Things To Do If Your Houston Printer Is Offline And Not Printing

Anytime you send a document to the printer from a word processor, spreadsheet program, or image editing program, you naturally expect it to begin printing right away. Unfortunately, things don't always go according to plan. If you can't seem to get your documents to print, check your printer to see if it is displaying an "Offline" error message. Fixing this problem is usually relatively easy. Rather than being caused by a mechanical problem with the printer, it usually indicates that there is a problem with the paper, ink, or printer settings.

Depleted Ink, Toner, Or Paper

Printers go offline automatically when they run out of essential consumables such as ink, toner, or paper. Sometimes, this even happens right in the middle of a printing project. Depending on your printer, it may send a message to your computer, notifying you of the problem. Alternatively, you may need to look at the printer to check if it is displaying an error code or if it has any flashing lights that could indicate a problem. Many Houston printers are designed with lights that flash in a specific pattern to indicate what type of problem they are experiencing. You can look at these flashing patterns up in the printer's manual to find out what they mean. Once you correct the problem, don't forget to restart your print job if it was interrupted before it had a chance to finish.

Jammed Paper

Even the best multifunction copiers for business and the highest-end Houston printers can experience paper jams. As the paper is pulled through the printer, it can get slightly off track, causing it to jam. Anytime you experience a paper jam, it is important to use care when removing the paper that is stuck inside of the printer. Make sure that the entire sheet of paper has been removed. Typically, the printer won't resume until every bit of paper from the paper jam has been cleared out.

Check Your Printer Queue

Most Houston printers can be placed in offline mode through the printer's software. If you have finished troubleshooting the machine itself and can't find anything wrong, check the printer queue on your computer to make sure that it has not been placed on hold or that the printer status has not been switched to offline. In some cases, you may also need to press a button on the printer to reactivate it, based on the type of Houston printer that you have. Once your printer has been placed back online, it should automatically print documents as usual.

Hardware Issues

Although offline errors are usually caused by problems with the paper, ink, or other consumables, they can sometimes be caused by hardware issues, as well. Check the error code on your printer or look up the light sequence for any flashing lights to find out where the problem may lie. In some cases, you may be able to fix it simply by turning the printer off and then turning it back on again to clear its memory. You should also try checking the printer cable to make sure that it is still functioning correctly. If it is a wireless printer, try connecting it to your computer with a cable to see if it is a problem with your wireless connection. For more information, please feel free to call us now or contact Advanced Business Copier today! Visit our blog for more related articles!