Instructions to Change Printer Status to Online Windows 10 from site microsoft.com

You may be a new user of printer or Windows 10. And now, you are in a situation where you want to print your important documents but you do not know how to change the status of the printer from offline to online on your Windows 10. So here, we provide you a guide to do that.

Changing Printer Status To Online

If you see that the status of your printer is offline so that it cannot communicate with your PC, you have to make it online. How to do that? According to Microsoft site, you are able to follow the steps below to change the printer status from offline to online.

  • The first thing that you have to do is to check to make sure the printer is turned on and connected to the similar Wi-Fi network as your computer. You need to make sure that the built-in menu of your printer should show which network it is connected to or you are able to check your printer’s manual for more info.
  • You have to verify that your printer is not in Use Printer Offline mode. You are able to choose Start and then go to the Settings. In the Settings, you have to choose Devices and then click on Printers & Scanners. After that, you have to choose your printer and then Open Queue. Under Printer, you have to make sure Use Printer Offline is not chosen.
  • If you have done the steps above but it does not make your printer online, there are some solutions that you are able to do that we explain below.

Running A Printer Power Cycle

To apply this method, you have to turn off your printer and then unplug it. You have to wait for about 30 seconds. After that, you have to plug your printer back in and then turn the printer back on. Sometimes, this method can solve your problem with the printer to make it online again.

Setting Your Printer as The Default Printer

To be able to set your printer as the default printer, you can do that by choosing the Start button. After that, you have to choose Settings and then choose Devices.  In the Devices, you have to click on the Printers & Scanners. And now, you have to choose your printer and choose Open Queue. Under Printer, you have to choose Set As Default Printer and then you have to clear Pause Printing and Use Printer Offline if they are chosen. If there is a message saying that Windows will stop managing your default printer for you, the thing that you have to do is to click on OK.

Setting Your Printer as The Default Printer

Clearing the Print Queue

To clear the print queue, the thing that you have to do is to choose the Start button and then choose Settings. When you are in the Settings, you need to click on Devices and then choose Printers & Scanners. Here, you have to choose your printer and then choose Open queue. Under Document Name, the thing that you have to do is to choose any documents listed and then under Document, you have to choose Cancel.

Clearing the Print Queue

Resetting The Service Managing The Printing Queue

You have to type services in the search box on the taskbar. After that, you need to choose Services in the list of results. Now, you have to find the Print and Spooler service and then right click on it. At last, you have to choose Restart.

Resetting The Service Managing The Printing Queue

Removing and Re-Adding Your Printer To Your Device

To apply this method, the first thing that you have to do is to choose the Start button. After that, you need to choose Settings. And then, you have to choose Devices and then choose Printers & Scanners. In this step, the thing that you have to do is to choose your printer and then choose Remove device. And then, do not forget to click on Yes. Under Printers & Scanners, you have to choose Add A Printer Or Scanner and then you have to follow the instructions to be able to re-add the printer.

Removing and Re-Adding Your Printer To Your Device

Restarting Your PC

Restarting a PC is a basic method that you are able to use when you find something wrong with your PC including when you find that the printer status is offline and you want to make it to be able to work online. So, when you are not able to make your printer online after you find that it is offline, you are able to try rebooting your PC now. By rebooting or restarting it, your PC will refresh the services and components which are important for your device to communicate with your printer.

Clearing and Resetting The Print Spooler

You are able to try clearing spooler files and then restart the spooler service. What is the print spooler? It is a file which manages the process of printing. How to clear and reset the print spooler? You are able to follow the steps below.

    • The first thing that you have to do is to type services in the search box on the taskbar. After that, you need to choose Services in the list of results.
    • In this step, you have to choose the Standards tab and then you have to double click on the Print Spooler in the list of services.
    • Now, you have to choose Stop and then choose OK.
    • In the search box on the taskbar, you have to enter this: %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers and then you have to choose %WINDIR%\system32\spool\PRINTERS in the list of results. Then, you have to delete all files in the folder.
    • In the search box on the taskbar, you have to search for services and then you have to choose Services in the list of results.
    • Now, you have to choose the Standards tab and then double click on the Print Spooler in the list of services.
    • After that, you have to choose Start and then choose Automatic in the Startup type box. And last, you have to click on OK.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *