Canon Printer Showing Offline in Windows? Here’s How to Fix It

Is your Canon printer showing offline in Windows +1-801-878-6858 even though it’s powered on and connected? This is a common but frustrating issue that often prevents you from printing anything at all. Fortunately, there are several effective steps you can take to get your printer back online and working quickly.

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This guide walks you through the most common causes of the "printer offline" problem and shows you how to fix it on a Windows computer—step by step.

Why Does My Canon Printer Show as Offline?

When Windows shows your Canon printer as offline, it usually means your PC is unable to communicate with the printer. This can be caused by:

• Loose or disconnected cables (USB)

• Network issues (for wireless printers)

• Printer not set as default

• Spooler service issues

• Outdated or corrupted drivers

• "Use Printer Offline" mode accidentally enabled

Let’s fix it.

1. Check Printer Power and Connection

First, eliminate the obvious:

• Ensure the printer is turned on. Check the display panel or LED indicators.

• For USB printers, confirm the cable is securely connected to both printer and computer.

• For Wi-Fi printers, ensure the printer is connected to the same network as your PC. Try printing a network status report from the printer panel.

2. Set Your Canon Printer as Default

Sometimes Windows will default to a "virtual" printer or an older device.

How to Set Default Printer:

1. Open Control Panel> Devices and Printers

2. Right-click your Canon printer.

3. Click Set as default printer

4. You’ll see a green checkmark on the Canon printer icon.

Now try printing again.

3. Disable "Use Printer Offline" Mode

This setting is often the culprit behind the offline status.

To turn it off:

1. Go to Devices and Printers

2. Right-click your Canon printer> Select See what’s printing

3. In the window that opens, click Printer in the top menu

4. If Use Printer Offline is checked, click it to uncheck

This should immediately bring the printer online if it was previously stuck.

4. Restart the Print Spooler Service

The Print Spooler is a background service that handles all print jobs. If it crashes or gets stuck, your printer may appear offline.

Restarting the Spooler:

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter

2. Scroll down and find Print Spooler

3. Right-click it> Click Restart

After a few seconds, try printing again.

5. Reconnect the Printer or Reinstall It

If the above steps didn’t work, try removing and re-adding your Canon printer.

To remove and reinstall:

1. Go to Settings> Devices> Printers & scanners

2. Click on your Canon printer> Click Remove device

3. Click Add a printer or scanner

4. Let Windows detect your printer and follow the prompts to reinstall it

For USB printers, reconnect the USB cable. For wireless models, make sure the printer is connected to the correct Wi-Fi.

6. Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers

Corrupted or outdated drivers can cause communication issues.

To update your Canon driver:

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager

2. Expand Printers

3. Right-click your Canon printer> Choose Update driver

4. Select Search automatically for drivers

Alternatively, visit the official, enter your printer model, and download the latest driver for Windows.

If updating doesn’t help, uninstall the driver and reinstall it manually from Canon’s website.

7. Run Windows Printer Troubleshooter

Windows includes a built-in troubleshooter that can automatically fix common printer problems.

Run the troubleshooter:

1. Go to Settings> System> Troubleshoot> Other troubleshooters

2. Find and click Printer> Run

3. Follow the on-screen instructions

The tool will detect and attempt to fix issues that could be causing your Canon printer to appear offline.

8. Check Firewall or Antivirus Settings

In rare cases, a firewall or antivirus program may block communication between your PC and the printer.

Try this:

• Temporarily disable your firewall or antivirus

• Try printing again

• If it works, add your Canon printer to the allowed/trusted devices list

Always re-enable your security software after testing.

9. Reset the Printer (If Necessary)

If none of the above works, try resetting your Canon printer to factory settings.

• On most models: go to Settings> Device settings> Reset> Reset All

• Then reconnect to Wi-Fi or USB and set it up again

This can resolve network glitches or misconfigured settings causing offline issues.

Conclusion

When your Canon printer shows offline in Windows, the issue is usually software- or connection-related—not a hardware failure. By following the above steps—checking your connection, disabling offline mode, restarting the print spooler, and updating drivers—you should be able to get your printer back online quickly.

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