Printer Troubleshooting Checklist: 10 Steps That Fix Most Printer Problems

Good printer troubleshooting follows an order: read the exact message, power cycle properly, check paper and ink, confirm how the printer connects, clear the queue, check the network, re-add the driver, update firmware, test from another device and only then reset the network settings. Work down the list and stop as soon as a test page prints. Most problems are fixed in the first five steps.

Quick fixes first

1. Write down the exact message on the printer's screen and on the computer, including any number.
2. Turn the printer off with its power button, unplug it for 60 seconds, then turn it back on.
3. Open every door and tray, look for paper scraps, and check that the paper and ink are in place.
4. Cancel every job in the print queue and send one short test page.
5. Try printing from a phone to see whether the problem follows the printer or the computer.

Steps 1 to 5: rule out the simple causes

Step 1: Read the exact message

The words matter. "Offline", "Paused", "Error", "Not responding", "Driver is unavailable" and a code such as Canon 1300 or Epson 0x97 each point to a different fix. Check three places: the printer's own screen or blinking lights, the print queue on your computer, and the brand app on your phone. Write the message down word for word.

If Windows only says the printer is in an error state, the printer's panel usually has the specific reason. Our guide to printer in an error state explains how to find it.

Step 2: Do a proper power cycle

Pressing the power button on many printers only puts them into a low-power state, so a quick off and on doesn't always clear memory or the network connection. Do it properly:

1. Turn the printer off with its own power button, so an inkjet can park and cap its printhead.
2. Unplug the power cord for 60 seconds.
3. Plug it into a wall outlet rather than a power strip, turn it on, and wait until it reaches the home screen or a steady ready light.

For a network printer, restart the router first, wait two minutes, then the printer, then the computer. That order lets each device get a fresh connection.

Step 3: Check paper, ink and trays

Pull out the paper stack, fan it, and reload it with the guides just touching the edges. Make sure the paper size set on the printer matches your documents, usually Letter in the US. Close every door and cover firmly until it clicks, including the rear access door and the cartridge door.

Check the ink or toner levels on the panel. Many inkjets refuse to print when any one cartridge is empty, even for black-only pages. If the printer says it is out of ink when it isn't, see printer says out of ink but it isn't. If paper keeps stopping inside, printer paper jam covers the hidden spots, including a jam message with no paper in sight.

Step 4: Identify how the printer is connected

Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB and Wi-Fi Direct (a direct link between printer and device that skips the router) each fail in different ways, so confirm which one you are using. For a network printer, print the network configuration page from the panel. An address such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x means the printer is on your network. An address starting 169.254, or no address at all, means it never got one from the router.

Keep that address handy; you will need it in steps 6 and 7. If you can't print the page, find your printer's IP address lists other ways to get it. For USB, plug straight into the computer rather than a hub or dock, and try another cable if you have one.

Step 5: Clear the print queue

One stuck job blocks everything behind it. Open the queue and cancel all jobs. If a job sits at Deleting, stop the Print Spooler service, empty the spool folder and start it again; on a Mac, delete the jobs and click Resume if the queue is paused. The full procedure is in clear a stuck print queue, and a queue that says Paused is covered in printer paused and won't print.

Steps 6 to 10: connection, software and resets

Step 6: Check the network

The computer and printer must be on the same network. Make sure the computer isn't on a guest network or running a VPN, and that the printer's panel shows a Wi-Fi connection. Compare the printer's IP address from step 4 with the one the computer uses (in Windows, Printer properties › Ports). If they differ, that is the problem, and reserving the address in your router stops it happening again.

If the printer can't join Wi-Fi at all, the usual causes are a 5 GHz-only network, a changed password or a router set to WPA3 only. Printer won't connect to Wi-Fi works through each one.

Step 7: Re-add the printer or reinstall the driver

Remove the printer and any duplicates (entries with "Copy 1" or "(Network)" in the name), restart the computer, then add it again. In Windows, use Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device, or Add manually with the IP address. On a Mac, use System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer, Scanner or Fax and choose AirPrint where offered.

Only if that fails, install the full driver package from the manufacturer's own site. Never use third-party driver download sites. Windows 11 printer driver download explains which package to pick.

Step 8: Update the printer's firmware

Firmware is the software that runs inside the printer. Updates fix Wi-Fi bugs and compatibility problems with new versions of Windows and macOS, and you can usually install them from the panel or the brand app. Be aware that on some brands an update can also stop third-party cartridges working, so read printer firmware updates first if you use them.

Step 9: Test from another device

Print from a phone or a second computer on the same network. This one test splits the problem in half:

• The other device prints: the printer and network are fine, so the problem is the first computer's queue, driver or settings. Go back to step 7.
• Nothing prints from anywhere: the problem is the printer or its network connection. Recheck steps 3, 4 and 6.

Phones use AirPrint on iPhone and the built-in print service or Mopria on Android; how to print from your phone covers both.

Step 10: Reset the network settings

A network reset erases the printer's saved Wi-Fi details and puts it back into setup mode, which clears corrupted network profiles and old router settings. It leaves your other preferences alone. Afterwards you must reconnect the printer to Wi-Fi and re-add it on each computer. A full factory reset is rarely needed; how to factory reset a printer explains both, and what to write down first.

Which guide do I need?

If you already know the symptom, skip the checklist and go straight to the guide that covers it.

What to note before asking for help

Whether you contact the manufacturer, a repair shop or anyone else, these details cut the time to a fix:

• The model number from the label on the printer, not just the family name. "HP OfficeJet Pro" covers dozens of models.
• The exact message and any code, from step 1.
• Your computer and its version, such as Windows 11 24H2 or macOS 26 Tahoe.
• How the printer connects: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB or Wi-Fi Direct.
• When it started, especially if it followed an update, a new router or a new cartridge.
• Which steps you have tried and what happened, including whether another device can print.

When is a printer worth repairing?

A checklist can't fix worn or broken parts. These signs point to hardware:

• Grinding, clicking or clunking noises when the printer starts or feeds paper.
• The same error returning within seconds of every restart, whichever device you print from.
• Codes that name a mechanical fault, such as a carriage, fuser or ink absorber error.
• Paper that still won't feed after the rollers have been cleaned.

On a consumer inkjet, a shop diagnosis alone can cost close to the price of a new entry-level printer, and parts are often hard to find, so replacement is usually the sensible call. Business lasers with low page counts, printers still under warranty, and ink tank models with a lot of ink still inside are the main exceptions. Is it worth repairing a printer sets out the numbers; check current local pricing before you decide.

When should you get help?

If you have worked through all ten steps and the printer still won't print, or if steps like removing drivers and resetting network settings feel like more than you want to take on, that is a sensible point to hand it over. Check first whether the printer is under warranty, and if it is, use the manufacturer's own support site. Be wary of support numbers in search ads; use only contact details from the manufacturer's official website.

If you would rather someone did it with you, our independent remote printer support plan covers every printer in your home or office for 12 months, on any brand and on Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, iPhone, iPad or Android. You describe the problem, start the screen share yourself, watch every step, and finish with a test page and a written summary. If the fault is a mechanical one that isn't worth repairing, we will tell you so.