My HP Color Laser Jet MFP M283fdw suddenly stopped printing, although it will still copy and scan.

[AnuNak17]

My HP Color Laser Jet MFP M283fdw suddenly stopped printing, although it will still copy and scan. I've run a diagnostic using the app, which found no issues. I've checked my internet connection and router, both of which are fine. I've tried turning everything off and on again. I've gone through the steps suggested in the video linked by HP support, including removing and adding the printer and resetting it. Nothing works, and I can't figure out why. Any suggestions??

[Sneha_01]

Hi @AnuNak17,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

When you've thoroughly checked the basics and followed the recommended troubleshooting steps without success, it's time to delve a bit deeper. Since your HP Color Laser Jet MFP M283fdw is still able to copy and scan but not print, this suggests that the issue might be related specifically to the printing function, possibly due to software or connectivity issues, rather than a hardware fault (since the scanner and copier functionalities are operational). Here are some advanced steps you can try:

Check Printer Drivers and Software:

• Ensure your printer drivers are up to date. Visit the HP website, find your printer model, and download the latest drivers. Sometimes, drivers can become corrupted or outdated, causing issues with printing.
• If you recently updated your operating system or made significant changes to your computer, this could also potentially cause compatibility issues with your existing printer drivers. A reinstallation of the latest drivers can help.

Print Queue:

• Check your print queue to make sure there are no stuck or failed print jobs. A single stuck job can halt all subsequent printing attempts. You can access the print queue by going to the “Printers & Scanners” settings, selecting your printer, and clicking on “Open queue”.

Printer Spooler Service:

• The Printer Spooler service on your computer may need to be restarted. This service manages print jobs sent to your printer. To restart it, type "Services" in your Windows search bar, find "Print Spooler" in the list, right-click it, and select "Restart".

Network Settings:

• Since it's a network printer, there might be an issue with the IP address configuration. Printers can sometimes lose their connection to the network if their IP address changes. Try setting a static IP address for your printer through your router's settings or the printer's control panel.
• Also, check if your computer and printer are on the same network segment. If you have multiple networks (like 2.4GHz and 5GHz), make sure both devices are connected to the same one.

Firewall/Antivirus Settings:

• Sometimes, firewall or antivirus software can block the communication between your computer and printer. Temporarily disable your firewall or antivirus to see if this resolves the issue. Remember to turn them back on after testing.

Different Software/Application:

• Try printing from a different application or software. If you can print from another program, the issue might be with the software from which you're trying to print.

HP Print and Scan Doctor:

• If you haven't already, use the HP Print and Scan Doctor tool designed specifically to diagnose and resolve printing and scanning problems. You mentioned running a diagnostic, but if it wasn't with this tool, it's worth a try.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Rachel571 

HP Support

[AnuNak17]

Good morning, Rachel,

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I have tried the following:

Check Printer Drivers and Software - as far as I can tell, it's all up to date, but the HP site is not very helpful in this regard - all I get when I search how to do that is a bunch of videos, the most recent of which is how to install software so that it's up to date with Mac OS X. Since my system is Mac OS Sonoma, this is not helpful.

Check Print Queue - there is nothing in the print queue, so that's not causing the issue. 

Check Printer Spooler Service - I followed the insrructions to do this, and now the printer is removed from my Settings and I can't add it back.

As for the network settings, I checked all of that beforehand - the connection is fine, both my computer and printer were on the same network segment.

HP Print and Scan Doctor - apparently this doesn't exist for Mac, which is more than a bit surprising.

Since the printer is no longer connected to my computer and is not appearing in the list of printers to add, I cannot try to print from another application. Besides, I was trying to print a downloaded PDF when the issue occurred, not a Pages or Word or Excel document. 

If you have any other suggestions - such as how to add my printer to the list of printers in my System Settings again - I would be very grateful. What I don't understand is that my printer is appearing in the HP Smart app, but is no longer in my list of printers on the HP Smart website, and there doesn't seem to be an available way to add it back.

Many thanks,

AnuNak17

[Sneha_01]

Hi @AnuNak17 ,

We are sorry that the issue is not resolved when the above troubleshooting steps were performed.

This might require one-on-one interaction to fix the issue via remote assistance. 

Unfortunately, there are no further actions we can take through this channel. I recommend reaching out to our phone support for further assistance.

1. Click on this link -  https://support.hp.com/us-en

2. Select the country.

3. Enter the serial number of your device.

4. Select the country from the drop-down.

5. Click on "Show Options".

6. Fill out the web form. A case number and phone number will now populate for you.

Please feel free to contact us here anytime you need any further assistance.

Have a great day!

Rachel571 

HP Support

[AnuNak17]

Hi Rachel,

Apparently my warranty has expired, so phone support is unavailable to me. I did find a way to add the printer back to my HP Smart dashboard, but apparently I can't re-add it unless I'm registered in the HP All-in-One Plan - which requires me to commit to buying a new printer?? Is this correct? If so,  I'm sorry to say it, and I know it's not your fault personally, but this seems like a bit of a money grab on HP's part. If it does turn out that I will need another printer, this experience has made me think that I would do better to look at another brand. 

Thank you for trying to help, though.

Best,

Anuradha

[Raj_05]

Hi @AnuNak17,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like you've already covered many of the initial troubleshooting steps, which is good. Here are a few additional suggestions you can try.

• Check Printer Status Lights: Sometimes, printers have indicator lights that can provide clues about what might be wrong. Check the printer's display panel or status lights for any error messages or indications of a problem.
• Update Printer Firmware: Ensure that your printer's firmware is up to date. Sometimes, firmware updates can resolve issues that affect printing functionality. You can usually find firmware updates on the HP website.
• Check Printer Drivers: Make sure that the printer drivers on your computer are properly installed and up to date. Outdated or corrupted drivers can sometimes cause printing problems. You can usually download the latest drivers from the manufacturer's website.
• Printer Queue: Check the printer queue on your computer to see if there are any pending print jobs that might be causing the issue. Try canceling any pending print jobs and then try printing again.
• Network Settings: Double-check the network settings on your printer to ensure that it is connected to the correct network and that the network settings are configured correctly.
• Firewall or Antivirus Settings: Sometimes, firewall or antivirus settings on your computer can interfere with the printer's ability to communicate over the network. Temporarily disable any firewall or antivirus software on your computer and see if that resolves the issue.
• Factory Reset: As a last resort, you can try performing a factory reset on your printer. Keep in mind that this will erase any custom settings you have configured on the printer, so be sure to note them down before proceeding.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, it's possible that there may be a hardware problem with the printer itself.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Alden4

HP Support