Canon's offline article gives a short checklist. Make sure the printer is plugged in and powered on. Make sure the printer and the computer are on the same wireless network: print the printer's network settings and compare its network name, the SSID, with the network name shown on Windows or Mac. Check the signal strength on that printout: the higher the percentage the stronger the signal, and if it is below 80 percent Canon says to move the printer closer to the router if possible.
The checks in more detail
On a Windows PC make sure Use Printer Offline is not ticked: press the Windows key and R, type control printers and press OK, right-click the printer, choose See what's printing, open the Printer menu and clear the tick from Use Printer Offline, then print again. If that does not help, confirm you have selected the correct printer, since a job sent to a printer no longer connected produces a different message than one sent to the connected printer, and power cycle the printer and the wireless router to restore network communication.
For a USB connection, check the cable and power, try a wall outlet rather than a power strip, use a different USB cable, plug into the port on the printer's back and connect directly to the computer, not through a hub or extension. Canon's own tools, the Canon PRINT app and IJ Network Tool, can find the printer and re-run the connection. If the router changed, redo Easy Wireless Connect.
Print the network settings page once the printer is working and keep it, since the SSID, signal and address on it make every later offline problem faster to solve. If you change your router or its password, repeat Easy Wireless Connect before you assume the printer is broken. One quick test is to print from a different device on the same network: if a second computer prints, the first has a Windows setting, queue or driver fault, and if neither prints the fault is the printer or the network. That single test halves the search.
Differential
Likely causes of “Canon printers is offline or unavailable”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Different networks
What separates it The printer is not found because the device is on a different network
How to confirm Join the printer's network on the device, and try again
- 2
Weak signal
What separates it The signal is under 80 percent because the printer is far from the router
How to confirm Move the printer closer to the router, until the signal is above 80 percent
- 3
Use Printer Offline ticked
What separates it Windows shows the printer offline because Use Printer Offline is ticked
How to confirm Clear the tick in Use Printer Offline, in the printer's Windows settings
- 4
The wrong printer selected
What separates it The job goes to a dead printer because the wrong printer is selected
How to confirm Select the connected printer, and not an old entry, in the print dialog
- 5
A stale connection
What separates it The printer worked before but not now because a stale connection remains
How to confirm Power cycle the printer and the router, and let each one settle
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The printer model and the wireless status
- The network name on the printer and the device
- The signal strength on the network printout
- Whether Use Printer Offline is ticked
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck power
ReversibleCheck the power, and make sure that the printer is switched on and ready, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Print the network settings
ReversiblePrint the network settings, and compare the network name with the one on your device.
Check the signal
ReversibleCheck the signal on the printout, and aim for above 80 percent for a reliable link.
Clear Use Printer Offline
ReversibleClear Use Printer Offline in Windows, in the printer's settings dialog, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Select the right printer
ReversibleSelect the right printer in the print dialog, and not an old one that remains.
Power cycle
ReversiblePower cycle the printer and the router, one after another, and wait for each, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Re-run setup
ReversibleRe-run setup, using Easy Wireless Connect, if the printer still shows offline, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Lines
- Canon's offline steps apply to PIXMA, MegaTank and MAXIFY inkjets, and imageCLASS lasers use the same network checks.
- Network settings
- The network settings printout is under Setup or LAN settings on most models.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models TS9521C, PIXMA TS6420a, G7020, G6020, GX7021, GX4020, Color imageCLASS LBP632Cdw, imageCLASS MF455dw, Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the printer stays offline after matching networks and power cycling, re-run Easy Wireless Connect
- !If USB fails on another cable and port, contact Canon
- !If the signal stays low, move the router or use USB
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Same network, signal strength and Use Printer Offline.
Easy wireless connect and the Canon PRINT app.
Canon PRINT app connection.
Clearing a jam on the TS6420.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I check the signal strength?+
Print the network settings; a higher percentage is stronger.
What signal does Canon suggest?+
Canon suggests a signal of at least 80 percent on the network settings printout.
What is Use Printer Offline?+
A Windows setting that marks the printer offline.
Where do I clear it?+
control printers, then See what's printing, then Printer menu.
Should I use a USB hub?+
No, connect directly to the computer.
Which USB port?+
The one on the back of the printer.
Can the wrong printer be selected?+
Yes, the wrong printer can be selected, so check the name in the print dialog.
Should I power cycle the router?+
Yes, power cycle the router, since that clears many connection faults.
What tool finds the printer?+
The Canon PRINT app or IJ Network Tool.
What is a support code?+
A support code is a number, such as 1430 or 1727, that names the error and links to its fix.
Where do I find the model number?+
It is on a label on the printer, or in the printer name that the driver shows on the computer.
How do I cancel a print job on the printer?+
Press the Stop button on the printer, which cancels the job that is running at that moment.
What is the firmware update menu?+
On touch screen models it is under Setup, then Device settings, and then Firmware update.