Wi-Fi printer shows Offline on a Mac

Q: Why does the printer work from my iPhone but not from my Mac?

The Mac may have saved an old IP address. Check lpstat -v and re-add the printer.

A Mac shows a printer as Offline when it cannot reach the printer at the address or name that it saved. The printer can be on Wi-Fi and still be unreachable from the Mac.

Fix this with your agentCopies a prompt for Claude Code, Codex or any agent that can use Terminal.

My Mac has this problem: Wi-Fi printer shows Offline on a Mac. Read https://kilobat.app/guides/printer-offline-mac.md and work through it with me. Install the Kilobat CLI if it’s missing: brew install seifip/kilobat/kilobat. Run the guide’s Terminal and kilobat checks yourself and tell me what you find. List the steps only I can do. Ask before you change any setting.

Applies to: macOS 14 Sonoma and later. Local Network privacy settings are in macOS 15 Sequoia and later.Checked: 7 November 2026

Symptoms

The print queue says that the printer is offline, or that it is not connected.
The printer’s own screen shows a Wi-Fi connection.
Printing works for some days, then stops after a power cut or a router restart.
The printer went offline after a new router, a new mesh or a new provider.
The printer went offline after a macOS update, but other devices can still print.
The printer prints from a phone, but not from the Mac.

Likely causes

The printer has a new IP address. The router gives the printer an address that can change. A printer added by IP address keeps the old address, so the Mac looks in the wrong place.
The printer is on another network. After a router change, the printer can stay on the old Wi-Fi name, the guest network or another subnet.
The printer supports 2.4 GHz only. Some printers work only on the 2.4 GHz band. The printer's manual or specifications say which bands it supports.
The router blocks discovery. Device isolation, guest networks and VLANs stop Bonjour. See AirPlay or AirPrint stopped working after a new router or mesh.
The vendor app lost Local Network access. On macOS 15 and later, a printer app needs Local Network permission. See An app cannot find devices on the local network.
The queue is paused or has an error. A paused queue or a stuck job can make the printer look unavailable.

How to check

On the printer, print a network configuration page. Note its IP address and Wi-Fi name.
Make sure that the Mac uses the same Wi-Fi name. Hold Option and click the Wi-Fi icon.
Show the address that the Mac saved for each printer.
```
lpstat -v
```
Output ipp://, lpd:// or socket:// with an IP address is a fixed address. dnssd:// means that the Mac finds the printer by its Bonjour name.
If the saved address is not the printer’s current address, the printer moved. Re-add it.
Test the printer’s current address. Replace the example address.
```
ping -c 3 192.168.1.50
```
Look for printers that announce themselves on the network.
```
dns-sd -B _ipp._tcp
```
Show whether each queue is enabled.
```
lpstat -p
```

How to fix it

Restart the printer. Then restart the router if the printer is still offline.
Open Print Center from the Dock. If the queue is paused, click the Resume button.
In your router, reserve the printer’s current IP address. This is also called a DHCP reservation.
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Printers & Scanners.
Control-click the offline printer. Choose Remove Printer, then confirm.
Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax. Select the printer in the list, then click Add.
If the printer is not in the list, click the IP button.
Type the printer’s IP address. For Protocol, choose AirPrint if the printer supports it.
If AirPrint does not work, choose Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) or HP Jetdirect – Socket.
Apple says that printers added with generic protocols may have limited features.
Click Add. The printer can take a minute or two to appear.
For a 2.4 GHz-only printer, make sure that the router’s 2.4 GHz band is on.
If the router has a separate 2.4 GHz name, connect the printer to that name.
After a macOS update, turn on Local Network access for the printer app. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network.
If nothing works, reset the printing system. Apple says that this deletes all printers, jobs and presets.
To reset, Control-click in the Printers list. Choose Reset Printing System. Then add the printer again.

The exact menus for your router, from FRITZ!Box and Xfinity to eero and Livebox: router guides.

With Kilobat

List the devices that the Mac has seen, with their IP and hardware addresses. Find the printer by its hardware address.
```
kilobat devices
```
Browse for printers that announce IPP over Bonjour.
```
kilobat bonjour _ipp._tcp
```
Check if casting and printing can work on this network.
```
kilobat local check
```
Kilobat cannot set an address reservation in your router. Use the router’s app for that.

Questions

Do I need the printer maker’s driver?

Not for an AirPrint printer. Apple says that AirPrint prints without extra drivers or software. Some features may need the maker’s software.

Why does the printer work from my iPhone but not from my Mac?

The Mac may have saved an old IP address. Check lpstat -v and re-add the printer.

Why does my printer go offline after every power cut?

The router can give the printer a new address after it restarts. Reserve the address in the router, or add the printer from the list by its Bonjour name.

Where do I find help for my printer brand?

See the HP, Canon, Epson and Brother printer guides, and the AirPrint guide.

Sources

Apple Support: Add and manage printers on Mac
Apple Support: Solve printing problems on Mac
Epson: I see the message Printer is Offline when I try to print with a wireless (Wi-Fi) connection on my Mac
lpstat(1), dns-sd(1) and ping(8), man pages installed with macOS 27.2

Checked on 7 November 2026.