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A Canon printer offline message can be frustrating—especially when you're in the middle of printing important documents. This common issue prevents your printer from receiving print jobs from your computer, even when it appears powered on and connected. The good news? Most offline errors are easy to fix with a few straightforward troubleshooting steps. In this guide, we’ll explore the main causes and the best ways to bring your Canon printer back online quickly.
There are several reasons why your Canon printer may display an offline status:
Network connectivity issues (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
Printer is set to “Use Printer Offline” mode
Outdated or corrupted printer drivers
Print spooler service errors
USB cable or port problems (for wired connections)
Understanding the cause helps in applying the right fix.
Start with the basics. Ensure that your Canon printer is properly powered on, and all cables are securely connected. If you’re using a wireless printer, verify that it’s connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer.
Restart both your Canon printer and Wi-Fi router.
Reconnect the printer to the Wi-Fi network via the control panel.
For USB connections, try a different cable or port.
Sometimes your system defaults to another virtual or outdated printer, causing the Canon printer to go offline.
Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers
Right-click your Canon printer and select Set as default printer
A green checkmark should appear on your Canon printer icon.
This Windows setting, when enabled, can force your printer to appear offline even when it’s connected.
Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers
Right-click your Canon printer > See what's printing
Click Printer in the top menu
Uncheck Use Printer Offline if it’s selected
The Print Spooler is a Windows service that manages print jobs. Restarting it can resolve many offline-related issues.
Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter
Scroll down and find Print Spooler
Right-click and select Restart
Try printing again after restarting this service.
Outdated or corrupted drivers often cause Canon printers to appear offline.
Visit Canon’s official website and find your printer model
Download the latest drivers for your operating system
Go to Device Manager, find your printer, and update the driver manually
Alternatively, uninstall the current driver and install the freshly downloaded version.
If all else fails, removing and re-adding the printer may resolve hidden configuration issues.
Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners
Click your Canon printer > Remove device
Click Add a printer or scanner and follow the prompts
This creates a new connection with updated settings.
Keep your printer firmware updated for better performance and compatibility.
Make sure no pending print jobs are stuck in the queue.
Ensure firewall or antivirus software isn’t blocking printer access.
Dealing with a Canon printer offline issue can be inconvenient, but it’s usually easy to resolve using these quick and practical fixes. By checking connections, updating settings, and refreshing drivers, you can restore your Canon printer to online status in no time. Regular maintenance and updates also help prevent such issues from recurring.
Need more help? Canon’s support tools and helpline are always available for further assistance.