HP printer offline problem mainly arises with wireless printers when the printer and the computer are connected wirelessly. When the printer cannot communicate with the computer, its status shows offline. To bring the printer status from offline to online, you must troubleshoot the causes of the Printer Offline issue.
The Printer Offline problem occurs while printing a document notifying with a pop-up message that the printer is offline. It means that the printer is having some difficulty communicating with the computer. When a printer says offline, it cannot receive any new print jobs and stops printing. Troubleshooting is required to allow the printer to receive a new print job. You may be required to cancel the pending print jobs in the print queue.
Causes of the HP Printer Offline Problem
Printer Offline is a frequently occurring issue for printers. In this situation, the printer does not allow the printing of
any document or photo. The Printer Offline problem can occur on both Mac and Windows computers. Whether the computer is connected to the Mac operating system or Windows, a Printer Offline problem can happen in any of them.
The common reason for the Printer Offline problem is the connection issue. The other reasons can be printer driver installation errors, full print queue, hardware problems, software issues, settings errors, and many more.
Solutions to Resolve HP Printer Offline Issue
Solutions 1: Download and Use HP Print & Scan Doctor
HP offers a free tool called "HP Print and Scan Doctor" to resolve common printing problems such as connectivity issues, corrupt print drivers, printers offline, etc. It is reliable diagnostic software to identify and resolve printer errors and issues.
- Download HP Print & Scan Doctor application and go to the download file location.
- Double-click on the HPPSdr.exe file and allow it to run. Once installed, open the application.
- Confirm the file source by clicking the Yes button in the pop-up window. Click Start and select your HP printer model.
- If you do not find your HP printer listed, restart the printer and then hit on Retry button in the application.
- The HP app identifies the connection use. Follow the prompts and choose Yes for the printer updates when asked.
- Continue following the instructions and click Yes to make the HP printer as default printer when asked.
Solution 2: Make Your HP Printer As a Default Printer
HP Printer Offline issues can occur when you do not set your printer as the default. You may require setting up your HP printer as the default printer using the below steps. Use the steps below to set the HP printer as a default printer in Windows 10. Before starting the steps, download and install all updates for the Windows operating system.
- From the search box, find and open Devices and then the Printer and Scanner window.
- Ensure the box of the "Let Windows manage my default printer" option is unchecked.
- Choose the HP Printer from the list. If your HP printer model is listed more than once, choose the one online or idle.
- Click on the Manage option and hit the "Set as default" option.
Use the steps below to set the HP printer as a default printer in Windows 8.
Choose the HP printer from the devices. If more version of the HP printer is available, select the one that is not grayed out. Right-click on the HP printer and choose the option "Set as default printer." Now, print a document and check if the Printer Offline issue still displays or not.
Solution 3: Verify HP Printer Port and Service Status
The third solution to resolve the Printer Offline issue is to verify the printer port and check the Window Service status.
- Find and open Control Panel from the search box and click on "View devices and printers."
- Select your HP printer, right-click on it, and choose "Printer Properties." on the Ports tab, check if the HP printer uses a WSD port.
If the printer uses a WSD port, follow the below steps. If it does not, skip the below-given steps.
- Go to the Services window, and find "Function Discovery Provider Host" and "Function Discovery Resource Publication."
- Check their Status and Startup Type and ensure they are in Running status and the startup type is set to Automatic.
- If nothing is showing on Status and Startup Type is manual, right-click on them and choose "Properties."
- Change the startup type from manual to automatic. After that, under service status, click Start and OK.
- On the Device and Printers window, press F5. Click on your HP printer and check the status.
- If the printer status is online, it means the issue is resolved.
If the problem persists, try printing a network configuration report through your HP printer's Setting or the Wireless menu.
- Right-click on the name of the HP printer, select Printer Properties, and click on the Ports tab.
- Select the Add Port option and choose "Standard TCP/IP Port. After that, click on New Port.
- Use the previously run network configuration report and go to the Device and Printers window.
- Press F5 and check the printer status by clicking on the HP printer.
Solution 4: Check For the Connectivity Issue
As you all know, one of the common Printer Offline issues is the connectivity problem. Ensure the printers connected to a computer via USB cable are correctly inserted. Use the steps below if the printer is connected to a wireless network.
- Switch off your HP printer, wait for a few minutes, and turn it on again.
- Unplug the power cord from the HP printer and switch off the computer.
- Again, insert the power cord to the printer and switch on the printer.
- Remove the power cable from the WiFi router and wait for a few seconds.
- Reinsert the power cable to the wireless router and turn on the computer.
- Connect the HP printer to the network using HP Smart software or HP wireless setup wizard.
- Print the wireless connectivity report and check for the issue if it persists.