Your HP printer has Wi-Fi, but the device sending the job has lost the usable print path. Start with the fast connection and queue fixes first, then rebuild the network setup when the printer still will not print.
These steps use current HP, Microsoft, Apple, Google, and ChromeOS support paths.
Run HP Diagnose and Fix First
Use this first when you have the HP app on Windows 10 version 1809 or later, Windows 11, or macOS 12 Monterey or later. HP lists Diagnose & Fix for printer offline errors, network connectivity problems, print queue errors, spooler errors, port configuration problems, and driver update issues.
Open the HP app.
Select your printer.
Choose Diagnose & Fix.
Keep the HP app open while it checks the printer.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
You can also open Printers in the HP app, choose Diagnose & Fix, select Start, and follow the prompts.
When the HP app is not installed, go to 123.hp.com, install the HP app, open it, and add the printer with Add a new device or +.
Restart the Printer and Your Device
This fixes temporary offline states after the printer or computer loses the active connection.
Turn off the HP printer.
Unplug the printer from power.
Wait 30 seconds.
Plug the printer back in.
Turn the printer on.
Restart the computer, Mac, phone, or tablet you are printing from.
Try printing again after both devices are back online.
Put Everything on the Same Wi-Fi
The most common cause is a printer and device sitting on different local networks.
On Windows, open Start.
Go to Settings.
Choose Bluetooth & devices.
Open Printers & scanners.
Confirm the selected printer is the HP printer you want to use.
Use the printer's built-in menu to check its Wi-Fi connection and network name.
When the home network uses multiple routers, extenders, or SSIDs, connect the computer to the same SSID as the printer.
Use the same local-network check on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android because local printer discovery depends on the printer being reachable on the same Wi-Fi network unless you are using an HP cloud feature.
Clear the Windows Print Queue
A stuck job makes a connected HP printer appear offline in Windows 11. Open Start, then Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, and choose Printers & scanners.
Select your HP printer and open Open print queue. Choose ..., then select Cancel all.
Set the HP printer as the default from Printers & scanners. Select the printer and click Set as default; when that button is missing, turn off Let Windows manage my default printer first.
Skip old Windows 10 queue-menu advice that relies on Use Printer Offline. Windows 10 consumer support ended on October 14, 2025, and Windows 11 uses the current Printers & scanners queue and default-printer paths above.
Restart or Reset the Windows Spooler
This fixes an HP printer that stays offline because Windows is holding a bad queue or spooler state.
Select Search in the taskbar.
Type services.
Open Services.
Find Print Spooler.
Right-click Print Spooler, or select and hold it.
Choose Restart.
Try printing again.
When the printer still shows offline, open Services.
Use the Standards tab.
Double-click Print Spooler.
Choose Stop.
Click OK.
Search for %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers.
Open %WINDIR%\system32\spool\PRINTERS.
Delete all files inside that folder.
Return to Services.
Open Print Spooler.
Choose Start.
Set Startup Type to Automatic.
Click OK.
Remove and Add the HP Printer Again
Use this when Windows still points to a stale, duplicate, or offline HP printer queue after the faster fixes. Re-adding the printer gives Windows a fresh queue.
On Windows 11, open Start.
Go to Settings.
Choose Bluetooth & devices.
Open Printers & scanners.
Select the HP printer.
Choose Remove.
Confirm with Yes.
Stay in Printers & scanners.
Select Add a printer or scanner.
Choose Add device.
Follow the instructions.
On ARM or Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft specifically says to use Add device instead of the manufacturer installer unless HP gives different ARM guidance.
For HP software, drivers, firmware, or diagnostics tied to your exact printer model, use HP's official printer drivers page and enter or select the model before downloading.
Fix the Printer Queue on Mac
Click the Print Center icon in the Dock.
Click Resume when it appears in the toolbar.
Select any job blocking the queue and click Delete Job.
Select an individually paused job and click Resume Job.
Open the Apple menu.
Go to System Settings.
Choose Printers & Scanners.
Select Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.
Pick the HP printer when it appears.
When the new queue works, remove the old one from Printers & Scanners with Remove Printer.
For HP print software failures, open Options & Supplies for the printer and select Use Generic Printer Features.
Use Reset Printing System from Printers & Scanners as the last Mac step; it deletes all printers, completed job information, and printer presets.
Add your printers again afterward.
Use Reset Printing System only after every other Mac fix has failed, including the queue, old-printer, and generic-feature steps. Apple says to reset only when you have tried all possible solutions and still cannot print.
Reconnect the Printer After Router Changes
This fixes HP printers that went offline after a new router, Wi-Fi name change, Wi-Fi password change, router security change, or network settings change.
On most touchscreen HP printers, open the printer control panel.
Choose the Setup icon or Wireless icon.
Open Network setup or Settings.
Choose Restore Network Settings.
Open the HP app.
Reconnect the printer to your Wi-Fi network.
When your router and printer both support WPS push-button connection, open Wi-Fi Protected Setup on the printer.
Choose Push Button.
Select Start.
For many non-touchscreen HP printers, press and hold Wireless for about 5 seconds or until the wireless light flashes.
Within 2 minutes, press and hold the router's WPS button for 3 to 5 seconds.
Try Mobile Chromebook or Network Workarounds
On iPhone or iPad, confirm the device and AirPrint-enabled HP printer are on the same Wi-Fi network. Open the app you want to print from, use Share, More, Reply, or Actions Menu, choose Print, tap No Printer Selected, pick the HP printer, and tap Print.
On a Google Pixel, open Settings, then Connected devices, then Connection preferences, and choose Printing. Select a print service and turn it on, or use Add service and enter the printer information. Menu names differ on other Android phones: on a Samsung Galaxy, open Settings, then Connections, then More connection settings, then Printing.
On Chromebook, connect the Chromebook and printer to the same internet connection, click the bottom-right time, open Settings, go to Device, then Printers and scanners, then Print, and add the printer manually from Other available printers with + Add printer manually. Use Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) and ipp/print for the queue.
For home networks with mesh systems, extenders, guest networks, or filtering, keep the printer and computer on the same SSID and remove router rules that block printer discovery. When a wireless network test says filtering failed, allow the printer MAC address or disable filtering, then reconnect the printer with the HP app, WPS, or setup mode.
For work or school Chromebooks, printer changes are controlled by an administrator when the organization manages printer permissions. Ask the organization to add or allow the network printer.
If this method fails, use HP Wi-Fi Direct as a temporary way to print without the router, then repair the normal Wi-Fi printer queue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my HP printer say offline when it is connected to Wi-Fi?
The printer has Wi-Fi access, but the device or print queue cannot reach it correctly. The supported fixes target the HP app diagnostics, same-network setup, stuck print jobs, stale queues, spooler state, drivers, and router changes.
Should I use HP Print and Scan Doctor for this problem?
No. HP says HP Print and Scan Doctor was retired as of May 27, 2025. Use the HP app's Diagnose & Fix feature instead.
Can I still print while I fix the normal Wi-Fi connection?
Yes, on HP printers with Wi-Fi Direct. Enable Wi-Fi Direct on the printer, connect your computer or phone to the printer's Wi-Fi Direct network, and print through the HP app, the OS print dialog, or a supported print service.
What should I do after changing my router or Wi-Fi password?
Restore Wi-Fi setup mode or restore network settings on the HP printer, then use the HP app to connect the printer to the new Wi-Fi network.
