HL-3170CDW
FAQs & Troubleshooting |
I cannot print from my computer via USB.
To resolve this issue and be able to print again, follow the recommendations below:
- Check the status of your Brother machine
- Check the connection of your Brother machine and the computer
- Check the printer driver settings
- Check your application's settings
- Restart your Brother machine and the computer
- Reinstall the printer driver
STEP 1: Check the status of your Brother machine
- Make sure that your Brother machine is turned on.
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Check if the machine's display or LED indication of your Brother machine is not showing some error. If an error is displayed, go to the Troubleshooting section and find a solution.
If the machine's screen is blank or Deep Sleep Mode, press any button on the machine to see if it wakes from Sleep Mode.
STEP 2: Check the connection of your Brother machine and the computer
NOTE: Illustrations shown below are from a representative product and operating system, and may differ from your Brother machine and operating system.
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Try disconnecting and reconnecting the USB cable on from both ends. Disconnect both your Brother machine and the computer and reconnect.
NOTE: When the USB connection confirmation screen appears, click Allow or Yes.
(If you are using a USB hub, remove it and connect your Brother machine directly to the computer.) -
We recommend that the USB cable you use supports the following specifications:
- twisted pair cable
-shielded
-no longer than 6 feet long (2 meters) - Verify that the cable is connected to the USB port on the machine and not a Network port, Line Jack, Ext Jack or any port other than USB port.
- Connect to a different USB port on the computer.
- Try another identical USB cable.
STEP 3: Check the printer driver settings
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Open the printer folder.
(Windows 11)
Click Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
(Windows 8 / Windows 10)- Open the Control Panel. (Click here to see how to open the Control Panel.)
- Click Hardware and Sound => Devices and Printers
Click (Start) => Devices and Printers
(macOS 13 or later)- Click Apple Menu and select System Settings.
- Scroll and select Printers & Scanners in the left navigation bar.
Click Apple Menu and select System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
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Check the following printer driver settings.
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If the Brother printer is not listed, the driver may not be installed properly. Go to STEP 6.
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(Windows only)
If multiple Brother machine's copy icon (for example: Brother [model name] (Copy 1)) exists in the printer list, locate the proper printer driver to use.
(Windows 11)
- Turn the Brother machine on. If any other machines are connected, only turn the Brother machine on that you want to use.
- Select your Brother machine.
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Make sure the Brother machine's status.
If the status is idle, it means the printer driver is working correctly. Select this printer driver when printing.
If you don't know which printer driver to select, place the cursor on the printer icon for a while, the status of the printer driver will pop up.
If the status is Offline, the printer driver is not working. Select the printer driver that status is not Offline.
If you always want to print from this printer, right click on the icon of the machine and select set as default printer. And then you will see the check mark on the machine. When you print next time, this printer driver will be selected automatically.
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If the Brother printer is not listed, the driver may not be installed properly. Go to STEP 6.
Delete all print jobs.
(Windows 11)
- Select your Brother machine, and then click Open print queue.
- If any print job in the queue, click > Cancel all.
(Windows 7 / Windows 8 / Windows 10)
- Right-click your Brother machine and select See what's printing.
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Click Printer => Cancel All Documents => Yes.
If Cancel All Documents is gray out, click Open As Administrator. Enter a password for an administrator and click Yes.
(Mac)
- Select your Brother machine, and then click Print Queue or Open print queue.
- If any print job in the queue, select the print job you want to delete. Click .
Make sure that the printer status is not paused or offline. (Windows only)
(Windows 11 or later)
This step is available until Windows 10.
If you use Windows 11 or later, go to STEP 4.
(Windows 7 / Windows 8 / Windows 10)
- Right-click your Brother machine and select See what's printing.
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Click Printer => Pause Printing or Use Printer Offline. (Make sure no check mark appears next to this setting.)
If Pause Printing or Use Printer Offline is gray out, click Open As Administrator. Enter a password for an administrator and click Yes.
STEP 4: Check your application's settings
- Confirm that the Brother printer driver is selected in your application's Print window.
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Try printing from some other application. If you succeed to print from another application, there is an issue in the application that you have been trying to use.
Check the settings in the application and if the issue still continues, contact the application manufacture.
STEP 5: Restart your Brother machine and the computer
Turn your Brother machine off and restart the computer. And then turn your Brother machine on again.
Try to print. If you still cannot print, go to next step.
STEP 6: Reinstall the printer driver
The printer driver may not be installed correctly.
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Uninstall the printer driver.
(Windows)
> Click here to see how to uninstall the printer driver.
(Mac)
> Click here to see how to uninstall the printer driver.
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Download the latest Full Driver & Software Package / Full Software Package and re-install it. The installation instructions are available on the download page.
> Click here to download Full Driver & Software Package / Full Software Package in the Downloads section.If your Brother machine is not available Full Driver & Software Package / Full Software Package, re-install the latest Printer Driver and/or Scanner Driver (if applicable).
The installation instructions are available on the download page.
> Click here to download Printer Driver and/or Scanner Driver in the Downloads section.(Macintosh)
If you do not find Printer Driver and Scanner Driver, we recommend using AirPrint.
If you want to see how to add your Brother machine with AirPrint, see the Related FAQs at the end of the page.When your machine does not support AirPrint, you do not find AirPrint FAQ in the Related FAQs. Download Brother iPrint&Scan from the App Store.
If the issue still continues, contact Brother Customer Service from "Contact Us".
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