In Windows 11, clearing a printer queue can be done quickly by accessing the printer settings, locating the queued documents, and canceling them. This process ensures that any stuck print jobs are removed, allowing new print tasks to proceed smoothly. Let’s walk through the steps to achieve this.
How to Clear Printer Queue Windows 11
In the following steps, you will learn how to clear your printer queue in Windows 11. This process will remove any documents that are stuck in the queue, allowing your printer to function correctly again.
Step 1: Open Settings
Access the ‘Settings’ application by clicking on the Start menu and selecting ‘Settings.’
In Windows 11, the Settings app is your one-stop-shop for managing system configurations. You can easily find it by clicking the Start menu or simply typing “Settings” in the search bar.
Step 2: Navigate to Devices
Within Settings, choose ‘Bluetooth & devices’ from the left-hand sidebar, then select ‘Printers & scanners.’
The ‘Printers & scanners’ section lists all the printers connected to your device. This is where you manage all things related to your printer.
Step 3: Select Your Printer
Click on the printer that is currently experiencing issues.
When you select your printer, a new window will pop up with more options specific to that printer. This includes options like printing a test page, managing preferences, and checking the queue.
Step 4: Open Print Queue
Click on ‘Open queue’ to view the list of documents waiting to be printed.
The print queue is where all your pending documents reside. Sometimes, a document may get stuck here, causing a blockage for other print jobs.
Step 5: Cancel All Documents
In the print queue window, select all documents and choose ‘Cancel’ to remove them from the queue.
Canceling the documents will clear any stuck items, allowing new print jobs to be processed by the printer. If a document refuses to cancel, you may need administrative privileges to remove it.
After completing these steps, your printer queue should be clear, allowing new documents to print without any issues.
Tips for Clearing Printer Queue Windows 11
- Restart your computer and printer if the queue does not clear after following the steps.
- Make sure your printer drivers are up-to-date to prevent future queue issues.
- Consider using a wired connection instead of wireless to reduce connectivity problems.
- Use the ‘Print Spooler’ service in Windows to manually clear the queue if needed.
- Restart the Print Spooler service from the Services app if the queue is persistent.
What should I do if the print queue still won’t clear?
Restart both your computer and printer. If that fails, try restarting the Print Spooler service from the Services app.
How do I update my printer drivers?
Visit the printer manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers for your printer model. You can also update drivers through the Device Manager in Windows 11.
Can I clear the queue without admin rights?
Typically, you may need administrative privileges to cancel certain print jobs. Check with your system administrator if you lack the necessary permissions.
What if I don’t see my printer in the ‘Printers & scanners’ section?
Ensure your printer is properly connected and turned on. You may need to reinstall the printer driver.
Is it better to use a wired connection for my printer?
A wired connection can provide a more stable connection, reducing the chances of print jobs getting stuck in the queue.
Summary
- Open Settings.
- Navigate to Devices.
- Select Your Printer.
- Open Print Queue.
- Cancel All Documents.
Conclusion
Clearing the printer queue in Windows 11 is a straightforward process that ensures your printer operates smoothly. By following the steps outlined above, you can quickly resolve any issues with stuck print jobs. For further reading, consider exploring more about printer management and troubleshooting tips to keep your device running efficiently.
Remember, a well-maintained printer makes a happy printer. Whether you’re printing school projects, important work documents, or family photos, ensuring your printer queue is clear will save you from frustration and wasted time. So, keep these steps handy, and don’t hesitate to revisit this guide whenever you encounter printer troubles!
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.
Read his full bio here.
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Printers can be difficult ot work with, and troubleshooting them can take you to a lot of different places on your computer.
One common issue that can arise with a printer is when it says that it is offline, even though it’s turned on and seems to be hooked up correctly.
Our tutorial below will show you some steps to try so that you can learn how to change a printer from offline to online.
How to Switch a Printer from Offline to Online in Windows 7
- Click Start , then Devices and Printers .
