How to Reconnect Canon Printer? (Tutorial Steps)

Karen Boccino
15 hours ago
4 min read

If you notice that your Canon printer isn’t responding to print commands and is showing as offline, this is the right place to find solutions. This usually happens when the printer loses connection to Wi-Fi or the computer. In this blog, I will guide you through reconnecting your printer to a wireless network or a computer in detail.

I am a tech expert with more than 6 years of experience resolving printer-related issues, and I enjoy helping users like you resolve their problems. Here, I will share the top methods to fix the issue and get your printer ready to print again.

Common Reasons for Canon Printer Offline Issue

A Canon printer can go offline for several reasons, which can stop the printer from printing and responding to printing-related tasks. Here are several reasons behind a printer going offline:

Weak USB or wireless connection.
Out-of-date printer drivers.
The printer may be set offline.
Issues in the print spooler service.

By working on these pain points, you can get your printer back online, and finally, you’ll be able to print peacefully.

Method 1: Check the Printer’s Connection

The most common reason your Canon printer stops printing is a connection issue. If the printer’s USB or wireless connection is weak, the printer will show an offline status. Use these steps to check your printer’s connections and fix the offline issue.

Check if the printer is properly connected to the USB cable and that the cable is not loose.
Try to use a new USB port on the printer or the computer.
If you use a wireless connection, then make sure the Wi-Fi is within the required range.
Ensure that the Canon printer and computer are on the same network.

If the printer’s connection is good but the printer still isn’t responding or printing, try the next method.

Method 2: Disable the “Use Printer Offline” Option

If the “Use Printer Offline” option is enabled on the computer, the printer will not respond to any printing commands or tasks. To get the printer back online, follow the steps below to disable this option.

Click the Windows button on the taskbar located at the bottom of your screen.
Look for Settings in the search section and select it.
From the left panel, choose the Bluetooth & Devices option.
Click Printers & Scanners, and then select your Canon printer.
Click the Open queue option.
Click on Printers on the next window and deselect the “Use Printer Offline” option.

Once you uncheck that option, your printer will get back to the online status.

Method 3: Restart the Print Spooler Service

The print spooler service is a built-in feature on Windows computers that manages print jobs. This feature ensures that the ‘print jobs’ are sent to the printer in the right order. If there is a fault in this service, the printer will stop responding and printing. Here is how to restart the print spooler service.

Search for Services on the computer’s taskbar and select it from the results.
Scroll to find the Print Spooler option, and right-click on it.
After that, you have to select the Restart option.
Alternatively, you can select the Start option.
Right-click on the Print Spooler option once again and select Properties.
Ensure that the Startup type is set to Automatic and click ‘OK’ to save the changes.

Finally, try printing your document to check if the issue is fixed. If the error persists, check out the next troubleshooting method.

Method 4: Reinstall the Canon Printer Drivers

Printer drivers are the software that help a printer communicate with the device, such as a computer. The printer doesn’t understand the computer’s language, and the printer drivers convert it so the printer can understand and perform any print jobs. When these drivers get out of date, printing-related problems are common. Here are the steps to reinstall the drivers so your printer can start printing again.

Step 1: Uninstall the Old Drivers

To reinstall the new drivers, first uninstall the old drivers from the computer using these steps. Otherwise, they might interfere with the new drivers.

Search for the control panel on your system’s taskbar at the bottom and select Programs.
Select Uninstall a program and locate your ‘Canon Printer Driver’ in the list.
Once you find it, right-click and select Uninstall.
Alternatively, you can open Settings and select Apps.
Select Apps & Features under Apps, locate your printer driver, and finally click “Uninstall.”

That’s how you can uninstall the old drivers from your computer and get ready to install the new ones.

Step 2: Download & Install the Latest Drivers

You can download and install the new printer drivers from Canon’s official website. Here are the steps to install these drivers.

Visit ij.start.canon in your browser and click “Support” at the top of the page.
Search for your printer’s name in the search field and then select Software & Drivers.
Select your operating system, and then select a suitable driver package for your printer.
Click the Download button next to the printer driver package and allow it to download to your computer.
Go to the Downloads folder on your computer, and double-click on the file.
Now, click “Yes” to allow the driver file to run on your computer.
Finally, allow the installation process to complete on the computer.

This is how you’ll complete the downloading and installing of the Canon printer drivers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is My Canon Printer Offline?

A Canon printer may go offline due to several reasons, such as a weak connection, out-of-date printer drivers, incorrect printer settings, etc. If the printer and computer are on different networks, the printer won’t receive print commands.

How Do I Get My Canon Printer Back Online?

You can check the printer’s connection to the Wi-Fi, or the USB cable, or reinstall the printer drivers, restart the print spooler service, or correct the printer’s settings to get the printer back online. Moreover, check if your printer and computer are on the same network.

What Are the Signs of an Offline Canon Printer?

There could be many signs of an offline Canon printer, such as it will display the “printer is offline” error. Other signs include that the printer will stop responding to any print commands, even when it’s properly turned on.

Source: How to Reconnect Canon Printer