How to Fix Epson Printer Offline Problems on Windows and Mac

1. Printer Configuration Needs Refreshing

To refresh your printer configuration by removing and reconnecting it to your computer, follow these steps for both Windows and Mac:

For Windows:

To Remove the Printer:

1. Step 1: Unplug your printer from the computer.
2. Step 2: Open the Windows search bar and type "printer", then select "Printer & scanners" from the results list.
3. Step 3: Find and select the printer you want to remove.
4. Step 4: Click "Remove device" and confirm with "Yes".

To Reinstall the Printer:

1. Step 1: Connect your printer back to the computer and turn it on.
2. Step 2: Again, open the Windows search bar, type "printer", and select "Printer & scanners".
3. Step 3: Click on the "Add a printer or scanner" or "Add device" button.
4. Step 4: Windows will search for printers connected to your computer. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process, which may include automatic driver installation.

For Mac:

To Remove the Printer:

1. Step 1: Open "System Preferences" from the Apple menu.
2. Step 2: Click on "Printers & Scanners".
3. Step 3: Select the printer you want to remove from the list.
4. Step 4: Click the "-" (minus) button below the list and confirm the removal.

To Add the Printer:

1. Step 1: Ensure your printer is powered on and connected to your Mac.
2. Step 2: Open "System Preferences" from the Apple menu.
3. Step 3: Click on "Printers & Scanners".
4. Step 4: If your printer isn't automatically detected, click the "+" (plus) button below the printer's list.
5. Step 5: A window with available printers will appear. Select your printer and click "Add".
6. Step 6: If your printer isn't listed, choose "The printer I want isn't listed" or "Add printer or scanner".
7. Step 7: Follow the on-screen instructions to manually add the printer, which may involve providing the printer's IP address or other details.
8. Step 8: Once added, your printer should appear in the list of available printers.

These steps should help refresh your printer configuration on Windows and Mac computers.

2. Printer Is Not Set to Default Mode

Sometimes, the solution is as straightforward as setting your printer as the default. Follow these steps:

For Windows:

1. Step 1: Open the Run Dialog Box from Windows search, type "control", and press the enter key on your keyboard.
2. Step 2: Navigate to "Devices and Printer".
3. Step 3: Then right-click on your printer. Ensure there's a check mark on "Set as Default printer". If not, select it.
4. Step 4: You should see a green check mark on your printer icon, meaning it is now the default printer.

For Mac:

1. Step 1: Click the Apple menu, and then go to System Preferences.
2. Step 2: Once in System Preferences, select Printers & Scanners.
3. Step 3: Choose the printer you want to set as the default.
4. Step 4: Click the "Set Default Printer" button. You should see a green check mark on your printer icon, meaning it is now the default printer.

3. Enabled "Use Printer Offline" Mode

If your printer is set to "Use Printer Offline" mode, it won't communicate with your computer for printing tasks. Turning off this mode restores the printer's online status.

For Windows:

1. Step 1: Go to the Windows search bar and type "control panel", then select "Control Panel" from the results.
2. Step 2: In the Control Panel, choose "Hardware and Sound" or "Devices and Printers".
3. Step 3: Locate your printer in the list, right-click on it, and select "See what's printing" or "Open print queue".
4. Step 4: In the print queue window, click on the "Printer" menu at the top.
5. Step 5: If the printer is offline, there should be a checkmark next to "Use Printer Offline". Click it to turn off offline mode.
6. Step 6: Your printer will switch to online mode and should be ready for printing.

For Mac:

1. Step 1: Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
2. Step 2: Select "System Preferences" from the drop-down menu.
3. Step 3: In System Preferences, click on "Printers & Scanners" or "Print & Scan".
4. Step 4: Choose your printer from the list on the left.
5. Step 5: Click the "Options & Supplies" or "Open Print Queue" button.
6. Step 6: In the print queue window, click on the "Printer" menu at the top.
7. Step 7: If the printer is in offline mode, look for an option to "Resume" or "Unpause" printing. Click it to disable offline mode.

4. Need to Clear Print Queue

Your printer can sometimes act like that car stuck in traffic. Clearing the path is often all it needs.

