Why Is My Brother Printer Always Saying Offline?
Is your Brother printer always showing an offline message, even when it is turned on and connected to your computer? This problem can stop you from printing documents and waste valuable time. The good news is that you can often fix it without replacing your printer or buying new equipment.
A Brother printer may keep going offline because of an unstable Wi-Fi connection, incorrect Windows settings, outdated printer drivers, or stuck print jobs. Sometimes, the computer may also be checking the wrong printer driver.
Why Does My Brother Printer Keep Going Offline?
Several issues can cause your Brother printer to lose communication with your computer.
Unstable Wi-Fi connection: The printer may disconnect from your wireless network.
Incorrect printer settings: Windows may have enabled the offline or paused mode.
Outdated drivers: Old or damaged software can prevent the printer from communicating correctly.
Stuck print jobs: Pending documents may block new printing requests.
Multiple printer entries: Windows may have added the same Brother printer more than once.
Power or hardware issues: A printer that is asleep, switched off, or displaying an error may appear offline.
How to Fix a Brother Printer That Always Says Offline
Try the following solutions one at a time. After each step, check whether the printer status changes to online or ready.
Check the Printer’s Power and Connection
First, make sure your Brother printer is switched on. Check its display for error messages, such as paper jam or low toner. Resolve any displayed errors before continuing.
If you use a USB cable, disconnect it and reconnect it securely to both devices. Try another USB port on your computer, and connect the printer directly rather than through a USB hub.
For a wireless printer, check that it is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network. Your printer and computer generally need to communicate through the same local network. If you recently changed your router or Wi-Fi password, reconnect the printer to the network.
Turn Off Printer Offline Mode
Windows can sometimes mark a printer as offline even when it is connected properly.
On Windows 11, open Settings, select Bluetooth and devices, and choose Printers and scanners. Select your Brother printer and open its print queue. Look for the printer menu and check whether an offline setting is available.
On Windows 10, open Settings, select Devices, and choose Printers and scanners. Open your Brother printer’s queue, select the Printer menu, and make sure Use Printer Offline is not selected.
Menu names may vary depending on your Windows version and printer software.
Restart Your Printer and Computer
A temporary software issue may cause your Brother printer to appear offline repeatedly.
Turn off the printer and unplug its power cable. Wait about 30 seconds, reconnect it, and switch it on. Restart your computer and allow both devices to become ready.
If you use a wireless printer and the problem continues, restart your router. Once the Wi-Fi network is available again, check the printer’s connection and try printing a test page.
Clear the Print Queue
A stuck print job can prevent other documents from printing and may leave the printer appearing offline.
Open your Brother printer’s queue from Windows settings. Cancel any documents that are stuck or no longer needed. Wait for the queue to clear, then send a new test document.
If the queue refuses to clear, restart your computer. You can also restart the Windows Print Spooler service by pressing Windows + R, typing services.msc, and pressing Enter. Find Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Restart if available.
Set the Correct Brother Printer as Default
If Windows has multiple printer entries, it may be sending documents to an inactive or incorrect entry.
Open Printers and scanners in Windows settings and check the listed devices. If you see several entries with the same Brother printer name, select the one that is connected and working.
If Windows manages your default printer automatically, turn that option off if necessary. Then select your preferred Brother printer as the default and try printing again.
Update or Reinstall the Printer Dr
Is your Brother printer Offline always showing an offline message, even when it is turned on and connected to your computer? This problem can stop you from printing documents and waste valuable time. The good news is that you can often fix it without replacing your printer or buying new equipment.
A Brother printer may keep going offline because of an unstable Wi-Fi connection, incorrect Windows settings, outdated printer drivers, or stuck print jobs. Sometimes, the computer may also be checking the wrong printer driver.
Why Does My Brother Printer Keep Going Offline?
Several issues can cause your Brother printer to lose communication with your computer.
Unstable Wi-Fi connection: The printer may disconnect from your wireless network.
Incorrect printer settings: Windows may have enabled the offline or paused mode.
Outdated drivers: Old or damaged software can prevent the printer from communicating correctly.
Stuck print jobs: Pending documents may block new printing requests.
Multiple printer entries: Windows may have added the same Brother printer more than once.
Power or hardware issues: A printer that is asleep, switched off, or displaying an error may appear offline.
How to Fix a Brother Printer That Always Says Offline
Try the following solutions one at a time. After each step, check whether the printer status changes to online or ready.
