Brother printer not printing?
Brother’s own checklist is short: power and sleep mode, any error on the machine, the USB or network link, the print queue, then the driver.
How is your Brother connected?
Step 1 of 2Likely cause
Likely cause: the machine is not connected to the same network as the computer, or it has not rejoined after a restart.
- 1Turn off the wireless router, the computer and the Brother machine.
- 2Turn them on again in that order: router first, then the computer, then the machine.
- 3Wait at least five minutes for the machine to join the Wi-Fi network.
- 4Try to print again.
Likely cause
Likely cause: the cable connection has failed, or a USB hub is getting in the way.
- 1Disconnect the USB cable from both ends and reconnect it.
- 2If you use a USB hub, remove it and plug the machine straight into the computer.
- 3Turn the machine off and on.
- 4Try to print again.
Likely cause
Likely cause: an error such as a paper jam or empty ink or toner is blocking printing, or the machine is asleep or off.
- 1Press any button to wake the machine from sleep mode, and check it is plugged in and switched on.
- 2Read the message on the display and clear it, such as a paper jam or an empty ink or toner.
- 3Turn the machine off and on.
- 4Send one small test print.
Most likely causes
Power or sleep mode
A machine that is off, unplugged or asleep cannot receive a job. Pressing a button wakes it from sleep.
An error on the machine
Errors such as a paper jam or empty ink or toner can stop printing until they are cleared.
The USB or network link
A loose cable, a USB hub or a machine that has not rejoined the Wi-Fi network breaks the link to the computer.
A stuck job or a driver problem
An interrupted job can block the queue, and a damaged driver can make every job fail.
What to try, in order
- 1Check power and errorsMake sure the machine is on, press a button to wake it, and clear any error on the display before anything else.
- 2Check the connectionFor USB, reconnect the cable at both ends and drop any hub. For Wi-Fi, restart the router, the computer and the machine in that order and wait at least five minutes.
- 3Delete all print jobsAn interrupted job can leave the queue stuck so the machine ignores later jobs. Cancel every job and try again. See print job stuck in the queue.
- 4Reinstall the driverDownload the latest Full Driver & Software Package for your model from Brother’s support site and install it again.
Clear any error on the machine before you reinstall the driver. A reinstall will not clear a paper jam or an empty ink or toner message.
When to stop and replace
If the machine still does not print after the connection checks, a cleared queue and a driver reinstall, contact Brother support with the model name and any error code. The machine may need service.
Inkjet or laser?
Inkjet printers
On a Brother inkjet, if jobs print but pages are blank, faint or missing a color, the cause is ink. Print our nozzle check once the machine is feeding paper.
Print a nozzle checkLaser printers
On a Brother laser, also check the display for a toner or drum message and make sure the covers are closed, then try one simple test page.
Download a test PDFBrother’s order of checks
Brother’s support pages for a machine that will not print follow a clear order. Start with power, because a machine in sleep mode will not respond until it is woken. Then clear any error such as a paper jam or empty ink or toner, since these can stop printing completely. Only then look at the connection.
USB and network links
For USB, reconnect the cable at both ends and take out any hub. For a network, Brother says to restart the router, then the computer, then the machine, and to wait at least five minutes for the machine to rejoin the Wi-Fi. If the computer lists the machine as offline, see printer offline.
A stuck queue
If a job is interrupted it can block everything behind it, so delete all jobs and try again. See print job stuck in the queue and, on Windows, print spooler not running.
Reinstall as a last step
Install the latest Full Driver & Software Package from Brother. For the steps to print a Brother test page, see our Brother guide, or browse all printer problems.
Good questions
Why is my Brother printer not printing?
How do I get my Brother printer back on Wi-Fi?
Why did my Brother stop printing over USB?
Which driver should I install?
How do I print a Brother test page?
Related problems
- Printer is offlineYour computer says the printer is offline.
- Print job stuck in queueJobs sit in the queue and never print.
- Driver or connection issueThe printer is not found or will not connect.
