Brother Printer Not Printing — Step-by-Step Fix
By Ryan Green · Updated July 2026 · Independent guide · PrinterCare USA LLC (not affiliated with any printer manufacturer)
It's frustrating when your Brother printer accepts print jobs but produces nothing—you see the document disappear into the queue, but no paper comes out. This almost always means communication between your computer and printer has broken down, not that your printer is broken.
The good news: this is one of the easiest Brother issues to fix at home. We'll walk through the exact steps technicians use, starting with the fastest fixes first.
How to fix it — step by step
- Check if printer is offline. On Windows 11: Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Find your Brother printer and click it. If you see an "Open queue" button with a warning icon, your printer is offline. Click "Open queue" and look for a "Printer" menu option at the top—select "Use Printer Online." On macOS: Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select your Brother printer, and click "Open Print Queue." If jobs are paused, click the resume button.
- Clear the stuck print queue. On Windows 11: Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Click your Brother printer > Open queue. Right-click each job and select "Cancel." If jobs won't delete, restart your computer and repeat this step. On macOS: In Print Queue, select stuck jobs and click the delete/X button. Restart your Mac if they persist.
- Restart the print spooler service (Windows only). Press Windows key + R, type "services.msc" and press Enter. Scroll down and find "Print Spooler." Right-click it and select "Restart." You'll see it stop and start. Close the window and try printing again. This clears corrupted print data that Windows is holding.
- Power cycle both devices. Turn off your Brother printer completely (not sleep mode) and unplug it for 30 seconds. While it's unplugged, restart your computer. Plug the printer back in and wait 2 minutes for it to fully boot. Try a test print from Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac).
- Reinstall or reseat the USB/network connection. If using USB: Unplug the cable from both the printer and computer. Wait 10 seconds, then reconnect firmly. On Windows, go to Device Manager (Windows key + X, select it), expand "Printers," right-click your Brother printer, and select "Update driver > Search automatically." If using network/WiFi: Restart your router and reconnect the printer to WiFi through the printer's touchscreen menu.
- Download the official Brother driver. Go to support.brother.com/g/b/countrytop.aspx, select your country (US), enter your exact Brother model number (on the back/bottom of printer), and download the "Full Driver & Software" package for your OS. Uninstall the current driver from Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features first, restart, then install the new driver.
- Check for paper jams and error codes. Open all access panels on your Brother printer and look for stuck paper, toner, or ribbon fragments. Check the printer's display screen for error codes like "PF" (paper feed) or "OPC" (drum unit). Consult your manual for the specific code. Even a tiny piece of paper in the feed sensor can stop all printing.
- Test with different software and file types. Try printing a test page directly from your Brother printer's menu (using its physical buttons), not your computer. If the test page prints, the printer works—the problem is your computer/driver. If nothing prints from the printer itself, the printer has a hardware issue requiring service.
Still stuck? A technician can fix it remotely today.
Independent remote support — you watch every step, and you pay the flat $49 only after your printer is working. $0 if we can't fix it.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the print job disappear but nothing prints?
The job is likely stuck in Windows Print Spooler or your printer is offline but still accepting data. The printer isn't rejecting the job; your computer thinks it sent it successfully.
I can print from my phone but not my computer—what's the issue?
This confirms your printer works fine but has a driver or communication problem with your specific computer. Reinstalling the official Brother driver (Step 6) almost always solves this. Your phone uses a different connection method (typically cloud-based or direct WiFi) that bypasses the computer driver.
The printer shows 'offline' but it's plugged in and powered on—how do I fix it?
Windows sometimes marks printers offline due to driver crashes. In Print Queue, click the Printer menu and select "Use Printer Online." If it goes back offline immediately, uninstall the driver completely (Step 6) and reinstall it fresh. A corrupted driver installation is the most common cause.
What if I've done all these steps and still nothing prints?
If a test page won't print directly from the printer's button menu, your Brother has a hardware fault (printhead, formatter board, or motor issue) requiring professional repair. Remote troubleshooting support is available for $49 if you want verification before investing in repair service.