Learning how to fix a printer not printing usually takes less than ten minutes once you know where to look. In most cases the problem is something small: a stuck print job, the wrong default printer, a printer showing as offline, or a driver that stopped responding after a Windows update. This guide walks through every common cause in order, from the fastest checks to the deeper fixes, so you can get your printer working again without wasting an afternoon on it.
Printers fail silently more than any other home device. The computer says the job was sent, the printer shows no error, and nothing comes out. The steps below apply to HP, Canon, Epson, Brother and most other inkjet and laser printers connected over USB, Wi-Fi or a wired network.
Quick Answer
If your printer is not printing, start here: restart both the printer and the computer, check the cables or Wi-Fi connection, and clear the print queue. If the queue is stuck, cancel all documents, remove the printer from your devices list, and add it again. For a printer showing as offline, uncheck “Use Printer Offline” in the print queue window. If nothing helps, update or reinstall the printer driver from the manufacturer’s official website.
Check the Basics First
Most printing problems are embarrassingly simple, so rule them out before anything else:
- Power and display: confirm the printer is switched on and the screen or status light shows “Ready”. A printer stuck in a menu or asleep can ignore jobs silently.
- Error lights and messages: a blinking ink or paper light means the printer is telling you exactly what is wrong. Fix that first.
- Cables: push the USB cable firmly into both ends. If you use a USB hub, connect the printer directly to the computer instead — hubs cause a surprising number of failures.
- Wi-Fi or network: check that the printer and the computer are on the same Wi-Fi network. Printers often drop off a network after a router restart or a new router setup.
- Paper and ink: confirm there is paper in the tray and that ink or toner is not completely empty. An empty cartridge stops many printers cold.
Clear the Print Queue
A single stuck or corrupted print job blocks everything behind it. Clearing the queue fixes a large share of “printer not printing” cases.
On Windows 10 and 11
- Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
- Click your printer, then select Open print queue.
- Right-click each job and choose Cancel, or use Printer > Cancel All Documents.
- Send a fresh test page to see if printing resumes.
On macOS
- Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
- Select the printer and click Open Print Queue.
- Select the stuck jobs and click the X to delete them, then try printing again.
If jobs refuse to cancel, restart the Print Spooler service: search for “Services”, find Print Spooler, right-click and choose Restart. This is the background service that feeds jobs to the printer, and restarting it clears the logjam.
Make Sure the Right Printer Is Selected
Computers often list several printers — old models, virtual PDF printers, fax devices — and jobs silently go to the wrong one. Open the print dialog and confirm your actual printer is selected. Then set it as the default so this stops happening:
- Windows: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > select the printer > Set as default. You may need to switch off “Let Windows manage my default printer” first.
- macOS: System Settings > Printers & Scanners > choose the printer in the Default printer dropdown.
Fix a Printer Showing as Offline
When Windows marks a printer as offline, jobs pile up in the queue and never print. This usually happens after a network change. Quick fixes:
- Right-click the printer in Devices and Printers, choose See what’s printing, open the Printer menu and uncheck Use Printer Offline if it is ticked.
- Restart the printer and the router so the printer gets a fresh network address.
- If it keeps going offline, remove the printer and re-add it — see the next section.
If offline problems keep returning, our guide on how to fix printer offline problems covers the permanent solutions, including setting a static IP address on the printer.
Remove and Re-add the Printer
If the queue is clear and the basics check out, a fresh installation of the printer on your computer often resolves stubborn failures:
- Windows: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > select the printer > Remove. Then click Add device and let Windows find it again.
- macOS: System Settings > Printers & Scanners > select the printer and click Remove, then Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.
This clears corrupted settings and reconnects the printer cleanly. If Windows cannot find the printer at all, see our guide on how to fix a printer not detected by Windows.
Update or Reinstall the Printer Driver
A driver is the software that lets your computer talk to the printer. Drivers commonly break after Windows or macOS updates. Here is the safe way to fix them:
- Visit your printer manufacturer’s official website (for example HP; Canon, Epson and Brother offer equivalent support pages) and search for your exact printer model.