- Right-click the printer, then click See what’s printing .
- Select the Printer tab, then click Use printer offline to clear the check mark.
Our guide continues below with additional information on how to switch a printer from offline to online , including pictures for these steps.
If you’re lucky, then this should work and your queued documents will start printing. However, sometimes this isn’t enough and you need to do some more troubleshooting. We discuss those additional troubleshooting steps further in this article.
Printers can be frustrating when they are not working correctly, due largely to the fact that errors can occur for seemingly no reason. Whether your print jobs don’t look right, you are getting constant paper jams, or printing is inconsistent or erratic, printers are often some of the most difficult electronic devices to work with. So if your printer is showing as offline and you can’t print, then you may be trying to figure out why it’s showing as offline when the printer was working before and nothing has changed.
One issue that you might encounter is Windows 7 not being able to connect to your printer to send documents that you want to print. Further investigation into the issue might lead you to discover that Windows 7 thinks the printer is offline.
There are several reasons why this might be occurring, so you will need to follow the instructions in this tutorial to learn how to change your printer from offline to online .
Once your printer is back online, it should then start printing the documents that you have sent to the printer that are currently sitting in your print queue.
How Do You Change a Printer from Offline to Online? (Guide with Pictures)
Windows is recognizing your printer as being offline because it is unable to communicate with the printer. This can be caused by several different situations, so you need to pinpoint exactly from where the problem is originating.
These steps will show you how to change a printer from offline to online from a Windows laptop or desktop computer.
Step 1: Click theStartbutton at the bottom-left corner of your screen, then clickDevices and Printers.
Click Start then choose Devices & Printers .
Step 2: Right-click the printer that is showing as offline, then clickSee what’s printing.
Right-click on the printer, then select See what’s printing.
Step 3: Click thePrinterlink at the top of this window, then click theUse Printer Offlineoption to remove the check mark.
Select Printer , then Use Printer Offline .
Now that you know how to change printer from offline to online you can try this step whenever your computer is unable to print a file.
If this solved your problem, then you are all set and can continue with your printing . However, if this did not resolve the issue, then there are some more troubleshooting steps you can try.
Additional Troubleshooting for an Offline Printer in Windows 7
Check that the printer is turned on, and that the USB cable is properly connected to both the back of the printer and your computer. If your printer is wireless, you may need to restart the printer, then restart your computer to see if you can re-establish the wireless connection.
If you are using a wireless printer, have you recently changed your router, or changed the name of the wireless network ? If so, you may need to update your wireless printer with the new wireless network settings . If your wireless printer does not feature a control panel on the printer that allows you to change the network settings, you may need to temporarily connect the printer to your computer with a USB cable to modify the settings.
If your wired printer is still showing an offline status, despite the fact that it is plugged in and connected to your computer, then there may be a problem with the port to which the device is connected.
How to Change a Printer Port in Windows 7
You can use these steps to change the printer port for a printer that has been set up in Windows 7.
Step 1: Return to theDevices and Printersmenu, right-click your printer, then clickPrinter Properties.
Step 2: Click thePortstab at the top of the window, choose the correct port from the list at the center of the window, clickApply, then clickOK.
If you are still unable to print, then one final option you can attempt is to stop and restart the print spooler . You can follow the instructions in this article to learn how to manage the print spooler.
If you are still unable to print after following all of these instructions, then you may need to uninstall, then reinstall your printer. You can remove a printer from your computer by right-clicking the printer, then clicking Remove device . Once the printer has been uninstalled, follow your printer’s installation guide to properly reinstall it.
Why Is My Printer Offline?
The sections in the article above provide a bunch of different options and settings that you can check in order to see why your printer might be offline.
There are so many potential reasons that your printer might be offline that it’s hard to point to one specific reason why it might be happening.
In my experience, the best, simplest, and most useful thing that you can do when your printer is showing as offline is to simply restart the printer.
