Print Spooler keeps stopping — is it a virus?
Usually a corrupt job or driver. With the service stopped, clear C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS.
Links in this guide point to official platform pages. Steps may change with platform updates; check the page date.
03 — Related guides