Brother Printer Is Not Responding – How to Fix It

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If your Brother printer is not responding, it could be due to a connection issue, outdated drivers, incorrect settings, or a software malfunction. Follow these steps to diagnose and fix the problem so the printer can communicate properly with your computer or network.

Check the Printer’s Connection

For USB Printers
  • Ensure the USB cable is securely connected to both the printer and the computer.
  • Try a different USB port or cable.
  • Avoid using USB hubs or extension adapters.

For Wireless Printers
  • Make sure the printer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer.
  • Print a network configuration report from the printer’s control panel.
  • Restart the router and reconnect the printer to the network.

For Ethernet Printers
  • Ensure the Ethernet cable is properly plugged into the router and printer.
  • Check for link lights on the network ports.

Restart Printer and Computer
  • Turn off the printer and unplug it for 30 seconds.
  • Restart your computer.
  • Turn the printer back on and wait until it is fully initialized before attempting to print.

Set Brother as the Default Printer
  1. Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
  2. Right-click the Brother printer and select Set as default printer.
  3. Ensure other virtual printers (like PDF or OneNote) are not selected by default.

Cancel Pending Print Jobs
  1. Open Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
  2. Right-click your Brother printer and select See what’s printing.
  3. Click Printer in the top menu and choose Cancel All Documents.
  4. Wait for the print queue to clear.

Check Printer Status

Make Sure the Printer Is Online
  1. In Devices and Printers, right-click your Brother printer.
  2. Make sure Use Printer Offline is not checked.
  3. If it is, click to uncheck and bring the printer online.

Look for Error Messages
  • Check the printer’s display panel for error codes.
  • Resolve any ink, paper, or hardware issues before printing again.

Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers

Download the Latest Drivers
  1. Go to support.brother.com.
  2. Enter your model number.
  3. Download and install the latest drivers and software package for your OS.

Reinstall the Printer
  1. Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
  2. Right-click the Brother printer and choose Remove device.
  3. Reinstall using the setup package or Add Printer option.

Restart Print Spooler Service (Windows)
  1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
  2. Find Print Spooler in the list.
  3. Right-click and select Restart.
  4. Try printing again after restarting the service.

Check Firewall and Antivirus Settings
  • Temporarily disable firewall or antivirus software to see if they are blocking the connection.
  • Add Brother printer software to the exceptions list if needed.

Ping the Printer (Network Printers Only)
  1. Find the printer’s IP address via its control panel.
  2. On your computer, open Command Prompt and type: 
    ping [printer IP address]
  3. If the ping fails, the printer may not be properly connected to the network.

Use Brother Printer Troubleshooting Tools
  • Download and run the Brother Printer Troubleshooter Tool from their website.
  • The tool can automatically detect and fix common connectivity or driver issues.

If the printer is still not responding after trying these steps, it may require a firmware update or service inspection.

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