If you’ve previously been able to print from your computer, but now can’t
– and you’re sure your printer is turned on, loaded with ink and paper, and
not jammed – there are a few simple things you can try. After each step,
try printing again.
New router?
Note that when you print wirelessly, your computer doesn’t communicate
directly with your printer. Rather, the information is sent via your router
e.g. EE Hub. If you’ve replaced your router, you’ll need to join the
printer to the new Wi‑Fi, typically using the buttons or touchscreen on the
printer itself.
Restart the computer
- On Windows, click the Start button > Power > Restart.
- On macOS, click the Apple menu (in the top-left corner of the screen)
and choose Restart.
Restart the printer
Turn the printer off.
Note: If you’re not sure whether your printer is off or just
sleeping, unplug or switch off the mains power for a moment.
Turn the printer back on, and wait a minute or so. It might make a noise,
and lights may blink, while it gets ready.
If yours is an HP printer, you can also perform a kind of reset by turning
off the mains power without shutting it down first, then waiting
60 seconds before turning it on again.
Restart the router
If you print via a network like Wi-Fi – in other words, your printer is
not connected with a cable to your computer – try turning your router off
and on again. Do the same for any Wi-Fi extenders.
Note: Some routers have a power button, but since they don’t
need ‘shutting down’ it’s fine to just turn a router off at the mains. Wait
a few seconds before turning it on again, and allow up to five minutes for
it to be ready.
Check pause
You might have inadvertently told your computer to pause printing. To
resume:
- Click the Start button and open Settings.
- On the left, click Bluetooth & devices.
- Click Printers & scanners.
- Click the affected printer.
- Click Print test page. This probably won’t work, but there
needs to be something in the print queue for the next step. (If the
test page does print, your printer is actually working and
the remainder of this document does not apply).
- Click Open print queue.
- To the right of the heading for your printer, click the ellipsis
⋯ menu and choose Resume all.
- Click the Start button > Settings > Devices.
- On the left, click Printers & scanners.
- Click the affected printer.
- Click Open queue.
- Click the Printer menu.
- If Pause Printing is ticked, click it to unpause.
Note: If these instructions don’t match your screen, you
probably have an older version of macOS. Using the latest software is
one of the best ways to protect your computer and data, so you should
upgrade macOS at your
earliest convenience.
- From the Apple menu (in the top-left corner of the screen) choose
System Settings.
- In the sidebar, scroll down and click Printers &
Scanners.
- Click the affected printer.
- Click Printer Queue.
- If the heading says Paused, click the Resume button:
its icon is a triangle inside a circle.
Remove the printer, then add it again
- Click the Start button and open Settings.
- On the left, click Bluetooth & devices.
- Click Printers & scanners.
- Click the affected printer.
- Click Remove and confirm that you wish to do so.
- In the top-left corner, click the ‘back’ arrow.
- Click Add device and follow the steps.
- Click the Start button > Settings > Devices.
- On the left, click Printers & scanners.
- Click the affected printer.
- Click Remove and confirm that you wish to do so.
- Click Add printer or scanner and follow the steps.
Note: If these instructions don’t match your screen, you
probably have an older version of macOS. Using the latest software is
one of the best ways to protect your computer and data, so you should
upgrade macOS at your
earliest convenience.
- From the Apple menu (in the top-left corner of the screen) choose
System Settings.
- In the sidebar, scroll down and click Printers &
Scanners.
- Click the affected printer.
- Click Remove Printer and confirm that you wish to do so.
- Click Add Printer, Scanner or Fax and follow the steps.