Published 2023-12-01 by TechNet New England
When a Mac shows a printer as offline, it usually means the connection was interrupted, the print system has a glitch, or the driver needs attention. ## Check the Basics 1. Is the printer powered on? 2. Is it connected to the same network as your Mac? 3. Print a configuration page from the printer to confirm it has a network connection. ## Fix 1: Delete and Re-add the Printer 1. Open **System Settings > Printers and Scanners**. 2. Right-click (or Control-click) the printer and select **Remove Printer**. 3. Click the **"+"** button to add it back. 4. Select the printer from the list or add by IP address. ## Fix 2: Reset the Printing System This removes ALL printers and resets the print system to factory state. 1. Open **System Settings > Printers and Scanners**. 2. Right-click in the printer list area. 3. Select **Reset printing system**. 4. Confirm. 5. Add your printers back. ## Fix 3: Clear the Print Queue 1. Open **System Settings > Printers and Scanners**. 2. Select the printer. 3. Click **Open Print Queue**. 4. Delete any stuck jobs. Or from Terminal: ```bash cancel -a ``` This cancels all print jobs on all printers. ## Fix 4: Update macOS Printer driver support is often updated through macOS updates. Make sure your Mac is running the latest version. ## Fix 5: Download the Manufacturer Driver If the printer is not working with Apple's built-in drivers: 1. Go to the manufacturer's website (HP, Canon, Brother, Xerox). 2. Download the macOS driver for your model. 3. Install it. 4. Remove and re-add the printer. ## When to Contact IT If the printer works for others but not your Mac, or if the printer requires authentication, contact your IT provider for help with driver configuration or network printer permissions.