Epson's support pages list Printer is Offline as a common error and point you to your model's FAQ tab, and its user's guide covers the network case under Network Software Cannot Find Product on a Network. Start with the display: if the LCD is dark, press a button to wake the product from sleep, and read any code, since Epson's status list pairs each E, W and I code with a fix. Turn the printer off and on. Check the connection: on wifi the Wi-Fi light or icon should show connected;
The checks in more detail
print a network status sheet from the control panel to read the network name and signal, and compare the name with the one the computer uses. If a router was replaced or its password changed, run the Wi-Fi Setup Wizard again from the control panel, or use the Epson Smart Panel app to reconnect. Restart the router and the computer. On Windows open Printers & scanners, remove the Epson entry and add it again from the Epson driver, or reinstall the driver from the Epson support page for your model.
Make sure the printer is not set to Use Printer Offline. Update the driver and firmware with Epson Software Updater. If the machine works over USB but not wireless, the fault is the network. If it goes offline at the same time each day, it may be dropping wifi in sleep, so keep it awake or reserve its address on the router. Print a network status sheet once the printer works and keep it, since the network name, signal and address on it make every later offline problem faster to solve,
and after a router change you can compare the new range with the old. One quick test is to print from a phone on the same network. If the phone prints, the computer has a queue, driver or Windows setting fault, and if neither prints, look at the printer or the network. If the printer goes offline overnight, check the sleep and power-off timer settings in its menu, since a printer that switches itself off will show as offline until someone wakes it.
Differential
Likely causes of “Epson printers is offline or unavailable”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A changed router or password
What separates it The printer shows offline because the router or the wifi password has changed
How to confirm Run the Wi-Fi Setup Wizard again, and enter the new network details
- 2
A different network
What separates it The computer cannot find the printer because it is on a different network
How to confirm Join the printer's network on the computer, and try to print again
- 3
An error on the LCD
What separates it A code is showing because the printer has an error on its screen
How to confirm Follow the fix for the code that shows on the screen, then try again
- 4
A stale driver
What separates it Windows shows the printer offline because its driver has become stale
How to confirm Reinstall the driver, by removing the printer and then adding it again
- 5
Sleep dropping wifi
What separates it The printer is offline each morning because sleep mode drops its wifi link
How to confirm Wake the printer before you print, or reserve its address on the router
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The model and any LCD code
- The network name on the printer and computer
- The network status sheet that the printer prints
- Whether printing over a USB cable works
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedWake it and read the LCD
ReversibleWake the printer, and read the screen, noting any code that it shows, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Restart printer and router
ReversibleRestart the printer, the router and the computer, one after another, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Print a network status sheet
ReversiblePrint a network status sheet, and compare the network name with your computer's, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Run the Wi-Fi Setup Wizard
ReversibleRun the Wi-Fi Setup Wizard if the router changed, so the printer joins the new one.
Reinstall the driver
ReversibleReinstall the driver, by removing the printer and adding it again on the computer, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Update firmware
ReversibleUpdate the firmware, using Epson Software Updater, if the printer is reachable, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Test by USB
ReversibleTest by USB, to isolate whether the network is the cause of the problem, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Lines
- Epson's offline steps apply to EcoTank, WorkForce Pro, Expression and SureColor printers.
- SureColor
- The SureColor P700 is a photo printer with its own driver and network setup.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models EcoTank ET-2800, EcoTank ET-2850, EcoTank ET-3850, EcoTank Photo ET-8550, Expression Premium XP-7100, P700, WorkForce Pro WF-4830, WorkForce Pro WF-7840.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the printer stays offline after re-running wifi setup and reinstalling the driver, test by USB
- !If a code shows a service condition, contact Epson
- !If the printer cannot see any network, contact Epson support
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Errors, Power Cleaning, Event Manager and maintenance box.
E, W and I codes, ink pads and Recovery Mode.
Firmware updates in Windows and macOS.
Banding fixes.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What if the LCD is dark?+
Press any button to wake it from sleep.
Where is Printer is Offline explained?+
On Epson's printer errors help and your model's FAQ tab.
What is the Wi-Fi Setup Wizard?+
A control panel option that reconnects the printer to wifi.
What is Epson Smart Panel?+
An app for setup and control on iOS and Android.
What updates the firmware?+
Epson Software Updater updates the firmware, and the drivers as well.
Does sleep drop wifi?+
Yes, sleep can drop the wifi link, so wake the printer before you print.
What is head alignment?+
It is a routine that lines up the print head, to remove banding in your prints.
Where is the Maintenance menu?+
It is on the printer's control panel home screen, where the cleaning tools are found.
What does AirPrint need?+
It needs Paper Setup Auto Display enabled on the printer, for iPhones and Macs to print.