Brother Printer Offline?? Why Your Brother Printer Says Offline and How to Fix It in 2026

When a **Brother printer says offline**, 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️ it usually means your computer cannot communicate with the printer. The printer may be turned on, but Windows, Mac, or your mobile device sees it as unavailable. This can happen because of Wi-Fi issues, USB connection problems, sleep mode, a paused print queue, the wrong printer driver, or “Use Printer Offline” being enabled.
Brother’s official offline-printer support says users should first verify that the Brother machine is powered on and has no errors, then check the connection between the machine and the computer. ([Brother Support][6])
.. Quick Answer: Why Is My Brother Printer Offline? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
Your Brother printer is offline because the computer cannot reach it. The most common causes are power or sleep mode, a disconnected USB cable, weak Wi-Fi, wrong printer selected, stuck print queue, paused printing, “Use Printer Offline” enabled, duplicate printer drivers, or a network setup issue. Restart the printer, check the connection, and remove offline/paused status.
.. First Check: Is the Brother Printer Actually Ready? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
Start with the printer itself before changing computer settings.
Check these:
* Printer power light is on
* LCD screen is not blank
* No paper jam message appears
* No ink, toner, drum, or cover error appears
* Printer wakes from sleep mode
* Paper is loaded correctly
* Wi-Fi or network status is active
Brother’s support guidance says if the Brother machine’s screen is blank or LED is off, the machine may not be powered on; users should check whether it wakes from sleep and confirm it is plugged into a working socket. ([Brother Support][6])
.. Common Reasons Brother Printer Goes Offline
Your Brother printer may appear offline for one or more of these reasons:
* Printer is turned off or asleep
* USB cable is loose
* Printer and computer are on different Wi-Fi networks
* Router changed the printer’s IP address
* Print queue is paused
* “Use Printer Offline” is checked
* Brother printer is not set as default
* Wrong Brother driver copy is selected
* Driver is damaged or outdated
* Firewall or VPN blocks printer discovery
* Printer has a hardware or consumable error
The good news: most offline issues are connection or driver problems, not permanent printer failure.
.. Fix 1: Restart the Brother Printer and Computer
A restart clears temporary communication errors.
Steps:
1. Turn off your Brother printer.
2. Unplug the power cable.
3. Restart your computer.
4. Restart your router if using wireless printing.
5. Wait 60 seconds.
6. Plug the printer back in.
7. Turn it on.
8. Wait until the printer is fully ready.
9. Try printing one test page.
If the printer was stuck in sleep mode or network standby, this may bring it back online quickly.
.. Fix 2: Check USB Cable or Network Connection
Brother’s offline-printer support specifically includes checking the connection between the Brother machine and the computer after confirming power and error status. ([Brother Support][6])
..# If using USB
Check:
* USB cable is secure on both ends
* Cable is connected directly to the computer
* USB hub is removed during testing
* Another USB port works
* Another cable works if available
..# If using Wi-Fi
Check:
* Printer and computer use the same Wi-Fi
* Printer is not on guest Wi-Fi
* Router is close enough
* Wi-Fi password was not changed recently
* VPN is not blocking local printers
* Printer is still connected to the network
If the printer went offline after changing Wi-Fi, reconnect the printer to the new network.
.. Fix 3: Remove “Use Printer Offline” on Windows
Windows can force a printer into offline mode even when the device is reachable.
For Windows 10 or earlier:
1. Open **Control Panel**.
2. Go to **Hardware and Sound**.
3. Open **Devices and Printers**.
4. Right-click your Brother printer.
5. Click **See what’s printing**.
6. Click **Printer**.
7. Remove the checkmark from **Use Printer Offline**.
Brother’s official guidance says users should right-click the Brother machine, open **See what’s printing**, go to **Printer**, and remove the checkmark from **Use Printer Offline** when the status is offline. ([Brother Support][7])
.. Fix 4: Remove “Pause Printing”
If printing is paused, jobs may sit in the queue and make the printer look offline.
Steps:
1. Open the Brother printer queue.
2. Click **Printer** from the menu.
3. Remove the checkmark from **Pause Printing**.
4. Cancel stuck jobs if needed.
5. Try printing again.
Brother’s support page says that if the printer status is paused, users should remove the checkmark from **Pause Printing** in the printer menu. ([Brother Support][7])
.. Fix 5: Select the Correct Brother Printer Driver
Sometimes Windows shows multiple Brother printer entries. One may be offline while another works.
Do this:
1. Open **Settings**.
2. Go to **Bluetooth & devices**.
3. Click **Printers & scanners**.
4. Select your Brother printer.
5. Check the status.
6. Choose the driver that shows **Idle** or ready.
7. Print from that printer.
Brother’s Windows 11-style support guidance says if the status is **idle**, the printer driver is working correctly and should be selected when printing. ([Brother Support][8])
.. Fix 6: Set the Brother Printer as Default
If your computer keeps sending print jobs to a different printer, your Brother printer may appear offline or inactive.
On Windows:
1. Open **Settings**.
2. Go to **Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners**.
3. Select your Brother printer.
4. Set it as default if available.
5. Turn off automatic default-printer switching if needed.
Brother’s offline/paused printer guidance says users should make sure the Brother machine is set as the default printer and check for the default-printer checkmark on the machine’s icon. ([Brother Support][9])
.. Fix 7: Clear Stuck Brother Print Jobs
A stuck job can block the whole queue.
Steps:
1. Open the Brother printer queue.
2. Cancel all pending jobs.
3. Restart the printer.
4. Restart the computer.
5. Send one small test print.
If one document causes the problem again, the file may be damaged or using unsupported print settings. Test with a simple text file first.
