In general, the printers that are produced and sold today are designed to connect without complications to the PC. For this, each machine model has software that executes the installation of its drivers and guides the user through the wireless network configuration process.
However, there are times when the communication between the computer and a printer is lost causing the error “Printer offline”, which in turn can generate considerable confusion due to the uncertainty of its origin. This failure can occur for a variety of reasons, but some are more common than others.
We explain what they are and how to solve them in the case of a PC running Windows 10 or Windows 11.
USB cable malfunction
It may seem simple. But the failure of the USB cable is the most frequent cause of a loss of connection between the printer and the PC. The solution is pretty obvious: check the USB cable and check that it works on another PC, you can also try a substitute cable.
Printer without network connection
If your printer has wireless capability and the printer offline warning appears when trying to print a document, the error may be due to a lack of Wi-Fi signal.
Place the router or access point as close to the printer as possible. Once this is done, check that the printer’s Wi-Fi indicator LED is on.
Consult: How to improve your WiFi signal
The printer has not been set as the default
If more than one printer has been configured on your computer, it is possible that the error is due to another printer in the list that does the print jobs automatically. To fix this error do the following.
Press the Windows + R keys at the same time to bring up the Run box. Type control panel and click OK.
In the Windows Control Panel, go to the Hardware and Sound section and click on View devices and printers.
In the Printers section, right-click on the name of your printer and select Set as default printer.
Windows conflict
If the error has been generated by a conflict in the printer settings by Windows 10 or Windows 11, it is best to let the system troubleshooter take care of solving it. For this do the following.
Press the Windows + I keys to access the Windows settings window.
In the list of options in the System section, click Troubleshoot.
Locate the Printer section and click Run.
Follow the instructions in the Windows troubleshooter.
Printer Driver Problems
It often happens that after the installation of Windows updates, the driver of a peripheral or hardware device connected to the system is compromised, in this case, a printer. The solution is to use Windows Device Manager to update the driver. Follow these steps.
Right-click on the Start menu and select Device Manager.
Locate your printer and right click on its name. Then select Update driver and choose the option Search for drivers automatically so that Windows will take care of it.
If Windows cannot find the correct driver for your printer, navigate to the manufacturer’s site and download the latest version of the software or drivers that your printer requires.
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