When a printer fails to be recognized, there can be a number of possible causes. To determine the exact issue and troubleshoot it, follow these steps:
1. Check the power cable. Make sure it is securely connected to the electrical outlet and device. Also, check if the power switch is turned on.
2. Make sure the printer is connected to the computer via USB or Wi-Fi. If the printer is connected via USB, check the USB cable connection and make sure it is securely plugged into both the computer and the printer.
3. Also, check if the printer is compatible with the computer’s operating system. If the printer is not compatible, it may not be recognized by the computer.
4. Restart the printer and the computer. This will reset the connection between the two devices and might resolve any unrecognized printer issue.
5. Uninstall and reinstall the printer drivers. This can help make sure that the correct drivers for the printer are in place and functioning correctly.
6. Update the printer drivers. To do this, install the latest updates from the manufacturer’s website.
7. Check if the printer is listed in Device Manager. If it is, then try updating the driver for the printer.
8. Check for any printer services running in the background. If there are unnecessary services running, disable them, as they could be interfering with the printer recognition.
9. Make sure that the printer is set as the default printer. You can do this by accessing the Printers & Scanners page in Windows control panel.
10. Check if other devices are recognizing the printer. If other devices are able to recognize the printer, then the issue may be with the computer.
11. Try connecting the printer to a different computer and see if it will be recognized. If the printer is recognized by the new computer, then there may be something wrong with the previous computer.
12. Make sure the printer software is installed and fully up to date. If the software is out of date, then it may prevent the printer from being recognized.
13. Check for any damaged hardware. If any of the cables or ports are damaged, then it may be causing the printer to not be recognized.
14. If all else fails, factory reset the printer. This should restore the device to its original state and might clear out any unrecognized printer issue.