Why Does My Epson Printer Say Offline? Troubleshooting & Solutions

Why Does My Epson Printer Say Offline

If you are facing a disappointing case of your Epson printer showing “Offline” status then you are not alone. Many users face this problem, and it may be caused by various factors, including connection problems, old drivers or incorrect settings. In this guide we will find out possible causes and solutions to answer your press questions:

Why does my computer say my Epson printer is offline? Or Why does my Epson printer keep saying it’s offline?

Towards the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of how to troubleshoot and solve this common problem of Epson printers.

Understanding the “Offline” status of an Epson printer

Before we look for  the solutions, it is important to understand and know the answer of “Why does my printer say offline Epson?” Here are some of the most common causes:

Connection Problems – The printer may not be properly connected to the computer or network.

Error Printer Settings – The Printer may not be set as your default printer or may be in “Use of Printer Offline” in mode.

Driver Problems – Older or outdated drivers can cause communication problems.

Network Issues: If you use a wireless Epson printer, any issue with your WiFi network can make your printer go offline.

Hardware Failure – Physical problems such as incorrect USB cable or electricity barriers can also be a factor.

Verify Physical and Network Connections for Your Printer

The first thing you want to do if your Epson printer shows up as offline, is to verify physical connections as well as network connections:

For printers connected via USB:

• Make sure the USB cable is connected securely to both the computer and the printer.
• Try changing the USB port or utilize a different USB cable to see if there is an issue with hardware

For printers connected via Wi-Fi:

• Get the printer safely connected to the right Wi-Fi network.
• Reboot your router and printer in order to refresh the connection. 
• It can also be helpful to look at the printer’s control panel to see if the printer is showing any error even if your computer did not report an error.

Read More: Epson ET 2800 Not Printing Issues

Make Epson Printer the Default Printer

Sometimes, your computer is trying to send a print job to the wrong device making it look like it is offline. 

How to Set Epson Printer as Default in Windows:

• Open the Control Panel, then select Devices and Printers.
• Right-click on the Epson printer and select Set as default printer.
• Try printing again.

Disable the “Use Printer Offline” Mode

If you enable the ‘Use Printer Offline’ feature on Windows, It may be enabled by mistake sometimes.

Steps To Disable It:

• Open the Control Panel and go to devices and printers.

• Right-click on the printer and select Epson Printer See what’s printing.

• Click Printers in the top menu.

• Ensure that the check for Use Printer Offline is unchecked.

• Finally Restart your printer and computer and try printing again.

Update or Reinstall Epson Printer Drivers

One of the most common reasons for which your Epson printer does not work may be outdated or corrupted printer drivers. Drivers are the link between your computer and printer and when they are out of date, missing or corrupted, your printer goes offline or does not respond. A driver update or reinstall usually fixes this issue so that the printer returns to its normal state of operation.

How to Update Epson Printer Drivers

Open Device Manager – Press Windows + X and select Device Manager from the list.

Find Your Printer – Expand the Print queues section and locate your Epson printer.

Update the Driver – Right-click your printer and select the Update driver.

Search for Updates – Choose Search automatically for updated driver software.

Install and Restart – If an update is available, install it and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Printer Driver Reinstallation

If the issue is not rectified by updating the driver, reinstalling the driver would be a better choice:

• Go into the Control Panel and click on Devices and Printers.

• Locate your Epson printer, right-click and select Remove device to uninstall it.

• Now head to the Epson website and go to the Support section.

• Enter your printer model to find and download the recent driver for your system.

• Launch the downloaded file and install it as per the instructions.

• Reconnect your printer and check whether it works.

Reinstalling the Driver fixes possible software conflicts or corrupt installation that would have caused printing errors.

Read More: How to Connect Epson Printer to WiFi Network

Restart Print Spooler Service

Print Spooler service is charged with the management of printing jobs sent to the printer. With any problems on it, your printer becomes unresponsive or shows up as offline. Restarting this service will return it to normal functioning. Here’s how to restart Print Spooler Service:

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

• Scroll down the list until you find Print Spooler.

• Right-click on it to select Restart.

• Exit the window and see if your printer is now online.

If that does not help, try to stop the service, clear the Print Spooler folder located in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, and restart the service.

Check Firewall and Security Programs

Engineers install firewalls and antivirus programs in computers to block them from communicating to printers so that they cannot use one to take control of the other.

How to Fix:

• Turn off the firewall or antivirus.

• Check again if the printer comes back online.

In case turning off the security software resolves the problem, it is better to visit the firewall settings adding the Epson printer as an exception. Adapting security settings has helped much in making sure that no interruptions are faced by these devices when communicating.

Run the Windows Printer Troubleshooter

Windows does have a dedicated troubleshooting utility, which can build and troubleshoot common issues with the printer hardware.

Steps to Use the Troubleshooter:

• Open Settings and then click Update & Security.

• Select Troubleshoot and then Additional troubleshooters.

• From under Find and fix other problems, select Printer.

• Click Run the troubleshooter and follow the on-screen directions.

• Implement any fixes that pop-up and restart the computer if necessary.

Also, it checks for troubles such as incorrect configurations or connection problems and gives a recommended remedy. 

Upgrade Firmware 

Epson occasionally updates firmware to enhance print quality, introduce new features, and fix software bugs. Older firmware can be a source of compatibility problems as well as connectivity or print issues.

How to Update an Epson Printer Firmware:

Go to the Epson support page and input your printer model into the search bar.

Find and download the latest in the firmware update section.

Strictly follow the on-screen instructions for installation.

After installation, restart your printer in order to apply changes. 

Regular update keeps the printer optimum and buys compatibility with new devices and software.

Common Epson Printer Error Messages and Solutions

Error Code 0x97: A hardware failure has occurred. Restart the printer and check for any available firmware updates.

Printer Not Responding: Confirm that the USB or Wi-Fi connection is working and then restart the spooler service.

Driver is Unavailable: Update or reinstall the printer driver.

User Experience Tips for Smooth Printing

Keep Your Printer Close to the Router: A strong Wi-Fi signal ensures that the communication is stable.

Use Good Quality Paper and Ink: Low-quality materials can lead to frequent problems with printing.

Properly Switch Off the Printer: Switch off the printer only after completing the printing jobs, as sudden power cut-off may corrupt firmware.

Scheduled Regular Maintenance: Clean the printheads and update the software regularly.

Final Thoughts

If you have been wondering, “Why does it say my Epson printer is offline?” you have here a complete guide for troubleshooting that problem. If you follow these guidelines, you should have your Epson printer back online within no time.

On a day-to-day basis by taking care of maintenance, keeping the software updated, and making sure that the connection to the network is problem-free, you would be able to eliminate the chances of confronting an “offline” printer. Happy Printing!

Frequently Asked Questions