Why Is My HP Printer Offline But Connected to WiFi? – Troubleshoot & Fix

It’s a common frustration: your HP printer shows as offline, even though it’s connected to your WiFi network. You try to print, but nothing happens. This issue can disrupt your workflow, but fortunately, it’s often solvable with a few troubleshooting steps. This guide will walk you through a comprehensive solution to get your HP printer back online and printing smoothly again.

Many users face this problem, and it’s often related to software glitches or driver issues rather than a problem with your WiFi connection itself. This step-by-step approach focuses on completely removing and reinstalling your HP printer software to ensure a fresh and clean installation.

Step-by-Step Solution to Bring Your HP Printer Back Online

This process involves uninstalling your current HP printer software, removing residual driver files, and then reinstalling the software. Important Note: If you have other printers installed on your computer, you may need to reinstall them after completing these steps.

Step 1: Uninstall the HP Printer Software

The first step is to uninstall the currently installed HP printer software from your Windows PC. This ensures we start with a clean slate.

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
2. Find your HP printer software in the list of installed applications.
3. Click on your HP printer software and select Uninstall.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation process.
5. Restart your computer after uninstalling the software.

For more detailed instructions on uninstalling printer software in Windows, you can refer to HP’s official guide on Uninstalling the Printer Software (Windows).

Step 2: Remove Printer Driver Files from Print Server Properties

Even after uninstalling, some printer driver files might remain on your system. We need to remove these to ensure a completely clean removal.

1. Open Print Server Properties by pressing Windows key + R, then type printui /s /t2 in the Run dialog box and press Enter. Alternatively, you can search for “printui /s /t2” in the Start Menu search bar and click on it.
2. In the Print Server Properties window, go to the Drivers tab.
3. Select your HP printer driver from the list.
4. Click Remove at the bottom of the window.
5. Choose Remove driver and driver package and click OK.
6. Click Yes to confirm the removal.
7. Close the Print Server Properties window.

Step 3: Backup Your Registry

Modifying the Windows Registry can be risky if not done correctly. Before proceeding with the next steps, it’s crucial to back up your registry. This allows you to restore your system to its previous state if anything goes wrong.

Follow HP’s guide on how to back up your registry: Backing up the Registry (Windows). This step is crucial for system stability and is highly recommended.

Step 4: Update the Registry Using a .reg File

This step involves running a registry (.reg) file to adjust printer-related policies on your PC.

Caution: Only proceed with this step if you are comfortable modifying registry settings and have backed up your registry as instructed in Step 3. Download and run files from unknown sources at your own risk.

Download the registry file from this Dropbox link: kernel.reg

1. Once downloaded, locate the kernel.reg file.
2. Double-click the file to run it.
3. Windows will prompt you to confirm if you want to run the file and make changes to your registry. Click Yes to proceed.
4. You will receive a confirmation message once the registry keys have been successfully added. Click OK.

Step 5: Stop the Print Spooler Service

The Print Spooler service manages print jobs on your computer. We need to stop this service before renaming driver folders in the next step.

1. Right-click the Start Menu and select Run.
2. Type services.msc and press OK. This will open the Services window.
3. Scroll down and locate the Print Spooler service in the list.
4. Right-click on Print Spooler and select Stop.
5. Keep the Services window open for the next step.

Step 6: Rename Driver Folders

This step involves renaming specific driver folders to ensure they are not interfering with the new printer software installation.

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:WindowsSystem32spooldrivers.

2. Locate the folders named W32X86 and x64.

3. Right-click on the W32X86 folder and select Rename. Rename it to W32x86.old.

4. Right-click on the x64 folder and select Rename. Rename it to x64.old.

   Note: If you encounter an error when renaming these folders, restart your PC and repeat steps 4, 5, and 6.

5. After renaming the folders, close File Explorer and return to the Services window.

6. Right-click on Print Spooler again and select Start to restart the Print Spooler service. Close the Services window.

Step 7: Restart Your PC

Restart your computer to ensure all changes are applied correctly.

Step 8: Reinstall the HP Printer Software

Finally, reinstall your HP printer software.

1. Go to the HP support website (support.hp.com).
2. Enter your printer model in the search bar and navigate to the support page for your printer.
3. Download the latest full feature software and drivers for your printer, compatible with your operating system.
4. Run the downloaded installer file and follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall your HP printer software.
5. During the installation process, ensure you select the Wireless connection type if you are using WiFi.
6. Follow the prompts to connect your printer to your WiFi network.

After completing these steps, your HP printer should now be online and ready to print. Try printing a test page to confirm that the issue is resolved.

By following these detailed steps, you can effectively troubleshoot and resolve the “HP printer offline but connected to WiFi” issue. This comprehensive approach ensures a clean software environment for your printer to operate correctly on your wireless network.