Fix Brother Printer in Sleep Mode That Keeps Going Offline

Trisha Olivar | Jul 12, 2025

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Nothing’s more annoying than a printer that naps when you need it to work. Many users get stuck when their Brother printer in sleep mode refuses to wake up, and suddenly, the printer won’t print, no matter how many times you try. It’s frustrating, especially when deadlines are tight, and your device acts like it’s in hibernation.

Brother printers are designed to save energy with Sleep and Deep Sleep Mode, but these features can sometimes backfire. Instead of waking up with a new print job, the printer stays offline, stuck, or unresponsive. If your Brother printer goes offline in sleep mode after being idle, there are ways to bring it back.

In this article, you’ll learn:

What Causes Brother Printer in Deep Sleep Mode Problems
Steps to Disable the Brother Printer’s Deep Sleep Mode
Pro Tips to Stop Your Printer from Going to Sleep Again

Why Your Brother Printer Gets Stuck in Sleep or Deep Sleep Mode

If your mode isn’t responding, you’re not alone. Many users experience this with their Brother printer in deep sleep, even though everything appears connected. These energy-saving modes are meant to help, but when they glitch, they can stop your workflow entirely.

Purpose of Sleep and Deep Sleep Modes: Save Energy During Inactivity

Brother printers use sleep and deep sleep modes to reduce power usage when idle. After a certain period of no activity, the printer automatically enters these modes to conserve energy. This function is built into most Brother models, including the HL and MFC series.

Sleep Mode: The printer remains partially active and can quickly wake when a job arrives.
Deep Sleep Mode: The device powers down more deeply, saving more energy but taking longer to wake, or failing to wake entirely.

What Triggers These Modes?

Your Brother printer keeps going to sleep due to preset idle times. These are usually set in the printer’s menu or software. If you don’t change them, the printer will sleep after minutes of no activity. On some models, network issues or firmware delays can also cause the device to shift into deep sleep mode prematurely.

Triggers include:

No print activity for several minutes.
The default power-saving settings have not been customized.
Wi-Fi dropouts or IP address conflicts.
Outdated firmware

Quick Fixes: Wake Up a Brother Printer in Sleep Mode

A Brother printer in sleep mode often stops responding when idle for too long. This is meant to save energy, but when your printer won’t print, it becomes a real problem. Here are quick fixes to bring your printer back online and resume printing fast:

1. Press the Wake or Power Button

Tap the Power, Go, or Cancel button on your printer. This usually wakes it instantly. For touchscreen models, just tap the screen. This is the easiest fix when the Brother printer’s sleep mode won’t print after being idle.

2. Cancel and Resend the Print Job

Go to your computer’s print queue, cancel the stuck job, then resend it. This helps when your Brother printer goes to sleep and won’t print, and jobs get stuck. Send a printer test page to confirm it’s working.

3. Check the Printer Screen

Look for any error messages like:

Reconnect to the network
Paper jam
Low toner

Clearing these alerts helps wake up your Brother printer from deep sleep mode.

4. Check Power and Connections

Make sure the printer is plugged in, switched on, and not connected to a dead outlet or turned-off power strip. Also, check if it’s in a power save or error state, which can make the printer offline.

Step-by-Step: How to Adjust the Brother Printer in Deep Sleep Mode

If your Brother printer in sleep mode stops printing or goes offline after being idle, you’re not alone. This common issue is often caused by default power-saving settings. Thankfully, most Brother models let you adjust or disable these features. Here’s how to fix and prevent your Brother printer in deep sleep mode from causing further disruptions.

1. Adjust Sleep Time via Printer Control Panel

Changing sleep settings can help if your Brother printer’s sleep mode won’t print or becomes unresponsive.

Steps:

On your printer, press the Menu button.
Go to General Setup.
Select Sleep Time.
Increase the time (e.g., set it to 60 minutes) or turn it off if your model allows.
After making changes, print a printer test page to confirm everything is working.

2. How to Disable Deep Sleep Mode (Model-Dependent)

The Brother printer in deep sleep mode is more aggressive in power saving. If your Brother printer goes to sleep and won’t print, deep sleep could be the cause.

Steps to disable it:

On the printer, go to Menu > General Setup > Ecology > Deep Sleep.
Select Off or choose a longer timeout interval.

This is known as the Brother printer deep sleep disable setting. Not all models support it, but many popular ones (like the HL-L2380DW, DCP-L2540DW, or MFC series) do.

