Brother Printer Offline Fix (Get It Back Online)

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Brother Printer Offline Fix is needed when your computer cannot communicate with your Brother printer, even though the printer is turned on.

This issue usually happens because of a USB or WiFi connection problem, offline printer mode, duplicate printer entries, stuck print jobs, outdated drivers, or a Windows Print Spooler problem.

Quick Fix

Restart your Brother printer and computer, then check that the printer is connected to the same WiFi network as your computer. If it still shows offline, turn off Use Printer Offline in Windows printer settings.

Try This First

• Brother printer is on but offline → turn off Use Printer Offline
• WiFi printer offline → check that printer and computer use the same network
• Multiple Brother printers listed → set the correct one as default
• Print job stuck → restart the Print Spooler service

If the issue continues, follow the fixes below.

What Does Brother Printer Offline Mean?

Brother printer offline means your computer cannot properly communicate with the Brother printer.

The printer may be powered on, but Windows cannot send print jobs to it because of a connection issue, wrong printer entry, offline mode, stuck print queue, driver issue, or printer service problem.

What Causes Brother Printer Offline Issue?

The most common causes include:

• Printer is not properly connected
• Printer and computer are on different WiFi networks
• Windows has enabled Use Printer Offline
• Wrong Brother printer copy selected
• Stuck print jobs
• Outdated or corrupted printer driver
• Print Spooler service problem

This issue usually means Windows cannot reach the Brother printer, not that the printer is permanently broken.

How to Fix Brother Printer Offline Issue

Follow these steps until your Brother printer comes back online and starts printing again.

Check Printer Connection

  1. Make sure your Brother printer is turned on
  2. Check the printer screen for error messages, paper warnings, or WiFi warnings
  3. If you use USB, unplug the cable from the printer and computer
  4. Plug the USB cable back in firmly
  5. Try a different USB port on your computer if possible
  6. If you use WiFi, check the WiFi name on the printer
  7. Make sure your computer is connected to the same WiFi network
  8. Restart the printer and try printing again

If you need the general printer offline checklist, follow this guide: Printer Offline Fix

A loose cable, weak WiFi signal, or wrong network can make a Brother printer appear offline.

Set Brother Printer as Default

  1. Click the Start button
  2. Open Settings
  3. Go to Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners
  4. Select your Brother printer
  5. Click Set as default if the option appears
  6. Try printing again

If Windows sends your document to another printer or virtual printer, your Brother printer may look offline even when it is ready.

Disable Use Printer Offline Mode

  1. Open Control Panel
  2. Go to Devices and Printers
  3. Right-click your Brother printer
  4. Click See what’s printing
  5. Click Printer in the top menu
  6. If Use Printer Offline has a checkmark, click it to remove the checkmark
  7. Close the window
  8. Try printing again

Windows can accidentally keep your Brother printer in offline mode. Turning this off lets Windows send print jobs normally again.

Check for Multiple Printer Copies

  1. Open Control Panel
  2. Click Devices and Printers
  3. Look for your Brother printer
  4. Check if there are multiple entries, such as Brother Printer and Brother Printer (Copy 1)
  5. Right-click the Brother printer you normally use
  6. Click Set as default printer
  7. Right-click only the duplicate printer you do not use
  8. Click Remove device
  9. Confirm the removal if prompted
  10. Try printing again

Be careful not to remove the Brother printer entry you are currently using. Duplicate printer entries can confuse Windows and send print jobs to the wrong offline copy.

Clear the Print Queue

  1. Open Control Panel
  2. Go to Devices and Printers
  3. Right-click your Brother printer
  4. Click See what’s printing
  5. Look for stuck, paused, or failed print jobs
  6. Click Printer in the top menu
  7. Select Cancel All Documents
  8. Restart your Brother printer
  9. Try printing a new document

A stuck print job can block every new document and make the printer appear offline.

Restart Print Spooler Service

  1. Press Windows + R on your keyboard
  2. Type services.msc
  3. Press Enter
  4. Scroll down and find Print Spooler
  5. Right-click Print Spooler
  6. Click Restart
  7. Wait a few seconds
  8. Try printing again

If your printer is connected but still not printing, follow this guide: HP Printer Not Printing Fix

The Print Spooler is the Windows service that manages print jobs. Restarting it can fix stuck printing and offline printer errors.

Run Windows Printer Troubleshooter

  1. Click the Start button
  2. Open Settings
  3. On Windows 11, go to System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters
  4. On Windows 10, go to Update & Security → Troubleshoot → Additional troubleshooters
  5. Find Printer
  6. Click Run or Run the troubleshooter
  7. Select your Brother printer if asked
  8. Apply any recommended fixes
  9. Restart your computer if Windows asks
  10. Try printing again

The printer troubleshooter can find common Windows printer problems and repair some settings automatically.

Update Brother Printer Drivers

  1. Right-click the Start button
  2. Click Device Manager
  3. Expand Printers or Print queues
  4. Right-click your Brother printer
  5. Click Update driver
  6. Select Search automatically for drivers
  7. Install any update Windows finds
  8. Restart your computer
  9. Try printing again

If Windows does not find a driver, go to the official Brother support website, search for your exact printer model, and download the recommended driver from Brother.

Outdated or corrupted drivers can stop Windows from communicating with your Brother printer correctly.

Remove and Re-Add the Brother Printer

  1. Click the Start button
  2. Open Settings
  3. Go to Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners
  4. Select your Brother printer
  5. Click Remove
  6. Restart your computer
  7. Go back to Printers & scanners
  8. Click Add device
  9. Select your Brother printer from the list
  10. Try printing again

Removing and re-adding the printer creates a fresh Windows connection to your Brother printer.

Restart Printer and Computer

  1. Turn off your Brother printer
  2. Unplug the printer from power
  3. Restart your computer
  4. Wait for Windows to fully load
  5. Plug the printer back in
  6. Turn the printer on
  7. Wait until the printer is ready
  8. Try printing again

Restarting both devices clears temporary communication problems between Windows and the printer.

How to Prevent Brother Printer Offline Issue

• Keep the printer and computer on the same network
• Avoid using guest WiFi for wireless printing
• Remove duplicate Brother printer copies you do not use
• Clear stuck print jobs when printing fails
• Keep Brother printer drivers updated
• Restart the printer occasionally if it becomes unresponsive

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Brother printer keep going offline?

Your Brother printer usually keeps going offline because of WiFi problems, loose cables, offline mode, duplicate printer entries, stuck print jobs, driver issues, or Print Spooler problems.

Can WiFi issues cause Brother printer offline problems?

Yes. A Brother wireless printer can show offline if it is on a different WiFi network, has weak signal, or loses connection to the router.

Should I remove duplicate Brother printer copies?

Yes, but only remove duplicate entries you do not use. Keep the Brother printer entry that is currently connected and set as default.

You may also want to check our guides on Epson Printer Not Printing Fix, Canon Printer Error B200 Fix and HP Printer Error E3 Fix for related printer issues.