Check the Printer’s Power and Connection
First, make sure your Brother printer is switched on. Check its display for error messages, such as paper jam or low toner. Resolve any displayed errors before continuing.
If you use a USB cable, disconnect it and reconnect it securely to both devices. Try another USB port on your computer, and connect the printer directly rather than through a USB hub.
For a wireless printer, check that it is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network. Your printer and computer generally need to communicate through the same local network. If you recently changed your router or Wi-Fi password, reconnect the printer to the network.
Turn Off Printer Offline Mode
Windows can sometimes mark a printer as offline even when it is connected properly.
On Windows 11, open Settings, select Bluetooth and devices, and choose Printers and scanners. Select your Brother printer and open its print queue. Look for the printer menu and check whether an offline setting is available.
On Windows 10, open Settings, select Devices, and choose Printers and scanners. Open your Brother printer’s queue, select the Printer menu, and make sure Use Printer Offline is not selected.
Menu names may vary depending on your Windows version and printer software.
Restart Your Printer and Computer
A temporary software issue may cause your Brother printer to appear offline repeatedly.
Turn off the printer and unplug its power cable. Wait about 30 seconds, reconnect it, and switch it on. Restart your computer and allow both devices to become ready.
If you use a wireless printer and the problem continues, restart your router. Once the Wi-Fi network is available again, check the printer’s connection and try printing a test page.
Clear the Print Queue
A stuck print job can prevent other documents from printing and may leave the printer appearing offline.
Open your Brother printer’s queue from Windows settings. Cancel any documents that are stuck or no longer needed. Wait for the queue to clear, then send a new test document.
If the queue refuses to clear, restart your computer. You can also restart the Windows Print Spooler service by pressing Windows + R, typing services.msc, and pressing Enter. Find Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Restart if available.
Set the Correct Brother Printer as Default
If Windows has multiple printer entries, it may be sending documents to an inactive or incorrect entry.
Open Printers and scanners in Windows settings and check the listed devices. If you see several entries with the same Brother printer name, select the one that is connected and working.
If Windows manages your default printer automatically, turn that option off if necessary. Then select your preferred Brother printer as the default and try printing again.
Update or Reinstall the Printer Driver
An outdated or damaged printer driver may cause repeated offline messages.
Visit the official Brother support website and search for your exact printer model. Download the recommended driver or software package that matches your operating system.
Follow the installation instructions and restart your computer if requested. If the printer still appears offline, remove it from Windows settings and add it again using the recommended setup process.
Avoid downloading drivers from unfamiliar websites, as they may contain incompatible or unwanted software.
Check the Brother Status Monitor
Sometimes, the printer can print documents even though the Brother Status Monitor still displays an offline message.
If your printer works but the status remains offline, close the Status Monitor from the system tray and reopen it through Brother Utilities, if available. Check that it is monitoring the correct printer and connection.
If the message continues, restart your computer and check whether your security software is blocking the Status Monitor. Use the original Brother driver when available. <Cite refs={[“turn617733view1”]}/>
How to Prevent Your Brother Printer From Going Offline
Follow these habits to reduce recurring offline problems:
- Keep your printer connected to the correct Wi-Fi network.
- Check USB and network cables regularly.
- Install compatible printer driver updates.
- Clear stuck print jobs when necessary.
- Keep your printer software updated.
- Check for error messages on the printer’s display.
If your wireless printer repeatedly disconnects, check your router’s signal and network settings. A weak connection or network configuration issue may prevent your computer from detecting the printer reliably.
FAQs
Why does my Brother printer keep saying offline even when it is on?
Your printer may have lost its connection to the computer, or Windows may have selected an incorrect printer entry. Check the connection, disable offline mode if available, and confirm that the correct printer is selected.
How do I get my Brother printer online in Windows 11?
Open Settings, select Bluetooth and devices, and choose Printers and scanners. Select your Brother printer and open its queue. Check the available printer settings, clear stuck jobs, and make sure the printer is connected properly.
Why does my Brother printer keep disconnecting from Wi-Fi?
An unstable wireless signal, changed Wi-Fi password, router problem, or network configuration issue may cause repeated disconnections. Reconnect the printer to the correct network and check the wireless signal.
Can an outdated driver cause a Brother printer to go offline?
Yes. An outdated or incompatible driver can interrupt communication between your printer and computer. Download the correct driver for your printer model from the official Brother website.
What if my Brother printer says offline but still prints?
The Brother Status Monitor may be showing an incorrect status or monitoring the wrong printer entry. Restart the Status Monitor and verify that it is checking the correct device and connection.