This can resolve issues related to a wireless printer that isn’t connected to a network, it can force the print spooler to restart, and it can fix print jobs that are stuck in the print queue.
While your printer is going through the process of restarting it can be helpful to restart your computer, too. And if you have a wireless printer and have been experiencing connection issues with other wireless devices as well, then even restarting your modem and your router might not be a bad idea.
How do I restart a printer?
You can reboot your printer by pressing the Power button on the printer, waiting until it has completely turned off, then pressing the Power button again to turn it back on.
How can I check my printer status?
If you aren’t sure whether or not your printer is in Printer Online or Printer Offline mode in Windows 11, then a quick way to check is to go to Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners .
You can then click on your printer and choose the Open Queue option. When you open print queue windows on your computer you can see any documents that are currently queued up to print.
When the printer window is open you can click the Printer option in the menu bar, then make sure the Use Printer Offline option isn’t selected.
How can I change the printer driver that my printer is currently using?
If you go to Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners then select your printer, you can click the Printer properties button, which will open a new window.
In this window you can choose the Advanced tab, then click the Driver drop down menu and choose a different driver. You could also click the New Driver button, which will launch the Add Printer Driver Wizard .
How do I run printer troubleshooter in Windows 11?
If you aren’t sure what the problem is, you can try the Windows utility that will cycle through a bunch of potential settings to try and fix the problem.
This means it will do things like restart printer related services, such as restarting the print spooler service and checking for outdated printer drivers.
You can do this by clicking the Windows button in the taskbar, searching for “Printer” then selecting the Printers & scanners option.
You can then select your printer and click the Run the troubleshooter option.
Why is my HP Printer offline?
The Hp printer offline Windows 11 steps are the same for Hewlett Packard printers as they are for other printers.
You need to open the Windows Settings menu, choose Bluetooth and devices, then select Printers & scanners.
You can then click on the default printer or whatever printer you want to check, then make sure Use printer offline is not selected.
If it is offline and clicking that option doesn’t put it back online, then you will need to go through the troubleshoot printer offline process of checking the printer cable (or the network status for wireless printers) and restarting the printer and the computer.
If that doesn’t work, then you may printer offline – how to put online instructions on the printer manufacturer’s website, which may involve reinstalling printer software and drivers.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.
Read his full bio here.
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Clearing a printer queue in Windows 11 can be a quick and simple process, ensuring your printer starts working smoothly again. By following a few steps, you can stop any stuck print jobs, clear them out, and get your printer back to normal in no time. Here’s how you can do it.
How to Clear Printer Queue Windows 11
Follow these steps to clear a printer queue in Windows 11. This will help you remove any print jobs that are causing the printer to be stuck or not respond properly.
Step 1: Open the Settings Menu
First, open the Settings menu on your Windows 11 PC.
You can do this by clicking on the Start menu and then selecting the gear icon, or simply by pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard.
Step 2: Go to Devices
Navigate to the Devices section in the Settings menu.
This is where you manage all your connected devices, including your printer. Click on “Devices” to proceed.
Step 3: Select Printers & Scanners
Click on the “Printers & Scanners” option from the Devices menu.
This will display a list of all printers connected to your computer. Find the printer you want to manage.
Step 4: Choose Your Printer
Select the printer that has the stuck queue.
Click on it to open a menu with several options, including “Open queue.”
Step 5: Open the Print Queue
Click on “Open queue” to see the list of print jobs.
Here you can view all the documents waiting to be printed. Identify the ones causing issues.
Step 6: Cancel All Documents
Click on “Printer” in the top-left corner of the queue window and select “Cancel All Documents.”
This will clear all jobs from the queue, resolving any issues with stuck print jobs.
After completing these steps, your printer queue should be empty. You can try printing a test page to ensure everything is working smoothly.
Tips for How to Clear Printer Queue Windows 11
- Regularly check your print queue to avoid build-ups.
