Experiencing your Brother printer showing as offline on Windows 10 can disrupt your printing tasks. Here's a comprehensive guide to troubleshoot and Brother printer offline fix windows 10 issue effectively.
Step 1: Check Printer Connection
- Physical Connection: Ensure the USB or network cables connecting your printer to the computer are securely plugged in.
- Restart Devices: Power off your printer and computer, then restart them after a minute to re-establish connections.
Step 2: Set Printer as Default
- Access Printer Settings: Open "Settings" on your Windows 10 PC.
- Devices: Go to "Devices," then select "Printers & scanners."
- Set as Default: Right-click on your Brother printer and choose "Set as default printer."
Step 3: Restart Print Spooler Service
- Open Services: Type "services.msc" in the Windows search bar and press "Enter."
- Locate Print Spooler: In the Services window, find "Print Spooler" from the list.
- Restart Service: Right-click on "Print Spooler" and select "Restart."
Step 4: Update Printer Driver
- Device Manager: Right-click the Start button and select "Device Manager."
- Printers Category: Expand the "Print queues" category.
- Update Driver: Right-click on your Brother printer and choose "Update driver."
Step 5: Clear Print Queue
- Access Print Queue: Open "Control Panel" and go to "Devices and Printers."
- Open Printer: Right-click on your Brother printer and select "See what's printing."
- Cancel Print Jobs: Click "Printer" from the menu bar and choose "Cancel All Documents."
Step 6: Reinstall Printer Software
- Remove Printer: Go to "Devices and Printers," right-click your Brother printer, and select "Remove device."
- Reinstall Software: Visit the Brother website, download the latest printer driver/software, and reinstall it.
Step 7: Restart Print Spooler (again)
- Repeat Step 3: Once more, restart the "Print Spooler" service using the Services
Step 8: Test Printing
- Print Test Page: Send a print job to your Brother printer to verify if it's back online.
- Check Connectivity: Ensure the printer responds and prints without displaying an offline status.
Troubleshooting Tips (if needed):
- Ensure the printer is powered on and not displaying any error messages.
- Use Brother's official website for downloading the correct and updated printer drivers.
Simple Guide: Resetting Your Brother Printer to Factory Settings
Resetting your Brother printer to factory settings can resolve various issues or prepare it for a fresh start. Follow these steps to perform a factory reset on your Brother printer.Step 1: Prepare for Reset
- Turn Off Printer: Power off your Brother printer and ensure it's disconnected from any power source.
- Review Manual: Refer to your printer's manual or visit the Brother support website for model-specific reset instructions.
Step 2: Access Maintenance Mode
- Press Key Sequence: Turn on the printer while holding down specific keys as advised by the printer's manual.
- Enter Maintenance Mode: Continue holding the keys until the printer enters "Maintenance Mode."
Step 3: Perform Factory Reset
- Locate Reset Options: Use the printer's navigation keys to find the "Reset" or "Factory Reset" option in the Maintenance Mode menu.
- Confirm Reset: Select the reset option and confirm your choice to reset the printer to its factory settings.
Step 4: Wait for Reset
- Wait for Process: The printer will undergo the reset process, deleting all stored data and restoring default settings.
- Follow On-screen Prompts: If prompted, confirm the reset action to proceed.
Step 5: Restart Printer
- Exit Maintenance Mode: Once the reset is complete, exit the Maintenance Mode by following the instructions on the screen or as per the manual.
- Power On Printer: Turn on the printer and wait for it to initialize with factory default settings.
Step 6: Test Printer Functionality
- Print Test Page: Send a test print to ensure the printer is operational after the factory reset.
- Check Settings: Verify that default settings are restored and the printer functions normally.
Step 7: Reconfigure Printer (if needed)
- Network Settings: If using WiFi, reconfigure the printer's network settings as required.
- Driver Installation: Reinstall printer drivers on connected devices if necessary.