- Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner and select System Settings.
- In the settings menu, scroll down and select Printers & Scanners. (If you use the older Mac OS version, the settings might differ, but the printer settings might be there.)
- Under the Printers & Scanner settings, set the Default printer you want to set and use.
- You will see the printer you’re using under the Printers section.
- Click on the arrow icon next to the Printer you use and click the Printer Queue option.
- A new window will appear on the screen. Remove all the files and confirm by restarting the device to proceed.
Fix 2: Shut Down and Restart Your Printer
Another effective solution you can prefer is to shut down and restart your printer. This might help you in resolving the printer not working problem with macOS Sonoma. If there is an issue with the printer itself, it’s best to restart the printer and try again. To shut down and restart the printer, press and hold the Power button on the printer.
Alternatively, you can restart your printer by power cycling it. If your printer is connected via the cable connection, unplug all the cable connections from the power source or Mac. After that, wait for a few minutes and then connect the cable back to check if the issue has been resolved. If the problem persists, follow the next solution.
Fix 3: Update Printer Driver
Sometimes, the outdated or oldest printer version can cause issues preventing you from accessing Mac printers. With each OS update, the printer manufacturer brings a new update to make it compatible with the latest version of the OS. Ensure to update the driver to the latest version and check the results. Here’s how to do it.
- Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner and select System Settings.
- In the settings menu, scroll down and select Printers & Scanners.
- Choose your printer from the list and click the minus (-) button next to it to remove it.
- Next, click on the Delete Printer in the confirmation dialog box.
- Once you’re done, click on the Plus icon and then select Add Printer or Scanner. (Select the printer type: USB, Wireless, or Ethernet connection.)
- Choose your printer under the “Use or Print Using” drop-down menu and click the Add button.
- Click on the Apple logo in the upper left corner and select App Store.
- Navigate to the Updates tab and download and install the available printer update.
Once you update the printer driver, check if the issue has been resolved by printing the documents from your printer by connecting it to the Mac. Make sure both the Mac and printer are connected to the same network. If the issue persists, you should follow the next solution.
Fix 4: Disable Antivirus/Firewall
In certain instances, a firewall or antivirus might conflict with the printer and services on the system. In such a case, you should consider disabling the firewall or antivirus on your macOS Sonoma. Here’s how you can disable the firewall on your Mac:
- Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner and select System Settings.
- Click the Network on the left-hand side.
- Here, go to Firewall and click on the toggle next to Firewall to disable it.
- Check if the issue has been fixed or not.
Fix 5: Delete Temporary Files
If you’re using the HP printer with your Mac system and there’s a problem with the HP Smart app, it could be due to temporary caches and data. Therefore, you should consider uninstalling the temporary files and then reinstalling its fresh instance from scratch. Here’s how to do it.
- Launch Finder and head over to the Application. Then, drag and drop the HP Smart app into the trash.
- Navigate to the Users/Username/Library/Application Support folder and delete the files. (If any of the files are there).
- Download and install the HP Smart app version from the App Store.
- Once you’re done, check if the issue has been resolved.
Fix 6: Remove and Reinstall the Printer
If the above solutions don’t work out, you should remove and reinstall the printer on your Mac. Doing this will refresh the underlying settings and could rectify the problem you’re facing with the printer and Mac. Therefore, follow this method and try checking the results.
- Shut down your printer completely and head over to System Settings.
- In the settings menu, scroll down and select Printers & Scanners.
- Choose your printer from the list and click the minus (-) button next to it to remove the printer.
- Next, click on the Delete Printer in the confirmation dialog box.
- Once you deleted the printer, open Finder and navigate to Library > Printers. Here, ensure to delete the folder named after your printer.
- Next, go to Library > Printers > PPD > Contents > Resources and delete the file named after your printer.
- Head over to Library > Cache and delete the folder named after your printer.
- Once you’re done, restart your Mac and power on the printer. After that, visit your printer’s download site and download the latest drivers by choosing the correct model number.
- Launch the driver setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
- Finally, check if the issue has been resolved by printing the documents.
Fix 7: Update Your Mac
The outdated software version can occasionally cause numerous conflicts and glitches on the Mac, including the applications or services. However, if you can still not access your printer on your Mac, it could be possible that your Mac is running on the oldest software version. In such a scenario, you should update the macOS Sonoma to the latest version to check if the issue has been resolved.
To check for software updates on your Mac, follow these steps:
- Click on the Apple menu icon in the upper left corner of your screen.
- From the menu, choose System Settings.
- Click the General on the left-hand side.
- Then, click the Software Update option. (Your system will now check for software updates).
- If an update is available, ensure to download and install it on your Mac.
Fix 8: Reset Printer System
If none of the above workarounds helps out to fix the printer not working issue on your macOS Sonoma, then you should reset the printer system. Resetting the printer system will turn out to the factory default state.
Here’s how you can perform a reset printer system on your Mac by following the steps below:
- Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner and select “System Settings.”
- In the settings menu, scroll down and select “Printers & Scanners.”
- Right-click on the blank space in the Printers list and click “Reset printing system.”
- Click on the Reset in the dialog box. (Wait for the process to complete till there are no printers on the list).
- Once you’re done, restart your Mac.
- Next, head over to System Preferences > Printers & Scanner.
- Click on the Plus (+) icon and choose your printer from the list and click the “Add” button.
- Finally, click “Print Using…” and then choose your printer model from the list. That’s it.
This is how you can troubleshoot and solve the printer not working issue on your device by following the mentioned solutions in this article that we have listed. We hope you’ve found this article helpful to you. In case the solutions don’t work out, you can perform a factory reset on your Mac or reach out to a technician. However, if you’ve any queries, let us know in the comments section.