- Ensure your printer drivers are up to date.
- Restart both your computer and printer after clearing the queue for best results.
- Use the “Print Spooler” service if the queue doesn’t clear from the Settings menu.
- Consider setting your printer to “Print directly to the printer” to skip the queue.
Why is my printer queue stuck?
A printer queue can get stuck due to corrupted print jobs or driver issues. Clearing the queue can resolve this.
Can I clear the printer queue without restarting my computer?
Yes, you can clear the printer queue without restarting your computer by following the steps provided.
What if I can’t find my printer in the Devices menu?
Ensure your printer is properly connected and installed. Restart both the printer and your computer if necessary.
How often should I update my printer drivers?
Check for updates at least once a month to ensure your printer operates smoothly.
Can I cancel specific print jobs instead of all?
Yes, you can cancel individual print jobs by selecting them in the queue and choosing “Cancel.”
Summary
- Open the Settings menu.
- Go to Devices.
- Select Printers & Scanners.
- Choose your printer.
- Open the print queue.
- Cancel all documents.
Conclusion
Clearing a printer queue in Windows 11 can be a lifesaver when your printer decides to act up. By following these straightforward steps, you can ensure your print jobs run smoothly without any hiccups. It’s a good practice to regularly check the printer queue and keep your printer drivers updated to avoid any future issues.
Whether you’re a tech newbie or a seasoned pro, everyone can benefit from these tips and tricks. If you encounter persistent problems, don’t hesitate to consult your printer’s manual or seek professional help. Keep your printer in top shape and enjoy hassle-free printing!
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.
Read his full bio here.
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If your printer queue is clogged and nothing seems to be printing, don’t worry. Clearing the printer queue in Windows 10 is a straightforward task. Follow these steps, and you’ll have your printer back to normal in no time. It’s a simple process involving stopping the print spooler service, deleting the print jobs, and restarting the service. Here’s how to do it.
Step by Step Tutorial: How to Clear Printer Queue Windows 10
Let’s go through each step to help you clear your printer queue in Windows 10. This will ensure that any stuck print jobs are removed, allowing your printer to function correctly.
Step 1: Open the Services Window
First, press the Windows key + R, type “services.msc,” and hit Enter.
Opening the Services window brings up a list of all services running on your computer. This is where you’ll find the Print Spooler service, which manages all print jobs.
Step 2: Find and Stop the Print Spooler Service
Locate the “Print Spooler” service in the list, right-click on it, and select “Stop.”
Stopping the Print Spooler service halts all current print jobs. This step is crucial to prevent the printer queue from being accessed while you clear it.
Step 3: Open the Print Spooler Folder
Next, press the Windows key + R again, type “%windir%System32spoolPRINTERS,” and hit Enter.
This command opens the folder where your print jobs are stored. You might need administrator permission to access this folder. It’s where you’ll delete the stuck print jobs.
Step 4: Delete All Files in the PRINTERS Folder
Select all files in the PRINTERS folder and delete them.
Deleting these files clears out all print jobs that were previously stuck in the queue. Make sure to delete only the files in this folder, not the folder itself.
Step 5: Restart the Print Spooler Service
Go back to the Services window, right-click on the “Print Spooler” service, and select “Start.”
Restarting the Print Spooler service reactivates the printer queue. With the stuck jobs cleared, your printer should now work smoothly.
After completing these steps, your printer will no longer have any stuck print jobs, and you should be able to print without issues.
Tips for Clearing Printer Queue Windows 10
- Regular Maintenance: Regularly check your printer queue to avoid future clogging.
- Restart Computer: Sometimes a simple restart of your computer can clear the printer queue.
- Update Drivers: Ensure your printer drivers are up to date to avoid compatibility issues.
- Use Printer Troubleshooter: Windows 10 has a built-in printer troubleshooter that can help identify and fix problems.
- Check Printer Connection: Make sure your printer is properly connected to your computer to avoid job failures.
