Get your Brother printer back online with simple, proven fixes. Our guide helps resolve all offline issues—network, USB, or software—with easy, actionable steps.
Brother printers can go offline due to connection problems, stuck print jobs, or driver issues. Here’s how to fix it:
Set printer to online: Open Control Panel → View Devices and Printers, right-click the printer, and select “See what’s printing.” Cancel all documents and deselect “Use Printer Offline.”
Delete and reinstall driver: Remove your printer device from Devices and Printers, go to Printer Server Properties → Drivers tab, and completely delete the driver.
Add printer again: Use “Add Printer” and let Windows find your device, then follow prompts to reinstall the best driver and print a test page.
Check connections: Ensure cables are plugged in securely or the device is connected to Wi-Fi.
Common causes: Connection failure, stuck print jobs, "Use Printer Offline" selected, or outdated drivers.
Check power and connection: Ensure cables are secure and the printer is on.
Verify Wi-Fi network: For wireless, confirm printer is on the correct network.
Restart printer and computer: Power cycle devices.
Set as default printer: In Control Panel > Devices and Printers, right-click your Brother printer and select "Set as default."
Disable "Use Printer Offline": In the print queue window, untick "Use Printer Offline."
Cancel print jobs: Clear stuck jobs from the queue.
Update or reinstall drivers: Download the latest from Brother support and reinstall.
Extra: Remove the printer from Devices and Printers, restart your computer, then add it again for a fresh software install.
Restart the Print Spooler Service
Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
Locate Print Spooler, right-click, and select Restart.
Use Brother Printer Troubleshooter Tool
Download Brother’s Printer Troubleshooter to identify and resolve offline status automatically.
IP Address Reconfiguration for Brother Printers
Assign a static IP address to prevent disconnections due to dynamic IP changes.