HP printer not printing? What to check first

⚡ Fast fix

• Printer offline? Make sure it's powered on and connected before changing anything else.
• Check the print queue. One stuck print job can hold up everything behind it.
• Low on ink? Some HP® printers won't print when ink is critically low.
• Save the driver reinstall for last. We almost always check the simple stuff first.

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Nothing tests your patience quite like clicking Print and watching the printer ignore you.

The document is ready. Your computer says it sent the job. The printer is sitting there looking perfectly normal. Yet somehow, nothing comes out.

Asurion Experts troubleshoot printer problems every day, and we've found most HP printer issues come down to a handful of common problems that are usually easy to rule out. Here's where we'd start.

Check whether the printer is actually connected

When an HP printer won't print, connection issues are usually the first thing we want to rule out.

Wi-Fi connections can drop, USB cables can work loose, and sometimes the computer simply isn't talking to the printer anymore. Hardware failures do happen, but they aren't nearly as common as basic connection problems.

Take a minute to check:

• The printer is powered on.
• It's connected to Wi-Fi or the USB cable is fully seated.
• The correct printer is selected on your computer.

Those checks only take a minute, but they eliminate several common causes right away.

Look for the obvious before chasing the complicated

We've all blamed software for a problem that turned out to be something much simpler.

Before digging any deeper, check for:

• Low or empty ink cartridges.
• A paper jam.
• Error messages on the printer display.

These are some of the most common reasons an HP printer suddenly stops printing.

Check the print queue

A single print job that gets stuck can block every job behind it, making it look like the printer has stopped working altogether.

Open the print queue on your computer and look for anything that's paused, stalled, or showing an error. If you see a stuck job, clear it and try printing again.

Restart the printer and your computer

If everything looks normal but the printer still isn't responding, give both devices a fresh start.

Restart the printer first, then restart your computer. Once they're both back on, send another print job.

This can clear temporary communication issues between the computer and printer. In fact, we usually do this before considering anything as drastic as reinstalling drivers.

Reinstall the HP printer driver

If the printer still won't print after you've checked the connection, ink, paper, print queue, and restarted everything, it's reasonable to start looking at the driver.

On Windows

1. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Select your HP printer.
3. Click Remove.
4. Restart your computer.
5. Download and install the latest printer software from HP Support.
6. Add the printer again and try another print job.

On Mac

1. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
2. Select your HP printer.
3. Click Remove Printer.
4. Restart your Mac.
5. Add the printer again. If prompted, macOS will automatically download the latest available driver.

Driver issues do happen, but we usually leave this as a last-ditch effort. More often than not, the problem turns out to be something much simpler, like a connection issue or a stuck print job.

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FAQ

Why is my HP printer connected but not printing?

Most of the time it's a connection issue, a stuck print queue, or the wrong printer being selected.

Can a stuck print job stop everything else from printing?

Yes. One stalled print job can block every job behind it.

Should I reinstall my HP printer drivers first?

Usually not. We save that for last after checking the basics.

Why does my HP printer say it's online but nothing prints?

Check the print queue, ink levels, and make sure your computer is sending the job to the correct printer.

How do I know if my HP printer needs repair?

If it still won't print after working through these steps, the problem may be hardware-related and worth having checked.