Fix Brother Printer Offline After Sleep Mode (Windows)

Sleep or deep sleep mode can cause connection issues, leading to delays or errors when printing. Users often report problems like the printer won’t print, even though everything looks fine on the surface. Here’s how to bring your Brother printer out of deep sleep mode and back online on Windows.

1. Restart Devices

Turn off your Brother printer and computer. Wait a few seconds. Power is both back on. This resets temporary glitches, causing the Brother printer to go to sleep and won’t print errors.

2. Set as Default Printer

Open Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners
Click your Brother printer
Select Set as default

3. Disable “Use Printer Offline.”

Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers
Right-click your Brother printer
Uncheck Use Printer Offline

This fixes the Brother printer goes offline in sleep mode for many users.

4. Clear Stuck Print Jobs

Right-click your printer > See what’s printing
Cancel all queued jobs
Try printing again, or send a printer test page

5. Update or Reinstall Printer Driver

Old or corrupt drivers can prevent your Brother printer in sleep mode from waking properly.

Go to Device Manager > Printers > Brother Printer
Right-click > Update driver
Or reinstall the latest drivers from Brother’s official site

6. Use Windows Troubleshooter

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Printer
Run the tool to detect and fix issues

Fix Brother Printer Not Waking Up on Mac (macOS)

Brother printer in deep sleep mode acting up on your Mac? Many macOS users report that the printer won’t print, even when everything is connected. Sleep issues can be triggered by network drops, macOS settings, or outdated drivers. Try these steps to get your Brother printer in sleep mode working again.

1. Reset the Printing System

Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners
Right-click the printer list > Reset printing system
Re-add your Brother printer

2. Check Wi-Fi or Network Connection

Make sure your Mac and printer are on the same Wi-Fi. Reconnect the printer if needed. Network delays are often the reason your Brother printer goes to sleep and won’t print.

3. Reinstall Brother Drivers for macOS

Visit Brother’s official site
Download the latest driver for your Mac model
Install and restart your device

Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners
Click your printer > Options & Supplies > Sharing
Make sure sharing is enabled if printing over a network

Prevent the Problem: Keep Your Brother Printer from Getting Stuck Again

If your Brother printer in sleep mode often fails to wake or respond, it’s likely due to missed settings or poor maintenance. Many users face repeated printer won’t print errors because their Brother printer is in deep sleep mode and gets stuck. Here’s how to prevent that:

1. Send Regular Test Prints: Print a small file or printer test page every few days. This keeps the printer active and avoids errors like the Brother printer sleep mode won’t print.

2. Adjust Sleep/Deep Sleep Settings: Go to:

Menu > General Setup > Sleep Time – set a longer duration or disable.

Menu > General Setup > Ecology > Deep Sleep – disable if your model allows.

3. Keep Firmware & Drivers Updated: Visit Brother’s support site, download the latest updates, and reinstall drivers. This helps stop the Brother printer keeps going to sleep.

4. Ensure a Strong Network Signal: Place your printer close to your router. Weak Wi-Fi can cause the printer to go offline and miss print jobs.

5. Disable USB Power Saving (Windows): Device Manager > USB Root Hub > Properties > Power Management

These printer maintenance tips help prevent future sleep mode issues and keep your printer running smoothly.

Conclusion

If your Brother printer in sleep mode fails to respond, simple fixes can prevent long-term trouble. Regularly updating drivers, adjusting sleep settings, and maintaining a stable network are key. Sending a weekly printer test page also helps avoid inactivity issues. These steps stop problems like the Brother printer in deep sleep mode not printing. Don’t forget to disable USB power-saving settings and extend sleep timers if needed. Regular checks and printer maintenance tips go a long way. This prevents the common “printer won’t print” error that many users face.

For updates, always visit Brother Support. Stay proactive and keep your printer ready when you need it most.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Why does my Brother printer say it’s in sleep mode but won’t print?

This often happens due to more than just sleep mode settings. While a Brother printer in sleep mode can cause delays, issues like outdated drivers, unstable network connections, or stuck print jobs are usually the real culprits. Make sure everything is updated and your connection is strong.

2. If I disable deep sleep mode, will my Brother printer stop going offline?

Not always. Disabling the Brother printer in deep sleep mode helps, but it’s not a permanent solution. You should also update drivers, check your Wi-Fi, and send regular test prints. These steps reduce the chances of your Brother printer going offline in sleep mode again.

3. Do I need a technician to fix sleep mode or offline issues on my Brother printer?

No. Most problems, like Brother printer sleep mode won’t print disabled, can be fixed at home. Simple actions like updating drivers, adjusting sleep settings, or sending a printer test page usually solve it. No need for professional help unless the hardware is faulty.

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