For Windows:

1. Step 1: Begin by opening the run box from Windows search, type "services.msc", and press enter to access the service window.
2. Step 2: Right-click the spooler to open the properties, then click 'stop'.
3. Step 3: Open Windows File Explorer and input this — %windir%\System32\spool\PRINTERS in the address bar.
4. Step 4: Delete all the files in the Printer folder.
5. Step 5: Revisit the spooler properties, click 'start', and hit 'OK'.
6. Step 6: Restart your computer, and voila! The print jobs should be straightforward, and your printer should function seamlessly.

For Mac:

1. Step 1: Click on Apple menu, and then select System Settings.
2. Step 2: From System Settings window, click on Printers and scanners.
3. Step 3: Select your preferred printer and click the "Open Print Queue" button.
4. Step 4: Next, choose the print job you want to cancel and click the close button (X) next to it.

If you want to clear the printer queue completely, you have two options:

1. Press "Command + A" to select all print jobs, then press "Command + delete" to cancel them.
2. Click on "Printer" in the menu bar and select "Cancel All Documents".

5. Spooler Service Needs Restarting

Here's a simple way to fix it:

For Windows:

1. Step 1: Hit the Windows key + R, type "Services.msc", and press Enter.
2. Step 2: In the service window, find and select "Print Spooler". If it's sleeping (read: Stopped), right-click and hit "Start".
3. Step 3: Give it a moment, then check if your Epson printer is working.

For Mac:

1. Step 1: Click on Apple menu, and then go to System Settings.
2. Step 2: In System Settings, select Printers & Scanners (scroll down if needed).
3. Step 3: Right-click on any empty space within the printer list area and select "Reset printing system".
4. Step 4: A confirmation pop-up will notify you that resetting the printing system will delete all printers. If you wish to continue, click the "Reset" button.
5. Step 5: If prompted, enter your administrator password and click the "OK" button.
6. Step 6: Once you've reset the printing system, you can re-add your printers by clicking the "+" button in the Printers & Scanners window and following the on-screen instructions.

6. Enabled SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)

SNMP is often not needed for regular home users and may cause issues with printer communication. Disabling it can resolve printer offline problems.

For Windows:

1. Step 1: Search for "printer" in the Windows search bar and select "Devices and Printers".
2. Step 2: In Devices and Printers, ensure the Printers section is expanded to see your printers.
3. Step 3: Right-click on the problematic printer and choose "Printer Properties" (not "Properties").
4. Step 4: In the Printer Properties window, click on the "Ports" tab at the top.
5. Step 5: Find the default port (indicated by a checkmark) and click "Configure Port".
6. Step 6: In the new window, uncheck "SNMP Status Enabled" if it's checked. Click OK to save the changes.
7. Step 7: Restart your computer and printer.

For Mac:

1. Step 1: Click the Apple menu and select "System Preferences".
2. Step 2: In System Preferences, click on "Printers & Scanners" or "Print & Scan".
3. Step 3: Choose your printer from the list on the left.
4. Step 4: Click the "Options & Supplies" or "Options & Supplies" button.
5. Step 5: In the Options tab, look for an SNMP-related option like "Enable SNMP" and disable it.
6. Step 6: Close the Printer Options window.
7. Step 7: Restart your Mac for the changes to apply.

7. Printer Driver Problem

An outdated or corrupted driver might be the problem. Here’s how you solve it:

For Windows:

1. Step 1: Start by opening the 'Control Panel'.
2. Step 2: Navigate to 'Add or remove program', right-click on the Epson printer driver, and click 'Uninstall'.
3. Step 3: Head to 'Device and Printers' and click 'Add printer'.
4. Step 4: Click 'Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer'.
5. Step 5: Install the software that matches your Epson printer's model number.
6. Step 6: Restart your system. This simple process might solve why your Epson printer keeps going offline on Windows 10.

For Mac:

1. Step 1: Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner and choose "System Preferences".
2. Step 2: In the System Preferences window, select "Software Update".
3. Step 3: Check if your printer name is listed among the available software updates.
4. Step 4: If your printer is on the list, click the Update button to install the latest printer drivers and software.