- Download the driver for your operating system version. Only download from the official site; third-party driver sites are a common source of malware.
- Run the installer and follow the on-screen steps, keeping the printer connected and switched on.
For more detailed driver troubleshooting steps, see Microsoft’s official guide to fixing printer connection and printing problems in Windows.
How to Fix a Printer Not Printing Over Wi-Fi
Wireless printers add a layer of failure points. Work through this table when a Wi-Fi printer refuses to print:
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Printer not found on the network | Printer joined the wrong network or dropped Wi-Fi | Re-run wireless setup on the printer; confirm the same network name as your computer |
| Prints sometimes, fails other times | Weak signal or router restart | Move the printer closer to the router; restart both |
| Stopped after a new router was installed | New network name or password | Reconnect the printer to the new network from its control panel |
| Computer on VPN | VPN blocks local network devices | Disconnect the VPN or allow local network access |
Related guides: how to fix a printer not connecting to Wi-Fi.
Check Ink and Toner Levels
A printer with an empty or improperly installed cartridge will not print — and sometimes it will not even show a clear error. Open the printer’s cartridge bay and:
- Remove each cartridge and reseat it until it clicks.
- Check for protective tape left on new cartridges — a classic cause of brand-new cartridges that do not work.
- Check ink or toner levels from the printer’s screen or the manufacturer’s utility app.
For ink-specific problems like streaks, missing colours or faded output, see our guide on how to fix printer ink problems. And if you need to print official paperwork — for example, copies for UAE document attestation or your Ejari registration — fix the ink first, since government offices reject faded or incomplete printouts.
Printer Not Printing From a Phone or Tablet
Mobile printing fails for its own reasons:
- iPhone/iPad: the printer must support AirPrint and be on the same Wi-Fi network. Check Apple’s AirPrint printer list to confirm compatibility.
- Android: use the manufacturer’s print plugin from the Play Store (for example, HP Print Service or Epson iPrint) and confirm the phone is on the same network as the printer.
- Turn off mobile data if the phone keeps jumping between Wi-Fi and data — print jobs need the local network.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is my printer not printing even though it is connected?
The most common reasons are a stuck print job, the printer set to offline mode, or the wrong default printer selected. Clear the print queue, check the offline setting, and confirm the correct printer is chosen in the print dialog. These three checks resolve most cases.
My printer has ink and paper but still won’t print. What now?
Remove the printer from your devices list and add it again, then update the driver from the manufacturer’s official website. If the printer is wireless, restart the router and confirm the printer is on the same network as your computer.
Why does my printer say it is printing but nothing comes out?
Usually a job is stuck in the print queue or the printer is in offline mode. Open the print queue, cancel all documents, restart the Print Spooler service on Windows, and try a fresh test page.
Can a Windows update stop my printer from working?
Yes. Windows updates sometimes break printer drivers or change security settings that block printing. Reinstalling the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website is the standard fix.
Should I reset the printer to factory settings?
Only as a last resort. A factory reset erases your Wi-Fi settings and preferences, so you will have to set everything up again. Try clearing the queue, re-adding the printer and updating the driver first — those fix the problem far more often.
The Bottom Line
Knowing how to fix a printer not printing comes down to working in order: clear the queue, confirm the right printer and its online status, re-add the printer, and update the driver. Four steps, ten minutes, and most printers come back to life. If you have tried everything here and the printer still will not print, the complete printer and scanner troubleshooting guide covers the advanced checks, and at that point a hardware fault — a dead printhead or a failed logic board — becomes the likely cause, which usually means a repair shop or a replacement.
Last Updated: 8 October 2026
About the author: Zaviyar Sultan is a UAE-focused writer at Paxi, covering driving, visas, banking, insurance and everyday UAE life. His guides are researched from official UAE government and regulator sources and updated regularly.
Paxi is an independent informational website, not affiliated with the UAE government or any agency mentioned; content is general information only, not legal, immigration or financial advice; verify critical details with official sources before acting.