Printers might be difficult (trust me, we deal with them every day). Here are some things to check in if your printer was connected before, but now it’s not printing.
At Skycomp, printer issues are one of the most common support calls we get. The good news? In many cases, the fix is quick and doesn’t require a technician. Before you panic or assume the printer is broken, work through these simple troubleshooting steps – you’ll often be back up and printing in minutes.
1. Check the Basics
It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often the issue starts here.
Is the printer turned on?
Double-check the power button and ensure it hasn’t gone into sleep mode.Any error lights or messages?
Look at the display panel or indicator lights – these usually point directly to the issue.Paper jam or low ink/toner?
Open the tray and check for jams or empty cartridges. Even a small stuck piece of paper can stop everything.
👉 Quick tip: Clearing a jam and closing all panels properly is crucial because most printers won’t resume printing unless everything is fully secured.
2. Make Sure It’s Set as Default
If you’ve used multiple printers before, your computer might be sending documents to the wrong one.
- Go to Settings → Printers & Scanners
- Find your printer in the list
- Make sure it’s set as Default
👉 This is especially common in office environments where multiple printers are installed.
3. Restart Everything
Yes… turning it off and on again really works.
- Turn off the printer
- Restart your computer
- Turn the printer back on
This simple reset clears temporary glitches and reconnects devices properly.
4. Check the Connection
Your printer might be fine – it just isn’t communicating with your computer.
If it’s a network printer:
- Are you connected to the correct office Wi-Fi or network?
- Try reconnecting to the printer
- If you’re comfortable, ping the printer or access it via its IP address
If it’s a USB printer:
- Unplug and plug the cable back in
- Try a different USB port on your computer
👉 Loose cables or network changes are one of the most frequent causes of “offline” printers.
5. Clear the Print Queue
Sometimes the problem isn’t the printer – it’s a stuck job.
- Open the printer queue
- Cancel any pending or stuck print jobs
Once cleared, try printing again.
👉 One failed document can block everything behind it.
6. Reinstall the Printer
If nothing else works, reinstalling often fixes hidden issues.
- Go to Printers & Scanners
- Remove the printer
- Add it again
This refreshes the connection and often resolves driver or configuration problems.
7. Still Not Working?
If you’ve tried everything above, the issue could be more technical:
- Driver issue – outdated or corrupted printer drivers
- Network issue – especially in shared office environments
- Printer offline state – caused by system or connectivity errors
At this point, it may be time to get IT involved.
Final Thoughts
Printer problems are frustrating but they’re often fixable with a few quick checks. Running through these steps can save you time, reduce downtime, and help you avoid unnecessary service calls.
If your printer still isn’t cooperating after trying everything above, Skycomp is here to help. Reach out to our team and we’ll get you back on track – without the headaches.