What if I can’t find the Print Spooler service?
Ensure you are in the Services window and carefully scroll through the list. It’s usually near the bottom.
Can I cancel print jobs individually?
Yes, you can cancel jobs individually from the Devices and Printers menu, but clearing them all at once is often faster.
Why do print jobs get stuck?
Print jobs can get stuck due to driver issues, network problems, or printer errors.
What if clearing the queue doesn’t work?
Try restarting your computer and printer. If the problem persists, there might be a deeper issue with your printer or drivers.
How often should I clear my printer queue?
Clear your printer queue whenever you notice jobs not printing. Regular checks can help prevent buildup.
Summary
- Open the Services window.
- Find and stop the Print Spooler service.
- Open the Print Spooler folder.
- Delete all files in the PRINTERS folder.
- Restart the Print Spooler service.
Conclusion
Clearing the printer queue in Windows 10 is a quick and easy way to fix printing issues that can occur when print jobs get stuck. By following the steps outlined above, you’ll ensure that your print queue is clear and your printer is ready to go. Regular maintenance and staying on top of potential issues can save you time and frustration in the long run.
If you found this guide helpful, consider checking out other troubleshooting articles to keep your tech running smoothly. Remember, a well-maintained printer queue means fewer headaches and smoother operations for all your printing needs. Happy printing!
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.
Read his full bio here.
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If you’re used to working with printers frequently, you have probably faced situations where your machine is ready to print, but the printer status on your Windows 10 is showing offline.
This can happen due to minor network connectivity issues, poor printer connection, paper jams, or other problems.
Whatever the reason is, you should know how to get a printer online in Windows 10 to fix the problems and get your work done.
To make the task easier for you, we will discuss a number of methods of solving the printer offline issue and tell you some simple tricks to avoid such problems in the future.
We will cover it all, from minor paper jam problems to complex setting issues. So, let’s dive right in.
How to Use the Windows 10 Printer Troubleshooter to Get the Printer Online
- Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Choose Devices in the left column.
- Select Printers and Scanners .
- Choose to run the troubleshooter.
- Let the troubleshooter run and perform the suggested tasks.
Our guide continues below with additional information on getting your Windows 10 printer online, including some other options that you can try which might help to resolve the situation.
Sometimes you will need to send someone a picture of the items that appear on your screen. Our article on how to screenshot on Acer laptops can help you with that.
How to Solve Windows 10 Printer Offline Issues – 10 Options
As you already know, your computer can show that your printer is offline for many reasons. Some problems are so trivial that you can solve them within moments, even without any printer technician. Below are some effective and detailed methods to solve the printer offline error yourself:
Method One – Perform Physical Checks
To bring back a printer online, you should properly check all the wire connections. If your machine is a local printer or a network printer and needs to be connected by a USB cable or Ethernet cable, you should check out whether the connection is firm or not. Try checking out the cable at both ends of your USB port and printer.
If the cable is too loose or broken, replace it with a new one. Also, try to use multiple USB ports on your computer to make sure that the problem isn’t in your cable, ethernet port, or USB ports.
Method Two – Check Your Internet Connection
If you have connected your printer using a Wi-Fi network, check out if the device’s network is working properly. The printer’s status might go offline if the network is too slow or if the network keeps dropping.
So, check out the condition of the network from the built-in options of your printer. If you don’t know how to connect your printer through Wi-Fi, look for instructions in your owner’s manual. Sometimes the printer status goes offline when you try to connect it using a VPN (virtual private network.)
In that case, you must disconnect the VPN connection and restart your printer. Otherwise, you can also try a more efficient VPN connection and adjust the VPN configuration to access the local network.
Method Three – Restart Your Printer and Computer
The process of restarting your devices is called power cycling. It’s a very common technique to solve minor glitches in your devices – power off both your PC and printer first. Then disconnect your printer from the computer and unplug its power cable.
