Alex Ruben
How To Fix Printing Issues on Brother DCP-T720DW in 2025
If your Brother DCP-T720DW just refuses to print, it’s kind of annoying. Sometimes it’s a dead connection, other times software hiccups or weird network stuff. This stuff can be frustrating because it’s not always obvious what’s wrong—especially if you’re dealing with wireless connections or jammed paper. The goal here? Run through some basic fixes to get that printer back online and actually printing again. Because, honestly, it’s annoying when you hit print and nothing happens, or the printer sits offline for no reason.
Most of these steps are pretty straightforward, and at worst, you’ll need to update drivers or reset some settings. The idea is to make sure everything’s communicating right—power, software, network, and physical hardware. After following these, you should expect your printer to get back into a working state. At least, that’s been the case on most setups. If it still acts up, then maybe it’s time to reach out to Brother support, but these steps cover most of the common pitfalls.
How to Fix Brother DCP-T720DW Printer Issues
Check Printer Power and Connections
First, make sure the printer’s actually turned on and wired or connected properly. It sounds obvious, but the number of times a loose cable or accidental power off causes chaos is surprising.
- Ensure the power cord is securely plugged into a good outlet—sometimes, the tiniest disconnection causes it to appear dead.
- Look at the display—if it’s dark or shows errors, that’s a sign to dig deeper.
- If you’re on Wi-Fi, double-check that the printer is connected to the right network. Sometimes, it falls off and connects to a neighbor’s or guest network instead.
Pro tip: log into the printer’s menu via the control panel and see if there’s a Wi-Fi signal indicator or network info. It might show the current network details, so you know it’s connected properly.
Set the Printer as Default and Make Sure it’s Online
This is often overlooked. Windows or macOS might set another printer as default, or the printer gets marked as offline for no obvious reason. Fixing this can be surprisingly easy.
- Open Control Panel > Devices and Printers (on Windows) or System Preferences > Printers & Scanners (on Mac).
- Right-click or select your Brother DCP-T720DW, then pick Set as default.
- If the status says Offline, right-click and choose Use printer online, or toggle the status if that’s available.
Expect this to push the printer back into active mode. Sometimes, Windows just needs a little nudge to recognize it’s supposed to be ready.
Power Cycle the Printer
This is basic, but it works on so many occasions. Not sure why, but just turning everything off and back on resets all those weird communication glitches. Especially with network printers, this can clear up stuck jobs or stuck statuses.
- Power it off using the button or unplug it completely.
- Wait about 30 seconds—yeah, a half-minute, enough for a reset.
- Plug it back in and turn it on.
- While you’re at it, restart your PC or Mac too for good measure.
On some machines, this fails the first time, then works after a second try. Honestly, worth doing before diving into driver reinstalls or more complex troubleshooting.
Clear the Print Queue
If the print jobs are queued up and not clearing, that can block all subsequent prints. Sometimes old jobs get stuck, then the whole printer just sits there waiting.
- On Windows, go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers. Right-click on your Brother DCP-T720DW and select See what’s printing.
- In the queue window, click Cancel All Documents. Confirm if asked.
- On Mac, open Printers & Scanners, select your printer, then click Open Print Queue. Clear out pending jobs.
Once done, try printing a test page again. Normally, this clears stuck jobs and gets things moving.
Check for Physical Issues
Broken paper jams, empty ink tanks, or misaligned trays are nuisances that pop up often. If your printer displays error codes on the LCD, that’s usually a clue.
- Open all covers (top, back, paper tray) and look for any stuck paper or bits of debris. Paper jams are a classic issue—remove the jammed paper gently to avoid tearing.
- If the paper tray isn’t recognized, remove it and re-insert it firmly until it clicks into place. Sometimes, it just needs a good seat.
- Check ink or toner levels via the LCD or the printer software on your computer. Refill or replace low tanks.
This is annoying, but physical health of the printer is often the root cause of weird printing behavior.
Update or Reinstall Printer Driver
If the problem still won’t go away, updating the printer driver is solid advice. Sometimes, drivers get outdated or corrupted, and that’s what causes the weird offline status or printing hiccups.
- Uninstall the current printer driver from Control Panel > Devices and Printers, right-click your Brother, then choose Remove device.
- Head over to the official Brother support website and grab the latest driver for the DCP-T720DW.
- Run the installer—be sure to choose the correct OS version.
- Restart the PC and try out printing again.
On some setups, an outdated driver is the culprit behind stubborn offline statuses. After a clean install, things often resolve.
Reset Network Settings (for Wireless Only)
If you’re on Wi-Fi, network issues can be a pain. Resetting the network on the printer itself can sometimes fix connectivity problems that prevent printing.
- From the printer’s control panel, go into Menu > Network > Reset Network.
- Confirm the reset, then use the Wireless Setup Wizard to reconnect to your Wi-Fi.
- Make sure your computer is on the same network—sometimes, especially with mesh routers, the printer connects to a different subnet.
On the one hand, of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary, but this reset often restores communication that was lost over time.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Things to keep in mind if problems keep cropping up:
- Check for software updates for both printer and system regularly—outdated firmware or OS versions can cause weird bugs.
- Keep the printer close enough to your Wi-Fi router—too much distance or interference causes flaky connections.
- Firewalls can block printing; make sure your network security allows communication with the printer if issues persist.
Wrap-up
Following these steps handles the most common frustrations with the Brother DCP-T720DW. A lot of times, it’s just a matter of resetting, updating, or checking physical parts. Once you get that print job out, it feels like a small victory. Regular maintenance, driver updates, and checking connections can save a lot of headaches in the future. If you’re still stuck after all this, the next move might be to call Brother support or check their forums for specific error codes. Fingers crossed this helps.
Summary
- Made sure the printer’s plugged in and powered on
- Set the printer as default and made it online
- Power cycled the printer and restarted the computer
- Cleared any stuck print jobs from the queue
- Checked for physical issues like paper jams and ink levels
- Updated or reinstalled drivers from Brother support
- Reset network settings and reconnected Wi-Fi (if wireless)