Why Is My HP Printer Offline but Connected to WiFi​? (Easy Steps)

Is your HP printer showing an offline status on the display even when it is connected to WiFi? It’s a common issue and can happen for many reasons, such as a weak internet connection, outdated printer drivers, or an overloaded print queue.

An offline printer will not print anything or respond to any of your commands, which is why you need to fix the issue so the printer can go back online and start working again. I faced the same problem with my HP printer last year while printing my assignments, and I had no idea what to do until a friend helped me. Since then, I’ve learned how to fix most basic printer issues on my own.

In this blog, I’m sharing the simplest and most helpful ways Learn 'how to fix an offline HP printer' and get it working again.

Solution 1: Check the WiFi Signal Strength

If your printer shows it is connected to WiFi, that doesn’t always mean the signal is strong enough. Sometimes the printer may not get the WiFi strength needed for printing, so you should check the signal strength in the device settings.

1. If you have an Android, go to Settings and select WiFi. Then, select your connected network, and you will see the signal strength shown in dBm.

2. For iPhone, go to Settings, select Airport Utility, and turn on the WiFi scanner. Start a scan with your app to check the dBm values.

3. If you’re using a Windows computer, search for Command Prompt at the bottom and open it.

4. Type “netshwlan show interfaces” option, and then hit Enter. Check the “Signal” value, which will be displayed as a percentage or in dBm.

That’s how you can check the signal strength. If the value is low, weak WiFi may be the reason your printer shows offline. In that case, place the printer closer to the router so it can receive the proper range.

Solution 2: Restart Your Devices

If the HP printer offline issue persists, restarting the printer and the computer may help fix the issue easily and quickly. Here are the steps to restart your devices.

Step 1: Restart the Printer

1. Turn off the HP printer by pressing and holding its power button until the power light turns off.

2. Unplug the power cable of the printer from the wall outlet.

3. Reconnect the printer’s power cable to the wall outlet after 30 seconds.

4. Finally, press and hold the power button at the top or front of the printer to turn it on.

The power light will turn on after the restart, and the printer will get ready for use. This indicates that the printer restarts.

Step 2: Restart the Computer

1. Go to the Start icon at the bottom of the computer.

2. Select the power button and then click on Restart.

Let the computer restart for a few seconds.

Solution 3: Clear the Print Queue

When the print queue fills up with pending print jobs, it sends the printer offline. Therefore, you must clear the print queue using these steps.

1. Go to the Start menu at the bottom of the computer’s screen, and search for Settings.

2. Select Bluetooth & Devices from the left side menu, and select Printers & Scanners.

3. Select your HP printer from the options, and select Open Print Queue.

4. In the new window, select Printer at the top, and select Cancel All Documents.

You can also right-click anywhere in the print queue window and select “Cancel All Documents.” This method can instantly fix your printer’s offline issue.

Solution 4: Clear the Print Spooler

Print spooler is the built-in feature on Windows computers that manages all the print jobs. It sends all print jobs to the printer in sequence. Here are the simple methods to clear the print spooler.

1. Go to the Start menu on the computer, and type services.msc and press the Enter button.

2. Locate the Print Spooler option on the Services page by scrolling down, and then right-click on it.

3. Select Stop from the three options, and the print spooler service will be stopped.

4. Press the Windows and E keys together on the computer to open the File Explorer.

5. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS using the address bar at the top.

6. Delete all the files inside the PRINTERS folder to clear stuck print jobs.

7. Open the Services window again, and right-click on Print Spooler.

8. Click on “Start” to start the print spooler service again.

Finally, turn off and on your computer to save the changes.

   Frequently Asked Questions

Question

How Do I Download and Install HP Printer Drivers?

Here are the steps to download & install the HP Printer Drivers:

1. Visit HP’s official website on an internet browser.

2. Select Software and Drivers at the top of the website.

3. Click on the Printer option, and search for your printer name.

4. The website will detect the operating system. Otherwise, you can manually select it.

5. Select the software or driver package mentioned on the site, and hit the Download option next to it.

6. Visit the Downloads folder, and double-click on the driver file to allow it to install. 

Question

How Does Clearing Print Queue Fix an Offline HP Printer?

The print queue stores all pending print jobs and sends them to the printer one at a time. If one job gets stuck or corrupted, it can cause the printer to go offline. Clearing the queue removes those stuck files.

Question

What’s the Printer Spooler Service in a Windows Computer?

The print spooler service in a Windows computer is a feature that handles all the print jobs. This feature ensures that the print jobs are properly stored in the queue and then sends them one by one to the printer. The print spooler needs to run smoothly for the printer to work without problems.

Source: Why Is My HP Printer Showing Offline