Wait for 30 seconds before restarting the printer. When your printer is switched on, turn on your computer again and check if the offline status is turned online.
Method Four – Use Printer Offline Option
If our previously mentioned methods fail to solve your printer problems, it’s time to do some work manually. You need to open settings on your computer and make some necessary changes to the printer offline option. And here’s how to use the printer offline option in Windows 11 –
Step 1) On your windows computer, click on the ‘Start’ option from the bottom of your screen. From there, click on the ‘Settings’ option and then ‘Bluetooth and devices.’
Step 2) Now select the option called ‘Printers & Scanners’.
Step 3) Select your printer and choose the ‘Open print queue’ option.
Step 4) A new page will appear, and you need to look for the ‘Printer’ tab on the toolbar. Click on it, and a drop-down menu will arrive. Do you see any ‘Use Printer Offline’ option there? Check out if there’s a tick beside this option. Click on it to remove the tick mark and get your printer online.
<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://www.solveyourtech.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/how-to-get-printer-online-windows-10-4.jpg" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“turn off the “use printer offline” option - 12”>
For additional coverage of this topic, you can read our printer offline Windows 7 guide.
Method Five – Use Printer Troubleshooter
If the status of your printer keeps coming online briefly and going offline again, you can use a printer troubleshooter to solve the problem and start printing again. In fact, Windows 10 features several troubleshooters to solve the printer offline issues automatically. Here’s how you can perform troubleshooting –
Step 1) Use the dedicated Windows key to open the ‘Start’ menu and go to your settings. You can also press Windows key + I to open the Settings app directly. Click on ‘Devices’ and then on ‘Printers & Scanners.’
Step 2) Click on the ‘Run the troubleshooter’ option from the right-pane. You can find it right beneath the ‘Related Settings’ option.
Step 3) Now, the troubleshooter will run several series of checks. It will also suggest to you some ways to solve the detected problems. It might ask you to set your current printer as a default printer or ask you to update your printer driver. Act accordingly to fix the problems.
Method Six – Clear Your Pending Print Jobs
It’s always preferable to perform one print job at once. When you continue printing for a long time and multiple unfinished print jobs are queued, it might cause printer offline errors. Follow the steps given below to remove the print queue –
Step 1) Open settings and choose ‘Devices.’ Then select ‘Printers & Scanners’ and click on your printer’s name.
Step 2) Now click on ‘Open queue’ to get the list of all the pending documents. Select the ‘ Printer ‘ option from the toolbar at the top and then click ‘Cancel All Documents.’ It should clear all the pending jobs.
Step 3) You can restart your printer and your computer to clear the remaining documents of the print queue.
Method Seven – Use Print Spooler Service
The print spooler service controls the interactions between your computer and printer. You can restart the service to get the printer online. Here’s how you can do it –
Step 1) Open your computer’s start menu, type ‘Services’, and press enter. You can also press Windows Key + R and search by typing ‘Service.msc.’
Step 2) Look for the ‘Print Spooler’ option and right-click on it. Then choose ‘Restart,’ and your offline printer will go online again.
Method Eight – Change Printer Properties
Step 1) Open the control panel of your printer and then go to ‘Devices and Printers.’ Right-click on your printer’s name and select ‘Printer Properties.’
Step 2) From there, click on the ‘Ports’ tab and then choose the printer’s IP address. Now select the option ‘Configure Port.’
Step 3) Check if there’s any tick next to the ‘SNMP Status Enable’ option. Click on it to uncheck the option and then choose ‘OK’ for saving the changes.
Method Nine – Use Printer Software
Many printer manufacturers own printer software to let your windows manage and troubleshoot the printer. You can go to the printer manufacturer’s website to install the software. Or, your printer manufacturer might have provided a CD containing the software.
To check whether the software is installed or not, go to settings and click on ‘Devices.’ Then select ‘Printers & Scanners’, choose your printer’s name, and then ‘Manage.’ If the software is installed, you’ll see the option ‘Open printer app.’
