Canon Printer Not Printing — How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

A Canon printer that is connected but not printing usually has a stuck print queue, an offline status, empty ink, or a blocked print head. Start by clearing the print queue and checking that the printer shows as Online in your computer's settings. Most not-printing issues resolve without any hardware work.

Affected Models

Canon PIXMA MG2522
Canon PIXMA MG3620
Canon PIXMA TS202
Canon PIXMA TR4520
Canon PIXMA TS8020
Canon PIXMA MG5720

Common Causes

The printer is set to 'Use Printer Offline' mode in Windows and is not accepting new jobs
A previous failed print job is stuck at the top of the print queue, blocking all new jobs
One or more ink cartridges are empty or critically low, halting printing on that colour
The print head nozzles are clogged from infrequent use, producing no output despite the job being sent
The printer driver is outdated or corrupted after a Windows or macOS update
The Wi-Fi or USB connection has been lost and the printer is no longer receiving jobs

How to Fix It

On your computer, open the print queue: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & Scanners > your Canon printer > Open print queue. Cancel all jobs.

On Mac: System Settings > Printers & Scanners, click your Canon printer, then Open Print Queue.
Check that the printer is not set to Offline. Right-click the printer in your printer list and deselect 'Use Printer Offline' if it is checked.

Windows sometimes switches printers to Offline mode automatically when the connection drops briefly.
Turn the printer off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. Resend your print job.

A power cycle clears the printer's internal job buffer and resets the connection.
Check ink levels on the printer's display or in the Canon printer software on your computer.

Canon printers stop printing if any colour cartridge runs empty — even if you are printing in black only, on some models.
Run a print head cleaning cycle from the printer software: Maintenance > Cleaning (or Deep Cleaning).

Clogged nozzles are a very common cause of nothing printing after a period of non-use. Run nozzle check prints after cleaning.
If the problem started after a Windows or macOS update, uninstall the Canon driver and reinstall it from Canon's official website.

Download the full driver package, not just the basic driver — the full package includes the maintenance tools.

When to Call a Professional

If the printer powers on, shows no error codes, and accepts paper but still produces blank pages, the print head may be severely clogged or damaged. A Canon service center can perform a deep print head clean or replace the head. This is worth pursuing on higher-end models.

Frequently Asked Questions

My Canon printer shows as online but still won't print — why?

A stuck job at the top of the print queue is the most common culprit. Open the print queue, delete all jobs, turn the printer off and on, then resend. If it still fails, reinstall the driver.

Canon printer prints a blank page — is that the same as not printing?

Blank page output usually means the print head nozzles are clogged rather than a connectivity issue. Run two or three head cleaning cycles and print a nozzle check pattern to confirm nozzles are firing. See also: Canon printer printing blank pages.

Do I need to have all ink colours installed for black-only printing?

On most Canon PIXMA models, all cartridges must be installed — but not necessarily full. Some models refuse to print at all if any colour cartridge is empty, even for black text. Check your model's manual for its specific behaviour.