Solved: Brother Printer Receiving Data But Not Printing

Is your Brother printer receiving data but refusing to print? This issue can be quite frustrating, especially when you have important documents to print. Don’t worry—this guide will walk you through the steps to diagnose and resolve the problem.

Common Causes and Solutions

1. Check Printer Status

Step 1: Verify Printer Connection

• Action: Ensure that your printer is properly connected to your computer or network.
• How: Check the USB cable if it’s a wired connection or verify the Wi-Fi connection for wireless setups.

Step 2: Clear Printer Queue

• Action: Sometimes, a stuck print job can block the queue.
• How:
  1. Go to your computer’s Control Panel.
  2. Select “Devices and Printers.”
  3. Right-click your Brother printer and choose “See what’s printing.”
  4. Cancel all documents in the queue.

Step 3: Set Printer as Default

• Action: Ensure your Brother printer is set as the default printer.
• How:
  1. Go to “Devices and Printers” in the Control Panel.
  2. Right-click your Brother printer and select “Set as default printer.”

2. Check Printer Settings

Step 1: Check Print Settings

• Action: Ensure that the correct printer is selected and that it is set to print.
• How:
  1. Open the document you want to print.
  2. Go to the Print menu and select your Brother printer.

Step 2: Ensure Printer is Online

• Action: Make sure your printer is online.
• How:
  1. Go to “Devices and Printers” in the Control Panel.
  2. Right-click your Brother printer and ensure “Use Printer Offline” is unchecked.

3. Update Printer Drivers

Outdated or corrupt drivers can cause the printer to receive data but not print.

Step 1: Download Latest Drivers

• Action: Visit the Brother website to download the latest drivers.
• How:
  1. Go to the Brother support page.
  2. Enter your printer model and download the latest driver.

Step 2: Install the Driver

• Action: Follow the on-screen instructions to install the new driver.
• How: Make sure your printer is connected to your computer during the installation process.

4. Perform Printer Maintenance

Step 1: Clean Print Head

• Action: A dirty print head can prevent printing.
• How: Use the printer’s maintenance menu to perform a print head cleaning.

Step 2: Run a Test Print

• Action: Verify that the printer can print a test page.
• How:
  1. Go to the printer’s settings or maintenance menu.
  2. Select “Print Test Page.”

5. Check for Firmware Updates

Step 1: Download Firmware Update

• Action: Check the Brother website for firmware updates for your printer model.
• How:
  1. Visit the Brother support page.
  2. Enter your printer model and download any available firmware updates.

Step 2: Install Firmware

• Action: Follow the instructions to update the printer’s firmware.
• How: Connect your printer to your computer and follow the on-screen prompts.

6. Verify Print Spooler Service

Step 1: Restart Print Spooler

• Action: Sometimes, the print spooler service can cause printing issues.
• How:
  1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
  2. Find “Print Spooler” in the list, right-click, and select “Restart.”

Step 2: Check Print Spooler Settings

• Action: Ensure that the print spooler is set to start automatically.
• How:
  1. In the Services window, right-click “Print Spooler” and select “Properties.”
  2. Set the startup type to “Automatic.”

Summary Table

Conclusion

Now you can diagnose and fix the issue of your Brother printer receiving data but not printing. Regular maintenance and keeping your printer software up to date can prevent such problems from recurring.

If you found this guide helpful, please share it with others who might benefit from it. Happy printing!