What To Do When Your Computer and Printer Won’t Talk to Each Other

You hit Print. Nothing happens. You try again.   Still nothing.

You look at the printer. The printer looks back at you innocently.

And suddenly, it feels like your computer and printer have had a falling out. Before you decide they're both being difficult, there are a few simple things you can check. Sometimes it's something really easy to fix. Other times, these simple checks can help you work out where the problem actually is.

1. Check the connection

First things first — are your computer and printer actually connected?

If you're printing over Wi-Fi, check that the printer is connected to the network you're expecting it to use.If you're using a USB cable, check that the cable is securely connected at both ends. It sounds obvious, but a connection that has dropped or a cable that has been knocked loose can be all it takes for your computer and printer to stop communicating. Think of it as checking whether they're still in the same conversation.

2. Make sure you're talking to the right printer

Do you have more than one printer installed?

It's surprisingly easy to send a document to the wrong one. Before you hit Print, take a quick look at the printer selected. You could be sitting there wondering why nothing is coming out, while your document is quietly waiting at another printer across the office. Check the printer name before you press Print.

3. Check the printer itself

Sometimes your computer is ready to print, but the printer isn't.

Have a quick look at the printer display and check for:

An error message An offline message A paper jam No paper Low or empty toner/ink A paper tray or paper-size warning

Your computer might be saying “Ready to print!” while your printer is saying “Not until you sort this out.”

 4. Check the print queue

This is a big one.

A print job can sometimes get stuck in the queue and prevent the jobs behind it from printing.

Open your printer's print queue and have a look at what's waiting. If there's a document sitting there that hasn't moved, cancelling the stuck job and trying again may get everything moving.

And here's a little tip…Don't keep pressing Print!

If nothing appears to be happening, pressing Print five more times isn't necessarily going to help. You could end up with five copies waiting in the queue — and when the printer finally decides to cooperate, you might suddenly have a very impressive stack of paper!

5. Try printing something else

If you're having trouble printing one particular document, try printing something simple.

For example, try another document or a simple test page.

If the second document prints normally, the problem may be with the original document rather than the printer itself.

It's a quick way to narrow down what's going wrong.

 6. Try another computer

If another computer in your office uses the same printer, try printing from it.

This can be a really useful test.

If the other computer prints successfully…

The printer is probably communicating with the network, and the problem may be related to the first computer.

If neither computer can print…

Then it's more likely that the problem is with the printer, its connection or something on the network.

A simple test like this can save a lot of guessing.

 7. Check the paper settings

Sometimes the printer isn't jammed or broken at all.

It may simply be waiting for the right paper size or tray.

For example, your document could be set up for one paper size while the printer is expecting another.

If your printer is displaying a paper or tray message, check what it's asking for before assuming something has gone wrong.

 8. Give them both a fresh start

Sometimes your computer and printer just need to reconnect.

Save anything you're working on and restart your computer. You can also restart the printer if appropriate.

It's a simple step, but it can clear temporary communication problems and give the devices a fresh start.

Basically, we're giving them a chance to start the conversation again.

Still not talking?

If you've worked through the basics and your computer and printer are still giving each other the silent treatment, there may be something else going on.

It could be a network issue, printer settings, software or driver problems, or another issue that isn't obvious from your desk.

And if this is happening regularly, don't just keep restarting everything every time it happens.

If you constantly have to reconnect the printer, clear print queues or repeat the same fixes, it's worth finding out why it's happening.

That's where we can help.

We'll help you troubleshoot the problem and find the right solution — whether it's a simple fix or something that needs a little more investigation.

Think of us as couples counselling for your technology. 😂

We'll sit down with the problem, work through their issues, figure out why your computer and printer aren't seeing eye to eye, and help get them communicating again.

Because sometimes your technology just needs someone who knows how to get them talking.

If your technology is giving you grief, give our Tech Team a call.