Windows 11 Printer Says Offline but Is Connected to Wi-Fi: 9 Fixes

Your printer can be connected to Wi-Fi and still show Offline in Windows 11. That status does not automatically mean the printer is broken. Sometimes Windows is holding on to an old printer connection, a print job is stuck, or the computer and printer are no longer communicating over the same local network.

Work through these fixes in order. Start with the quick checks before removing the printer or changing advanced settings. Menu names can vary slightly by printer brand and Windows build.

1. Check whether the printer itself is ready

Look at the printer display and its status lights first. Make sure it is awake, has paper, has no paper jam, and is not reporting an open cover or another hardware warning. If it has gone into a deep sleep state, wake it and give it a minute to reconnect.

If the printer has a Wi-Fi menu or network report, confirm that it is connected to your current router. A lit wireless symbol alone is not always proof that the printer is on the same network as your computer.

2. Restart the printer and check the network

Turn the printer off, unplug its power cable for about 30 seconds, reconnect it, and turn it back on. Wait until it has fully started. Then check whether another device on the same Wi-Fi can see or print to it.

Your Windows PC and printer normally need to be on the same local network. For example, a laptop connected to a guest Wi-Fi network may be blocked from reaching a printer connected to the main network. Some routers also separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz network names or isolate wireless devices. If you use a mesh system, extender, guest network, or more than one router, check that both devices are connected to the intended network.

3. Turn off “Use Printer Offline” and clear pause

This is one of the easiest fixes because Windows can keep the offline option enabled even after the printer reconnects.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners.
3. Select your printer, then choose Open print queue.
4. In the print-queue window, open the Printer menu if it is available.
5. If Use Printer Offline or Pause Printing is checked, select it to turn it off.
6. Try printing a simple test page.

If the queue is full of old failed jobs, cancel them. A single stuck document can make the printer appear unresponsive even when the connection is fine.

4. Set the correct printer as your default

Windows may send a job to a different printer entry, such as an old copy of the same printer or a virtual PDF printer.

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners.
2. Select the printer you actually use.
3. Choose Set as default if that option is shown.
4. If Windows manages the default printer automatically, check the printer selected by the app when you print.

If you see two entries with nearly identical names, do not delete either one yet. First print a test page from each entry or check which one has the current status and connection details.

5. Check whether the printer’s IP address changed

This is a common reason a network printer can remain connected to Wi-Fi but show offline on one computer. Your router may have assigned the printer a different local IP address after a restart, while Windows is still trying to contact its previous address.

To investigate:

1. Use the printer’s control panel to print a network configuration page, or open its network-status menu.
2. Find the printer’s current IPv4 address. It often looks like 192.168.1.25 or 10.0.0.25, although your network may use another range.
3. On the Windows PC, open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners and select the printer.
4. Open printer properties if available, then look for the Ports tab.
5. Compare the configured Standard TCP/IP port address with the address shown by the printer.

If the addresses differ, do not randomly edit ports. Confirm the printer’s current address and follow the printer maker’s instructions to update the port or remove and re-add the network printer. If you are comfortable with your router settings, a DHCP reservation for the printer can help it keep the same local address. A reservation is usually safer than choosing an arbitrary static address that might conflict with another device.

6. Run the Windows printer troubleshooter

Windows 11 includes automated help for printer problems. Open the Get Help app from Start and search for the printer troubleshooter, then follow its prompts. Let it finish before testing again.

If the troubleshooter reports a specific issue, use that information rather than running every possible repair. Microsoft’s official guide is also useful: Troubleshooting offline printer problems in Windows.

7. Restart the Print Spooler service

The Print Spooler manages print jobs. If it becomes stuck, documents may remain queued and the printer can look offline even when its network connection is working.

1. Save or cancel any documents you still need to print.
2. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
3. Find Print Spooler.
4. Right-click it and select Restart. If Restart is unavailable, select Stop and then Start.
5. Send one small test document.

Avoid manually deleting files from the spool folder unless the queue remains stuck and you understand that pending print jobs will be removed.

8. Update or reinstall the printer driver

If the printer is online for other devices but not this PC, a damaged or outdated driver may be involved. Start with Windows Update and the printer manufacturer’s official support site. Search by the exact model number and your Windows version; avoid third-party “driver updater” sites.

If you reinstall the printer, first make sure you know how to add it back to Wi-Fi and have any required driver or setup instructions. Then open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners, select the affected printer, choose Remove, restart Windows, and use Add device to install it again. If Windows cannot find it, follow the manufacturer’s network-printer setup instructions.

9. Test from another app or device

Try printing a Windows test page or a simple document from Notepad. If that works but one application fails, the printer itself may be fine; check the app’s selected printer and print settings. If every device on the network fails to reach the printer, focus on the printer’s Wi-Fi connection, router settings, or the printer’s own error screen.

What if the printer goes offline again tomorrow?

If the problem returns after the router or printer restarts, note whether the printer’s IP address changes. A router DHCP reservation may help. If it happens only after the PC wakes from sleep, restart the PC and printer once, then check for driver updates. If it happens only on one Wi-Fi network, check guest-network isolation and any firewall or security software that was recently changed.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Windows say offline when the printer is connected to Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi connection and Windows print status are different things. Windows may have a paused queue, a stale IP address, an incorrect printer entry, a driver issue, or no route to the printer across the local network.

Should I reset my router?

Not as the first step. Restarting the printer and checking the queue are less disruptive. A router restart may be reasonable if multiple devices have network problems, but check whether other people are using the connection first.

Do I need to reinstall the printer immediately?

No. First clear the offline/pause options, confirm both devices use the same network, and check the printer’s current IP address. Reinstalling is a later step when the simpler checks do not help.

Related ErrorNest guides

• How to Fix Wi-Fi That Keeps Disconnecting
• How to Fix “Can’t Connect to This Network” on Windows 11

Bottom line: when a Windows 11 printer says offline but is connected to Wi-Fi, check the print queue and network path before assuming the printer is faulty. If the problem persists across devices, use the printer’s own network report and manufacturer support to narrow down the cause.