Click on it to open the software and look for troubleshooting options to bring the offline printer status back online.
Method Ten – Reinstall the Printer
If the printer offline message keeps appearing even after you have tried all our methods, you should try to remove the current printer and reinstall it or install a new printer. Here’s how you can remove and reinstall it –
Step 1) Open your computer’s settings and choose ‘Devices.’ From the menu bar, select ‘Printers & Scanners’ and then your printer’s name.
Step 2) Click on ‘Remove Device’ and select ‘Yes’ to remove the current printer.
Step 3) Now go for the option ‘Add printer or scanner.’ Follow the necessary steps to reinstall the printer.
Final Words
So, now you know how to get a printer online Windows 10. Before anything else, try our first three methods to solve the printer offline errors in your Windows 10 easily.
If none of our methods work for your computer, the problem might be hardware-related. In that case, you need to get your printers to a technician or change the printer drivers to solve the issues.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.
Read his full bio here.
Smartphones and mobile devices like the iPhone have become so capable and powerful that they can perform many of the same functions as a desktop or laptop computer.
Therefore you might be wondering how to add a printer on your iPhone 11 so that you can print a file directly from the device.
If you were an early adopter of cell phones or even the first smartphone options, then you may have become so accustomed to avoiding printing that you may not have tried it in a while.
Printing from mobile devices used to be difficult, if not impossible, so many users simply chose to keep printing only from their computers.
But the prevalence and market dominance of mobile devices has increased so much that printing was something that needed to be addressed.
This happened with a feature called AirPrint that makes it much easier for iPhones to communicate with printers over a wireless printer.
Our guide below will show you how to add a printer to your iPhone 11 and how to complete a print job from the device.
How to Add an iPhone Printer
- Open an app or file to print.
- Tap the Share button.
- Choose Print .
- Tap Select Printer .
- Touch the printer you wish to use.
- Change print job settings as needed.
- Tap Print .
Our article continues below with additional information on how to add a printer on an iPhone, including pictures of these steps.
How to Use a Printer from an iPhone (Guide with Pictures)
The steps in this article were performed on an iPhone 11 in iOS 14.6. This section assumes that you have an AirPrint-enabled printer that is already setup up to use AirPrint over your wireless network.
Step 1: Open the app with the file you want to print, or open the specific file.
Step 2: Touch theShareicon (the one with the square and an upward pointing arrow.)
Step 3: Choose thePrintoption.
You may need to scroll down a little bit to find this option.
Step 4: Tap theSelect Printerbutton.
Step 5: Choose the printer that you would like to add and print from.
Step 6: Adjust any of the additional options on this print menu like the number of copies, then tapPrintat the top right corner of the screen.
Now that you know how to print from an iPhone you will be able to create physical copies of documents without needing to involve a laptop or desktop computer in the process.
What is Airprint?
The AirPrint feature is one that was rather uncommon and mysterious a decade ago but has become much more common and popular. In fact, most new wireless printers are now compatible with AirPrint, as it is such an important feature.
AirPrint is a wireless protocol that Apple takes advantage of to allow their device to print wirelessly. Most printers will need to install their own drivers on a computer in order to print, but the AirPrint feature is kind of a universal driver that any iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch can use to print without needing to go through the headache of actually installing the files for a printer on to the device.
How to Print from an iPhone
If you are used to printing from a computer and haven’t yet had to try this from a device that uses iOS, then it’s a little tricky the first time.
Your iPhone lumps the printing option in with other sharing options, such as sending data through a text message or an email. Therefore, you need to open the Share menu from within the app or file which you want to print.
Step 1: Open the app or file.
Step 2: Tap the Share icon.
Step 3: Choose the Print option.
Step 4: Select the printer and adjust the other print settings, then tap the Print button.
Note that you will need to be connected to the same wireless network as the printer that you want to use for this print job.
