Brother Printer Not Printing? Updated 2026 Guide

Is your Brother printer not printing even though it is connected to your computer or Wi-Fi network? This common problem can interrupt important tasks at home or in the office. Brother printers may stop printing because of connectivity issues, outdated drivers, empty ink or toner cartridges, paper jams, incorrect settings, or pending print jobs.

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Whether your Brother printer is not printing on Windows 10, Windows 11, or Mac, this guide explains the common causes and provides 10 practical troubleshooting solutions to help restore normal printing.

Why Is My Brother Printer Not Printing?

Before troubleshooting, it is important to understand the possible reasons behind the problem.

Common causes include:

• Empty or improperly installed ink or toner cartridges.

• Paper jams or incorrectly loaded paper.

• Weak or unstable Wi-Fi connections.

• Incorrect printer settings.

• Outdated or incompatible printer drivers.

• Stuck documents in the print queue.

• Printer offline or paused status.

• Print Spooler service errors.

• Blocked printhead nozzles on inkjet models.

• Hardware or maintenance-related problems.

10 Easy Fixes for Brother Printer Not Printing

1. Restart Your Brother Printer and Computer

Temporary communication errors can prevent your Brother printer from processing print jobs.

Follow these steps:

1. Turn off your Brother printer.

2. Shut down your computer.

3. Wait approximately 30 seconds.

4. Turn the printer back on.

5. Restart your computer.

6. Send a test page to the printer.

If the printer still does not print, continue with the next troubleshooting method.

2. Check Your Brother Printer Connection

A disconnected USB cable or unstable Wi-Fi connection can interrupt printing.

For USB printers, verify that the cable is securely connected and try another USB port.

For wireless printers, confirm that the printer and computer can communicate over the same local network.

Restart your router if the wireless connection appears unstable.

3. Check Ink or Toner Levels

Low or empty ink and toner cartridges may prevent your printer from producing documents correctly.

Open the printer's control panel or compatible Brother software to check supply levels.

Replace empty cartridges with compatible supplies recommended for your printer model.

Ensure that cartridges are installed correctly and that any required protective packaging has been removed.

4. Clear Pending Print Jobs

Stuck documents in the print queue may prevent new printing tasks from starting.

To clear the queue:

1. Open Settings on your computer.

2. Navigate to Printers & scanners.

3. Select your Brother printer.

4. Open the print queue.

5. Cancel pending print jobs.

6. Restart the printer.

7. Print a test document.

Clearing the queue may resolve temporary printing problems.

5. Disable Printer Offline Mode

If your Brother printer displays an offline status, your computer may not be communicating with it correctly.

On Windows, open Control Panel and select Devices and Printers.

Right-click your Brother printer and choose See what's printing.

Open the Printer menu and disable Use Printer Offline if it is enabled.

Also verify that printing is not paused.

6. Update Brother Printer Drivers

Outdated or incompatible drivers can cause printing errors and installation problems.

Visit Brother's official support website and search for your printer model.

Download the recommended driver for Windows 10, Windows 11, or macOS.

Install the software and restart your computer if required.

After installation, print a test page to check whether the problem is resolved.

7. Check for Paper Jams

Paper jams can stop printing and trigger warning messages.

Turn off the printer if instructed by the device's troubleshooting procedure.

Open the appropriate access covers and carefully remove any jammed paper.

Check the paper tray, rear cover, and paper output area.

Avoid pulling paper forcefully, as this may damage internal components.

Reload the paper correctly before restarting the printer.

8. Restart the Windows Print Spooler

The Windows Print Spooler manages printing tasks and sends documents to connected printers.

To restart the service:

1. Press Windows + R.

2. Type services.msc.

3. Press Enter.

4. Locate Print Spooler.

5. Right-click the service.

6. Select Restart.

After restarting the service, try printing again.

9. Clean the Brother Printhead

If your Brother inkjet printer produces blank pages, faded text, or missing colors, clogged printhead nozzles may be responsible.

Open the printer's Maintenance or Ink settings.

Run the print quality check and follow the recommended cleaning procedure.

Print another test page after cleaning.

Note: Printhead cleaning applies to compatible inkjet models, not Brother laser printers. Avoid repeated unnecessary cleaning cycles because they consume ink.

10. Remove and Reinstall Your Brother Printer

If none of the previous solutions works, reinstalling the printer may resolve corrupted software settings.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Printers & scanners.

2. Select your Brother printer.

3. Choose Remove device.

4. Restart your computer.

5. Download compatible Brother printer software.

6. Install the printer again.

7. Print a test page.

Brother Printer Not Printing on Windows 11 or Mac

If your Brother printer is not printing on Windows 11, open Settings, select Bluetooth & devices, and navigate to Printers & scanners.

Verify that the correct printer is selected, clear pending jobs, and check the printer connection.

For Mac users, open System Settings > Printers & Scanners and select the Brother printer.

Check the print queue for paused documents or error messages. Remove and re-add the printer if necessary.

Brother Printer Not Printing Black or Color Ink

Sometimes Brother inkjet printers produce blank pages or fail to print specific colors.

This may happen because of low ink levels, clogged printhead nozzles, or incorrect printing settings.

Check the ink cartridges, run a print quality test, and perform the recommended cleaning procedure.

For Brother laser printers, faded or missing print may involve toner cartridges, drum units, or other hardware components.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Brother printer connected but not printing?

Your printer may be connected but unable to print because of stuck print jobs, incorrect settings, outdated drivers, or printer communication errors.

How do I fix Brother printer not printing black ink?

Check the black ink level, run a print quality test, and perform the recommended printhead cleaning procedure if your inkjet model supports it.

Why is my Brother printer printing blank pages?

Blank pages may result from empty cartridges, clogged inkjet nozzles, incorrect document settings, or toner-related problems on laser models.

How do I reset my Brother printer when it is not printing?

Restart the printer first. If necessary, follow the model-specific instructions for resetting appropriate printer settings.

Can outdated drivers stop my Brother printer from printing?

Yes. Incompatible or corrupted printer drivers may interfere with printing. Installing the recommended Brother software can help resolve these problems.

Conclusion

If your Brother printer not printing issue continues, begin by checking the printer connection, ink or toner levels, paper tray, and print queue.

These 10 troubleshooting methods can resolve many common Brother printing problems on Windows 10, Windows 11, and Mac. If the problem persists, consult Brother's official support resources for model-specific assistance.

Need Additional Assistance?

If you’ve tried the troubleshooting steps above and still need help (Dial +1-803-866-1601 USA), our independent technical support team can assist with printer troubleshooting. We are not affiliated with or authorized by Brother or any other printer manufacturer.