How to Reconnect Canon Printer to Wi-Fi? (Full Guide)

A Canon printer going offline can be frustrating. It stops your printing work and delays important tasks. If it has happened to you for the first time, it can feel confusing. A printer may go offline for several reasons, and finding the exact cause in your case can be tricky. From what I know, it often occurs due to connectivity issues, incorrect printer settings, outdated printer drivers, or other technical glitches.

No matter what caused the issue, I will share simple and reliable ways for How to Reconnect your Canon printer to Wi-Fi. Don’t worry, this is a common problem many users face. In this guide, you’ll find all the steps you need to fix it easily. So, let’s begin learning how to fix an offline Canon printer.

Solution 1: Power Cycle the Printer, Computer, and Router

When your printer shows offline, restarting it and the connected devices often fixes the problem. This process is also known as a power cycle. If you are using a wireless connection, then restart your Wi-Fi router too.

Step 1: Power Cycle the Computer

1. Head to the Start menu, and click the power button at the bottom of the screen.

2. Select Shut Down, and let the computer turn off.

3. Disconnect the power cable from the wall socket.

4. Reconnect the computer to the wall outlet, and turn it on.

Step 2: Power Cycle the Canon Printer

1. Press the power button at the front or top of the printer.

2. Remove the printer’s power cable from the electrical outlet.

3. Wait for a few minutes, and reconnect the power cable to the wall outlet.

4. Press the power button on the printer until the power light starts flashing.

Step 3: Power Cycle the Router

1. Disconnect the router’s power cable from the wall outlet.

2. Wait for a few minutes, and reconnect the power cable to the wall outlet.

Solution 2: Disable the “Use Printer Offline” on Computer

Computers have a built-in option to turn the offline mode on or off for a printer. If this option is enabled, your printer will appear offline and stop responding to print jobs. Here is how to disable the “Use Printer Offline” option on the computer.

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

2. Select the Bluetooth & Devices option from the left sidebar, and select Printers & Scanners.

3. After that, select your Canon printer and click "Open Print Queue."

4. Select the Printer menu, and disable the “Use Printer Offline” option.

That’s how you can turn off the offline status on the computer. And the printer will get back online.

Solution 3: Update Canon Printer Drivers

Outdated Canon printer drivers are one of the main reasons a printer goes offline. As a result, the printer loses connection with the Wi-Fi and doesn’t respond to print commands. Use the steps below to update the printer drivers and resolve the offline printer problem.

1. Open the Run box by pressing the Windows and R keys together.

2. Enter devmgmt.msc in the search box and press Enter to open the Device Manager.

3. Click the Printers or Print Queues option.

4. After that, select your printer and right-click on it.

5. Click on Update Driver, and then choose the “Search automatically for drivers” option.

6. Finally, click the Update option, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Restart your computer, and check for improvements in the printer.

Solution 4: Restart the Print Spooler Service

Windows has a built-in service called Print Spooler. It handles all the print jobs going to the print queue. If this service stops working, the printer won’t respond to print jobs and will appear offline. Restarting this service can resolve the offline error. Here is how to do it.

1. Type Services in the search bar at the bottom of the computer.

2. Scroll down and locate Print Spooler in the list, and right-click on it.

3. Select the Restart option. Alternatively, you can select the Start option.

4. Confirm that the Startup type is set to Automatic for the print spooler.

That’s it for restarting the print spooler service. Now, check how the printer responds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question

How Do I Resolve Offline Canon Printer?

To resolve an offline Canon printer, you can start by checking its connections and power cycling all the devices (printer, computer, and router). If these solutions don’t work, disable the “Use Printer Offline” option on the printer and restart the Print Spooler service. 

Question

How Do I Reinstall Canon Printer From Its Official Website?

Follow the steps in the section below to reinstall your printer drivers from Canon’s official website.

1. Visit https://ij.start.canon/ on an internet browser.

2. After that, select Support at the top of the website, and type your printer’s name in the search box.

3. Then, select Software & Drivers from the given options, and select your operating system.

4. Next, select a suitable printer driver package from the list, and hit the Download option next to it.

5. Now, let the drivers download, and visit the Downloads folder to install the driver’s file. 

Question

What Makes My Canon Printer Go Offline?

There could be several reasons your Canon printer goes offline, including connection issues, outdated printer drivers, and technical glitches. It may also happen due to a faulty Print Spooler service, which manages print commands on Windows.

Source: How to Reconnect Canon Printer to Wi-Fi