Printer Not Printing or Not Found: Troubleshooting Guide
The printer is on, you sent a document, and nothing happens. Or the computer cannot find it at all. This guide goes through the faults in order, from the simple to the hard, with the exact paths in Windows 11, so you can solve most of them yourself.
Why doesn’t the printer print even though it is on?
In most cases the problem is in the print queue on the computer or in the connection, not in the printer. One document stuck in the queue blocks every document after it, and the printer “sees” nothing.
Before anything else, three one-minute checks:
- The printer’s screen: Is there an error message, a blinking light, or a message about paper or ink?
- Paper: Is there paper in the tray, and is the tray pushed all the way in?
- Off and on: Turn the printer off with the button, wait a minute and turn it on. Sometimes that is all it takes.
How do you clear a stuck print queue?
Clear the queue from the settings, and if that does not help, restart the service that manages printing. This is the path according to Microsoft’s guide:
- Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
- Select the printer, and click Open print queue.
- Right-click every document in the queue and choose Cancel, until the queue is empty.
If the documents do not go away, or the queue fills up again:
- Press the Windows key and R together, type services.msc and press Enter.
- In the list, find Print Spooler. This is the service that manages all printing in Windows.
- Right-click it and choose Restart.
- Send a test print.
What do you do when the printer shows as “offline”?
The “offline” status means the computer cannot talk to the printer right now, or someone marked it that way by mistake. According to Microsoft’s guide for an offline printer:
- Open the printer’s print queue, as in the previous section.
- In the Printer menu, make sure the options Pause Printing and Use Printer Offline are not checked.
- Make sure the right printer is set as the default. If the option is not available, first turn off the setting where Windows manages the default printer on its own.
- Restart the computer.
If the printer is connected by USB, try a different cable and a different USB port on the computer, directly and not through a hub.
Why can’t the computer find a WiFi printer?
The common reason is that the printer and the computer are not on the same network. This happens more than it seems:
- The router was replaced. The ISP’s technician installed a new router, for example when moving to fiber, and the network name or password changed. The printer still has the old network saved, and it is looking for it.
- There are two networks in the home. For example a guest network, a range extender with a separate name, or an extra router that was not set up as an access point. The computer is on one side and the printer on the other. How to sort out a network like that is explained in the guide to connecting a router as an access point.
- Frequency. Many home printers support only 2.4GHz. Usually that is not a problem, but if the router is set to broadcast only 5GHz, or the 2.4GHz network is turned off, the printer will not connect.
- Distance. A printer in a room far from the router loses its connection now and then. If that is the case, the difference between a range extender and a Mesh system applies to it too.
To reconnect, use the printer’s screen (WiFi or Network menu) or the manufacturer’s app: the HP app (until recently called HP Smart), Brother Mobile Connect, or Canon PRINT. Once the printer is on the right network, add it on the computer through Printers & scanners > Add device.
The printer prints from the computer but not from the phone?
If the computer prints and the phone does not, the printer is fine, and the problem is the phone’s connection. Check three things:
- The phone is on the same network. A phone that switched to cellular data, or is connected to a guest network, will not see the printer.
- The built-in print service. On an iPhone, printing goes through AirPrint, which is built into the system, and the printer needs to support it. On Android there is a built-in print service in the settings, and you can also use the manufacturer’s app.
- The printer is not in deep sleep. Some printers disconnect from WiFi after a while without use. Pressing a button on the printer wakes it up.
If several devices in the home cannot see the printer, and it is connected to the network, it is worth checking whether there are two networks in the home, as explained in the previous section.
When do you need to reinstall the driver?
When the queue is clear, the printer is on the network, and still nothing comes out, or gibberish comes out, reinstall the driver (the software that translates between Windows and the printer).
- In Printers & scanners, select the printer and click Remove.
- Go to the manufacturer’s support site, search for the exact model (it is on the label on the printer), and download the driver for Windows 11.
- Install, restart the computer, and add the printer again.
What do you do with a paper jam?
Turn the printer off, and only then pull the paper out, slowly, with both hands, in the direction the paper normally moves. A hard pull tears the sheet, and a small piece left inside causes the next jams. Check with a flashlight that no scraps are left, including in the rear door if there is one. If the paper jams all the time, check that it is not damp or folded, and that the tray is not too full.
The ink is full but the print is faint or streaky?
This is usually a clogged print head, not ink that ran out. Inkjet printers that sit unused for a few weeks suffer from this more. Run print head cleaning from the maintenance menu on the printer’s screen or in the manufacturer’s app, and print a test page. If there is no improvement after two or three cleanings, try a new cartridge. Every cleaning uses ink, so it is not a good idea to run it ten times in a row.
Decision table
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do | When to call a technician or go to the lab |
|---|---|---|---|
| You send a print and nothing happens | Document stuck in the queue | Clear the queue, restart the Print Spooler | If the queue fills up again after every clearing |
| The printer is marked “offline” | Paused, offline mode, or a connection problem | Unpause, check the cable or network | If the printer responds only after a restart |
| The computer cannot find a WiFi printer | Different network, replaced router | Reconnect from the screen or the app | If there are several networks in the home and it is unclear what is connected to what |
| Blank pages or streaks | Clogged print head | 2-3 head cleanings, then a new cartridge | If a new cartridge does not help either |
| Paper jams all the time | Paper scrap inside, worn rollers | Check with a flashlight, replace the paper | If there is no jammed paper and the printer still reports a jam |
| Unusual noise, constant error message | Mechanical fault | Write down the error code | Here, but first check whether it is worth it |
When is a printer not worth repairing?
If it is a cheap home inkjet printer with a mechanical fault, it is often not worth repairing. When a set of original cartridges costs close to the price of a new printer, even a small repair comes close to the price of a replacement. A laser printer or an office printer, on the other hand, is usually worth repairing.
What not to do?
- Do not install “printer repair tools” from unfamiliar websites. The driver comes only from the manufacturer’s website or from Windows.
- Do not open the printer while it is plugged in.
- Do not run head cleaning again and again when it is not helping. It only drains the ink.
When to bring the computer to the lab
If the printer works from another computer or from the phone, but not from your computer, and nothing in this guide helped, the problem may be in the computer’s own Windows, and then it is worth bringing it in. For a problem with the printer or its connection to the network, you can bring the printer or book a home technician who will connect it to the network and to every computer and phone in the home.
Didn’t work?
The goal of this guide is for you to get the printer working again without waiting for anyone. If you have gone through everything and it still does not print, we will diagnose it and tell you honestly whether it is worth repairing. The details are on the printer repair and installation page.