Your printer is connected but not printing — here's what to check first

A printer that shows as connected in your computer's settings but refuses to print usually has a jam, an empty tray, a stalled print job, or a driver that needs updating. The fastest way to fix it is to restart both the printer and your computer, clear any stuck jobs from the queue, and then try printing a test page. If that does not work, the problem is almost always one of five things: the printer is out of paper or ink, a document is stuck in the queue, the printer driver is outdated or corrupted, the printer is set as offline, or the connection itself has dropped even though it appears active.

Most of these problems take less than five minutes to fix once you know where to look. Start with the restart and queue clear — that solves the problem roughly half the time. If it does not, work through the remaining steps in order: check physical supplies, verify the printer is not offline, update the driver, and test the connection. By the end, your printer should be printing again.

Key Takeaways

  • Restart your printer by turning it off for 30 seconds, then turn it back on — this clears most temporary connection problems.
  • Clear the print queue on your computer by going to Settings > Devices > Printers and Scanners, right-clicking your printer, and selecting "See what's printing," then canceling all jobs.
  • Check that your printer is not set to offline mode — on Windows this is in Printer Properties under the General tab, and on Mac it is in System Settings > Printers and Scanners.
  • Update your printer driver by visiting the manufacturer's website (HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, Xerox) and downloading the latest version for your exact printer model and operating system.
  • If the printer still will not print after these steps, unplug it for two minutes, plug it back in, and reinstall the printer in your computer's device settings.

Restart the printer and clear the print queue

The single most effective fix is a full restart of both devices. Turn off your printer completely, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. While it is restarting, go to your computer and clear any stuck print jobs. On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Printers and Scanners, find your printer in the list, click it, then click "Open queue" or "See what's printing." Right-click any job in the queue and select Cancel. On a Mac, go to System Settings > Printers and Scanners, select your printer, click "Open Print Queue," and click the X next to any stuck job.

Once the printer has finished restarting and you have cleared the queue, try printing a test page. On Windows, right-click the printer in Settings and select "Printer properties," then click "Print Test Page." On a Mac, go to System Settings > Printers and Scanners, select your printer, and click "Print Test Page" if available, or open any document and print it to confirm the connection is working. A successful test page means the connection is solid and you can move on to the next step if needed.

Check paper, ink, and physical obstructions

Before troubleshooting software, verify the printer has what it needs to print. Open the paper tray and confirm it has paper loaded — many printers will not print if the tray is empty, even if the error message does not explicitly say so. Check the ink or toner level. Some printers will not print if a cartridge is low or missing, and others will print but show a warning. Look inside the printer for any torn pieces of paper, plastic, or debris that might be blocking the path.

If you see a jam, consult your printer's manual for the correct way to open the access panels and remove the obstruction — forcing parts can damage the printer. After clearing any jam, close all panels firmly and try printing again. Paper jams are one of the most common reasons a printer stops responding, so this step catches a lot of problems that software fixes cannot solve.

Make sure the printer is not set to offline

Windows and Mac both have an offline mode that stops a printer from receiving jobs even when it is physically connected. On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Printers and Scanners, click your printer, then click "Open queue." At the top of the window, look for a menu that says "Printer" — click it and uncheck "Use Printer Offline" if it is checked. On a Mac, go to System Settings > Printers and Scanners, select your printer from the list, and look for a status line that says "offline" or similar — if present, the printer may need to be removed and re-added.

Some printers also have an offline button on the device itself. Check the printer's control panel or touchscreen for an offline or pause button that might be active, and press it to return to online mode. This setting is easy to activate by accident and is often overlooked during troubleshooting, so it is worth checking even if you do not remember changing it.

Update or reinstall the printer driver

An outdated or corrupted driver is one of the most common reasons a printer shows as connected but will not print. Visit the manufacturer's website — HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, or Xerox — and search for your exact printer model. Download the latest driver for your operating system (Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS, etc.). Run the installer and follow the prompts, then restart your computer.

If updating the driver does not work, uninstall it completely and reinstall it fresh. On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Printers and Scanners, right-click your printer, and select "Remove device." Then download and install the driver again from the manufacturer's website. On a Mac, go to System Settings > Printers and Scanners, select the printer, click the minus button to remove it, then add it again by clicking the plus button and selecting your printer from the list. A fresh driver installation often fixes problems that an update alone cannot solve.

Check the physical and wireless connection

If your printer connects via USB cable, unplug it from your computer, wait 10 seconds, and plug it back in. Windows or Mac should recognize it automatically. If it does not, try a different USB port on your computer — some ports are faster or more stable than others. If you are using a USB hub, try plugging the printer directly into the computer instead.

For wireless printers, confirm that both the printer and your computer are on the same Wi-Fi network. On the printer's control panel or touchscreen, look for a network or Wi-Fi menu and check the network name (SSID) and signal strength. If the signal is weak, move the printer closer to your router. If the printer is on a different network than your computer — for example, a guest network — they will not be able to communicate. Reconnect the printer to the same network as your computer and try printing again.

Perform a full reset if nothing else works

If you have tried all the steps above and the printer still will not print, perform a full power cycle. Unplug the printer from the power outlet and leave it unplugged for two full minutes. While it is unplugged, restart your computer. After two minutes, plug the printer back in and let it fully boot up. Once it is ready, go to your computer's printer settings and remove the printer completely, then add it again as a new device.

On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Printers and Scanners and click the minus button next to your printer to remove it. Then click the plus button, select "Add a printer or scanner," and follow the prompts to re-add it. On a Mac, go to System Settings > Printers and Scanners, select the printer, click the minus button, then click the plus button and add it again. This forces your computer to reinstall the driver and re-establish the connection from scratch, which resolves most remaining software conflicts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my printer say it is connected but nothing happens when I print?

A stuck print job is usually the cause. Go to your printer's queue on your computer and cancel all pending jobs, then restart the printer. If jobs keep getting stuck, the driver may be corrupted — uninstall it and download a fresh copy from the manufacturer's website.

How do I know if my printer driver needs updating?

Visit the manufacturer's support page for your printer model and check the driver version listed there against the version installed on your computer. On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Printers and Scanners, right-click your printer, select Properties, and look for the driver version. On a Mac, go to System Settings > Printers and Scanners, select the printer, and click "Supply Levels" or "Details" to see driver information.

Can a weak Wi-Fi signal stop my printer from printing?

Yes. If your wireless printer is far from your router or the signal is weak, it may show as connected but fail to receive or process print jobs. Move the printer closer to the router, or consider using a Wi-Fi extender to strengthen the signal in the printer's location.

What should I do if the printer is still not printing after a full reset?

The printer may have a hardware fault. Check the manufacturer's website for a service center or repair option, or contact their support line with your printer model number. If the printer is still under warranty, you may be able to get it repaired or replaced at no cost.