.. Fix 8: Remove Duplicate Brother Printer Copies
Duplicate Brother drivers can confuse Windows. You may see names like:
* Brother MFC-Jxxxx
* Brother MFC-Jxxxx Copy 1
* Brother Printer Offline
* Brother series printer
* WSD printer entry
If one copy is offline and another is idle, select the idle one. Brother’s support notes that an idle status means the printer driver is working correctly and should be selected when printing. ([Brother Support][8])
To clean duplicates:
1. Remove old Brother printer entries.
2. Restart the computer.
3. Add the printer again.
4. Print a test page.
.. Fix 9: Reinstall the Brother Printer Driver
If the printer keeps going offline, the driver may be damaged or linked to an old network address.
Use this clean reinstall route:
1. Remove the Brother printer from your computer.
2. Restart your device.
3. Download the correct driver from Brother Support.
4. Install the driver.
5. Add the printer again.
6. Select the correct connection type.
7. Print a test page.
Use the official Brother support website for your region and exact printer model.
.. Fix 10: Check Router, IP Address, and Wireless Setup
A Brother wireless printer can go offline when the router assigns a new IP address or the printer loses Wi-Fi.
Try this:
* Restart router and printer
* Move printer closer to router
* Reconnect printer to Wi-Fi
* Remove and re-add printer on computer
* Avoid guest Wi-Fi
* Turn off VPN temporarily
* Check firewall settings if printer discovery fails
If the printer works through USB but not Wi-Fi, the issue is almost certainly network-related.
.. Fix 11: Fix Brother Printer Offline on Mac
For Mac users:
1. Open **System Settings**.
2. Go to **Printers & Scanners**.
3. Select the Brother printer.
4. Remove it if it shows offline repeatedly.
5. Restart the Mac and printer.
6. Add the Brother printer again.
7. Print a test page.
Also check that your Mac and Brother printer are on the same Wi-Fi network.
.. What If Brother Printer Still Says Offline? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
If nothing works, separate the problem into printer, connection, or computer.
Try these tests:
* Print a settings page from the Brother printer panel
* Try printing from another computer
* Try printing from a phone
* Try USB instead of Wi-Fi
* Try Wi-Fi instead of USB
* Reinstall the driver
* Check for printer error codes
If the printer cannot print from any device and shows an error on the display, the issue may be hardware, toner/ink, paper feed, or internal printer status. If it prints from one device but not another, the problem is likely driver or connection settings on that device.
.. People Also Ask: Brother Printer Offline FAQs
..# Why is my Brother printer offline but connected? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
Your Brother printer may be connected to Wi-Fi but still offline if the computer is using the wrong driver, print queue is paused, “Use Printer Offline” is enabled, or the printer and computer are not communicating through the same network path.
..# How do I get my Brother printer back online? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
Turn the printer on, clear errors, check USB or Wi-Fi, remove **Use Printer Offline**, remove **Pause Printing**, select the correct Brother driver, set it as default, and restart the printer and computer. Brother’s support recommends checking power, errors, connection, and printer status. ([Brother Support][6])
..# How do I turn off Use Printer Offline for Brother? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
Open **Devices and Printers**, right-click your Brother machine, choose **See what’s printing**, click **Printer**, and remove the checkmark from **Use Printer Offline**. Brother lists this as the official Windows fix when printer status is offline. ([Brother Support][7])
..# Why does my Brother printer say paused? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
The queue may be manually paused or stuck after a failed print job. Open the printer queue, click **Printer**, and remove the checkmark from **Pause Printing**. Brother’s support says to clear this option when the status is paused. ([Brother Support][7])
..# Why does my Brother printer keep going offline? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
It may keep going offline because of weak Wi-Fi, router IP changes, duplicate printer drivers, sleep mode, driver corruption, or Windows offline settings. Reconnect Wi-Fi, remove duplicate drivers, and reinstall the Brother printer driver if the issue repeats.
..# How do I fix Brother printer offline on Windows 11? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
Go to **Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners**, select the Brother printer, check its status, and choose the driver that is idle or ready. Brother support says an idle driver is working correctly and should be selected when printing. ([Brother Support][8])
..# Why is my Brother printer offline after changing Wi-Fi? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
The printer may still be saved to the old network. Reconnect the Brother printer to the new Wi-Fi, then remove and add it again on your computer so the driver uses the current connection.
..# Should I reinstall my Brother printer driver? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
Yes, reinstalling helps if your Brother printer keeps showing offline, appears as duplicate copies, or stopped working after a network change. Use the official Brother support site for the correct driver.
..# Is Brother printer offline a hardware issue? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
Usually no. Most offline errors are caused by connection, queue, default printer, or driver settings. It may be hardware-related only if the printer will not power on, shows a persistent internal error, or cannot print from any device.
..# Why does Brother printer status show offline in Status Monitor? 👉 1-866-490-0338(USA/UK) ☎️
Brother’s Status Monitor guidance says if the status is offline, the printer driver is not working, and users should select the printer driver that is not offline. It also recommends setting the correct machine as the default printer. ([Brother Support][10])
.. Conclusion
If you searched **Brother why is my printer offline**, the answer is usually communication failure between your device and printer. Start with the basics: wake the printer, check for errors, confirm USB or Wi-Fi, remove **Use Printer Offline**, clear **Pause Printing**, and select the correct Brother driver.
If the Brother printer keeps going offline, remove duplicate printer entries and reinstall the official Brother driver. Most Brother offline problems are fixable without repair once the correct printer connection and driver are restored.