How do I turn my printer online on my Mac?

How do I turn my printer online on my Mac?
I’ve been having trouble with my printer showing up as offline on my Mac, and it’s been really frustrating. Every time I try to print something, I get an error message saying that the printer is not connected or is offline. I’ve checked the cables, restarted both my Mac and the printer multiple times, and ensured that they are both connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Despite all these efforts, I still can’t seem to get my printer to go online. It’s becoming a major inconvenience because I rely on my printer for both personal and work-related tasks. I’m not very tech-savvy, so I feel quite lost on what steps to take next to resolve this issue. The printer was working fine before, and I don’t recall making any changes that could have caused this problem. I really need some advice on how to turn my printer online on my Mac.
4 Answers

I had the exact same issue and managed to resolve it by resetting the printing system on my Mac. Here’s what you can do: Open ‘System Preferences’ and go to ‘Printers & Scanners’. Right-click (or Control-click) in the printer list and select ‘Reset printing system…’. This action will remove all printers and scanners, and you’ll need to add your printer again. Click the ‘+’ button, locate your printer, and follow the on-screen instructions to reconnect it. After doing this, my printer came back online, and I was able to print without any issues.

One approach that worked well for me involves using the printer’s utility software. Here’s the step-by-step process: First, make sure your printer is turned on. On your Mac, open the printer’s utility app, which is usually found in the Applications folder. Run the utility and follow the prompts to reconnect your printer to the network. If you’re using a USB connection, try switching the cable to a different port on your Mac. This can sometimes resolve the offline issue. Finally, check for any firmware updates for your printer, as updating the firmware can fix underlying issues causing the printer to appear offline.

Let’s start with some basic troubleshooting steps that might help get your printer online. First, make sure that both your printer and Mac are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Sometimes, they might be on different networks, causing connection issues. Next, try restarting both your devices. Power off your Mac and printer, wait for a few seconds, and turn them back on. Oftentimes, a simple restart can fix the problem. Additionally, ensure that your printer drivers are up to date. Visit the printer manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers specifically for your Mac. This has helped me in similar situations before.

I understand how annoying this problem can be! Here is a more detailed solution that might help you get your printer back online: Start with verifying your printer settings. Go to ‘System Preferences’ > ‘Printers & Scanners’. Open the ‘Print Queue’ for your printer and check for any pending or stuck print jobs. Clear them if necessary. To ensure a better connection, check if your printer is properly connected to your Mac. If it’s a wireless printer, make sure it is within range of your Wi-Fi network and showing a strong signal. Another effective method is to reset your printer’s network settings through the printer’s menu and reconnect it to your Wi-Fi. Also, update your macOS and printer drivers by visiting the manufacturer’s website and downloading the latest versions. After following these steps, try printing again to see if the issue is resolved.