Is your Brother printer showing up as “offline” from a Windows or Mac computer? You’re not alone. Many users have this issue, especially users of the wireless printer. The silver lining to all this is that you can resolve this in your house with a few easy steps.
This guide contains information about everything you should do to eliminate the Brother printer is offline issue in 2025.
What Does “Printer is Offline” Mean?
The moment a Brother printer turns into an offline one, it indicates that your Brother printer is not getting in touch with your computer system in any way. It can also occur when printout devices are powered on and attached to Wi-Fi or USB. It usually occurs due to:
- Network connection errors
- Outdated drivers
- Incorrect printer settings
- Spooler service glitches
- Remove printer stuck in offline mode manually.
Common Causes of Brother Printer Offline Status
Before jumping into the fixes, it helps to understand what might be causing the problem:
- Your printer is not set as the default printer.
- Printer is set to “Use Printer Offline” mode.
- Wi-Fi disconnection or network issues
- The printer’s firmware or drivers are outdated or corrupted.
- The Print Spooler service is not running.
- • The IP address of the printer has changed on the network.
Step-by-Step Guide to Fix Brother Printer Offline Issue
Let’s walk through the most effective solutions.
1. Restart Devices (Printer and PC)
Sometimes a simple reboot is all you need.
- Turn off your printer.
- Shut down your PC or laptop.
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Turn everything back on and check the status.
This resets the connection and often brings the printer back online.
2. Check Printer Connections
- For USB printers: Ensure the cable is securely connected. Try a different USB port.
- For Wi-Fi printers: Make sure your printer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer. You can check this from the printer’s control panel.
- Ethernet Printers: Verify the Ethernet cable is connected and your network is functioning.
3. Set Brother Printer as Default
Sometimes, another device might have taken over as the default.
For Windows:
- Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
- Right-click on your Brother printer.
- Click “Set as default printer.”
A green checkmark will appear, confirming it is now the default printer.
4. Disable the ‘Use Printer Offline’ Option
If this mode is enabled, Windows assumes the printer is disconnected.
For Windows:
- Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
- Right-click your Brother printer > See what’s printing
- In the new window, click on Printer in the menu bar.
- Make sure “Use Printer Offline” is unchecked.
If it’s checked, click it once to disable.
5. Clear Print Queue
A stuck print job can cause the printer to go offline.
- In the same window (See What’s Printing), right-click and cancel all documents.
- Restart the printer.
Now try printing a fresh document.
6. Update or Reinstall Brother Printer Drivers
Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause communication failures.
Steps:
- Visit the official Brother support site.
- Search for your printer model.
- Download and install the latest Windows or Mac drivers.
- Restart your computer after installation.
Alternatively, you can uninstall the printer from your system, then reinstall it with updated drivers.
7. Restart the Print Spooler Service (Windows)
The Print Spooler manages print jobs in Windows. If it stops working, your printer might go offline.
How to Restart It:
- Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
- Scroll down and find Print Spooler.
- Right-click it and select Restart.
If it’s not running, right-click and choose Start.
8. Check IP Address on the Network
For wireless printers, the IP address may change, causing disconnection.
- Print a network configuration page from the printer (usually under Network Settings > Print Report).
- On your PC, open a browser and try entering the IP address.
- If it doesn’t load the printer page, the IP has changed or is unreachable.
- Update the port settings in printer properties (Devices & Printers > Printer Properties > Ports tab).
9. Run Brother Printer Troubleshooter
Brother provides a troubleshooting tool that can detect and fix common issues.
- Go to the Brother support page.
- Download the Full Driver & Software Package
- Use the included troubleshooting tool after installation.
Bonus Tips
- Temporarily disable your firewall or antivirus to see if it’s blocking printer communication.
- Make sure the printer’s firmware is up to date (check the Brother website).
- Try connecting the printer via USB to test if it works that way.
Fix Brother Printer Offline on Mac
If you’re a Mac user, follow these steps:
- Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners
- Select your Brother printer.
- Click “Open Print Queue.”
- Cancel any stuck print jobs.
- If the printer is paused, click Resume.
- If still offline, click the minus (-) to remove the printer and add it again using the plus. (+)
When to Contact Brother Support
If none of the above solutions work, it might be a hardware or deep network issue. Contact Brother Support if:
- The printer won’t connect to any device.
- The screen shows errors or firmware issues.
- You suspect network restrictions or settings that you can’t access.
Final Words
The “Brother printer is offline” issue can pop up for many reasons, but most of them are quick to fix. Start by checking basic settings like default printer and network connection. Then move on to updating drivers or restarting spooler services.
With the above steps, you should be back to printing in just a few minutes!