Brother Printer Not Printing – How to Fix It

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If your Brother printer is not printing, it may be due to connection problems, driver issues, paper jams, low ink or toner, or print queue errors. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to identify and fix the issue.

Check Printer Connections

USB or Wired
  1. Ensure the USB cable is firmly connected to both the printer and computer.
  2. Try a different USB port or cable if necessary.

Wireless
  1. Make sure the printer is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network.
  2. On the printer’s control panel, go to Network > WLAN > Status.
  3. Reconnect the printer to Wi-Fi if the connection has dropped.

Restart Printer and Computer
  1. Turn off the printer and computer.
  2. Unplug the printer from power for 30 seconds.
  3. Plug it back in, turn it on, and then restart your computer.

Set the Correct Default Printer
  1. On Windows:
    • Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
    • Right-click your Brother printer and select Set as default printer.
  2. On Mac:
    • Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
    • Select your Brother printer and set it as default.

Clear the Print Queue
  1. On Windows:
    • Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
    • Right-click the Brother printer > See what’s printing.
    • Click Printer > Cancel All Documents.
  2. On Mac:
    • Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
    • Select your printer, click Open Print Queue, and cancel all pending jobs.

Update or Reinstall Printer Driver
  1. Go to the Brother support website and download the latest driver for your model.
  2. On Windows:
    • Open Device Manager > Printers.
    • Right-click your Brother printer and choose Update driver.
  3. On Mac:
    • Remove the printer from Printers & Scanners.
    • Re-add it and allow macOS to download the latest driver.

Check for Paper Jams or Low Ink/Toner
  1. Open the printer and inspect for paper jams.
  2. Check if ink or toner is low or empty.
  3. Replace or refill cartridges as needed.

Run Printer Troubleshooter (Windows)
  1. Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
  2. Select your printer > Manage > Run the troubleshooter.

Reset the Printer
  1. Turn off the printer.
  2. Hold the Go or Stop button while turning it back on (model-dependent).
  3. Release the button once all LEDs light up or the screen shows reset options.
  4. Follow instructions to perform a factory reset if necessary.

If the Brother printer still won’t print, try connecting it to another computer or contact Brother support for model-specific assistance.