When your Brother printer is not printing, it can disrupt both home and office workflows. Whether the issue comes from drivers, network settings, or hardware malfunctions, resolving it quickly is essential. Below we outline comprehensive solutions to restore your printer’s performance.
Common Causes of Brother Printer Not Printing
Before applying fixes, it’s crucial to identify the root cause. A Brother printer not printing usually occurs due to outdated drivers, incorrect settings, network connection issues, or clogged printheads. Knowing these reasons helps us apply the right solution without wasting time.
Check Printer Connection and Power
If your Brother printer won’t print, start with the basics. A loose cable, disconnected Wi-Fi, or inactive power source may prevent printing.
Ensure the printer’s power cord is properly plugged in.
Verify that USB or Ethernet cables are securely connected.
If using Wi-Fi, confirm the printer is connected to the correct wireless network.
Restart both the printer and computer to refresh connections.
Set Brother Printer as Default Printer
Sometimes, the Brother printer not printing issue arises because another device is set as the default.
Open Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
Right-click your Brother printer and choose Set as Default Printer.
Confirm the green checkmark appears next to your Brother device.
This ensures your print jobs are directed to the correct printer.
Clear Print Queue to Fix Printing Issues
A stuck print job can cause your Brother printer not to print. Clearing the queue often solves the problem.
Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
Right-click your Brother printer and select See What’s Printing.
Cancel all documents in the print queue.
Restart the printer and try printing again.
Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers
Outdated or corrupted drivers are a leading cause of the Brother printer not printing problem. Keeping your drivers updated is essential.
Manual Update Steps:
Visit the official Brother support website.
Enter your printer model and download the latest driver.
Install the update and restart your system.
Automatic Update with PcGoGo Driver Sentry
Manually updating drivers can be time-consuming. PcGoGo Driver Sentry simplifies the process by automatically detecting outdated drivers and installing the latest versions for your Brother printer.
Key benefits of PcGoGo Driver Sentry
One-click driver updates for printers and all devices.
Prevents printing errors caused by outdated drivers.
Boosts printer performance and reliability.
Saves time compared to manual downloads.
By ensuring your printer has the latest drivers, PcGoGo Driver Sentry helps prevent Brother printer not printing errors in the future.
Check Ink or Toner Levels
Low ink or toner often causes a Brother printer not printing black or color.
Open the printer’s control panel or software utility to check ink/toner levels.
Replace empty cartridges promptly.
Use only genuine Brother cartridges for best performance.
Fix Brother Printer Not Printing Wirelessly
Wireless printing problems are common with Brother printers. If your Brother printer is not printing over Wi-Fi, try the following:
Reconnect the printer to your wireless network.
Ensure your router is functioning correctly.
Restart the printer, router, and computer.
Assign a static IP address to avoid frequent disconnections.
Conclusion
When your Brother printer is not printing, the issue could stem from simple connectivity problems to outdated drivers. By following the troubleshooting steps above—checking connections, clearing the print queue, cleaning printheads, and updating drivers—you can restore printing quickly.
For long-term reliability, we recommend using PcGoGo Driver Sentry to automatically update and maintain your drivers. This proactive tool ensures your Brother printer always functions at its best, reducing downtime and keeping your workflow smooth.