Most of the items that you would want to print from a default iPhone app are going to use this “Share” method to print the file. However, you might need to follow some different steps to print from within other apps. For example, to print from Google Docs on an iPhone you would open the document, tap the three dots at the top-right, choose Share & export , then tap Print .
How to View or Cancel a Print Job on an iPhone
When you create a print job on your iPhone it is handled through an app called the Print Center. If the print job is just a single page then the printing process can occur very quickly, and you probably won’t be able to view or cancel that job.
But if the document that you are trying to print has a lot of pages, or if you are printing a lot of copies, then you might be able to view or modify it.
You can open the Print Center from the App Switcher. On older iPhone models you can open the App Switcher by pressing the Home button twice. On newer iPhone models you swipe up and to the left or right from the bottom of the Home screen.
You can then select the Print Center app and either look at the print job or tap the Cancel Printing button to cancel the print job.
How to Print To a Printer Without AirPrint from an iPhone (Using an App)
The specifics of this method are a little generic, as these steps will depend on the brand of printer. But, generally speaking, you are going to need to download an app to your iPhone for your printer, enable the Wi-Fi option on your printer, then connect to the network that the printer creates through your iPhone.
- Open the App Store .
- Search for your printer’s app. (Not all printers are going to have a dedicated app. Consult your printer’s documentation to see if this option is available.)
- Download and install the app.
- Enable Wi-Fi on your printer so that the printer is broadcasting its wireless network.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Choose the Wi-Fi option.
- Select the printer’s Wi-Fi network and enter the password if prompted.
- Open the file that you want to print.
- Tap the Share icon.
- Select the Print option.
- Choose the printer.
- Tap Print .
Alternatively, you might open the printer app instead, then browse through your iPhone’s files through the app and send them to the printer that way.
If you can’t use an app or AirPrint for your printer then you might be able to use a USB solution. Note that this will likely require you to purchase some additional equipment.
Can You Print from Your iPhone to a Printer Without a Wi Fi Network?
Yes, this is possible, but it is going to require some additional steps and equipment. The iPhone is a wireless device, o its default method of connection is going to rely on wireless connectivity.
The section below discusses how to establish a wired connection between a printer and the iPhone using the USB port on the back of the printer and the Lightning port on your iPhone.
How to Use a USB Cable to Print from an iPhone to a Non AirPrint Printer
- Connect the USB end of the cable to the port on the back of the printer.
- Connect the other end of the cable to the iPhone’s lightning port.
- Confirm the device connection on your iPhone.
- Open the file you want to print.
- Tap the Share icon.
- Choose the Print option.
- Touch the Select Printer button.
- Select the USB-connected printer.
- Tap the Print button.
More Information on How to Add Printer to iPhone 11
While you can often get good prints from files, images, or other objects that you print from your iPhone, I have found that the prints typically look better when printed from a computer.
Often this is due to scaling, but it can also come from the fact that AirPrint can occasionally have some compatibility issues with combinations of phones and printers.
The different settings that are available on the print options menu can include things like the number of copies, color options, or a range selection.
These options aren’t always available for everything, though, so you might need to experiment with opening the file in different apps if you need to switch between black and white or color, for example.
Some printers that aren’t compatible with AirPrint, or aren’t wireless, can employ an email-based solution for printing.
Essentially what you are doing is assigning an email address to your printer, then you are sending the file that you want to print to that email address.
Since you can create and send emails with the Mail app on your iPhone, this can be another convenient option for printing from the device. Consult your printer’s manual for more information on setting up this feature, as its availability and functionality will vary between printer models.
One final thing to consider is setting up a wireless print server for your wired printer.
While this can be complicated and more expensive than simply purchasing a new, wireless printer, it can solve your printing issue.
Establishing the connection to that printer may involve some additional steps, but they are much more approachable when wireless capability has been added to the printer.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.
Read his full bio here.
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