ThisCalculator

Everyday

Brother Printer Won’t Wake From Deep Sleep: Fixes

Updated · Standard formula, shown below

Brother Printer Won't Wake From Deep Sleep: Fixes

If your Brother printer is stuck in deep sleep and won’t respond to print jobs or button presses, the fix usually involves disabling the deep sleep mode or adjusting its timer through the printer’s menu or the Brother software. Here are the step-by-step troubleshooting steps to wake your printer and prevent it from becoming unresponsive again.

Why Brothers Enter Deep Sleep and Won’t Wake

Brother printers have a power-saving feature called Deep Sleep that drastically reduces power consumption when idle. It’s more aggressive than regular Sleep mode: the display may go blank, the network connection may drop, and the printer may not respond to print commands until it fully wakes up. This is by design, but it becomes a problem when the printer doesn’t wake reliably—often due to a firmware bug, a network setting, or a hardware issue. The most common complaint is that the printer appears “off” even though it’s plugged in, and you have to physically press a button or power-cycle it to get it working again.

Quick Fixes to Wake the Printer Now

Before diving into settings, try these immediate steps to get your printer responsive again:

  • Press any button on the printer’s control panel. Pressing a button (like the power button or a navigation arrow) usually wakes it from deep sleep. Wait 10–15 seconds for it to fully boot.
  • Send a test page from the computer. Sometimes the printer is actually awake but the network connection is lost. Try printing from the printer’s built-in test page menu (often under “Print Reports” or “Maintenance”).
  • Power-cycle the printer. Turn it off with the power button, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on. If the button doesn’t respond, unplug the power cord, wait a minute, and plug it back in.
  • Check the display. If the screen is completely dark, it’s likely in deep sleep. If it shows a message like “Deep Sleep” or “Sleep,” press any button to wake it.

If these don’t work, the printer may be stuck in a deeper state, and you may need to reset the network or firmware (see below).

Adjusting the Deep Sleep Timer via the Printer Menu

Most Brother printers allow you to change the Deep Sleep timer or disable it entirely. The exact menu names vary by model, but the general path is:

  1. Press the Menu button on the printer.
  2. Navigate to General Setup or Settings (sometimes under “Maintenance” or “Power”).
  3. Look for Sleep Timer or Deep Sleep Timer.
  4. Select Deep Sleep Timer and choose Off, or set it to a longer duration (e.g., 60 minutes instead of 10).
  5. Confirm the selection and exit the menu.

If you don’t see a Deep Sleep option, look for a “Power Save” or “Sleep Mode” setting. On some models, you can only adjust the regular Sleep Timer, and Deep Sleep is fixed. In that case, you may need to disable the entire power-saving feature via the printer’s web interface (see next section).

Using the Printer’s Web Interface (Web-Based Management)

Brother printers with a network connection have a built-in web server that lets you change settings from a browser. This is often the easiest way to disable deep sleep completely.

  1. Find the printer’s IP address. Print a network configuration page (usually via the printer’s menu: Print Reports > Network Configuration) or check your router’s device list.
  2. Open a web browser and type http://printer-ip (e.g., http://192.168.1.20).
  3. Log in if prompted. The default username is usually admin and the password is often access or blank (check the manual).
  4. Go to Device Settings or General.
  5. Look for Power Settings or Sleep Timer.
  6. Set Deep Sleep Timer to Off, or set it to a longer time.
  7. Apply the changes and restart the printer.

If you can’t log in, try the default credentials listed in your manual. If you’ve changed them and forgotten, you may need to reset the printer to factory defaults (see below).

Network and Driver Issues That Mimic Deep Sleep

Sometimes the printer is awake but the computer can’t see it because of network or driver issues. This creates the same symptom: print jobs sit in the queue and the printer seems unresponsive.

  • Check the Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. The printer’s display should show a network icon. If it’s missing, the printer may have dropped off the network. Reconnect it via the printer’s network menu (usually under Network > WLAN).
  • Update the printer driver. An outdated driver may not send the wake-up signal correctly. Download the latest driver from Brother’s support site for your exact model.
  • Disable power saving on the computer’s USB port. If connected via USB, Windows can put the USB port to sleep. Go to Device Manager > Universal Serial Bus controllers, right-click the USB Root Hub, select Properties > Power Management, and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.”
  • Set the printer to always be online. In Windows, go to Devices and Printers, right-click your Brother printer, select Printer Properties > Ports, and uncheck “Enable bidirectional support” if it’s causing issues (though this may disable ink level reporting).

Firmware Updates and Factory Reset

Brother periodically releases firmware updates that fix known deep sleep wake issues. Check your model’s support page on Brother’s website for the latest firmware and update instructions. If the problem persists after updating, a factory reset may clear any corrupted settings:

  1. Turn off the printer.
  2. Hold down the Cancel button (or the Back button on some models) while turning it on.
  3. Keep holding until the display shows “Factory Reset” or a similar prompt.
  4. Confirm the reset and re-run the initial setup (language, date, network).

After a factory reset, you’ll need to reconnect the printer to your Wi-Fi and reinstall the driver. This is a last resort, but it often resolves persistent wake failures.

When to Contact Brother Support

If you’ve tried all the above and the printer still won’t wake, there may be a hardware fault—such as a failing power supply or main board. In that case, contact Brother support for your region. They can run diagnostics and, if the printer is under warranty, arrange a repair. Before calling, have your model number and serial number ready (usually found on a label on the back or inside the toner access door).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Brother printer go into deep sleep so quickly?

The default Deep Sleep timer is often set to a short interval (e.g., 10–30 minutes) to maximize energy savings. You can extend it or turn it off entirely via the printer menu or web interface. Some models also have a separate “Sleep Timer” that controls the lighter sleep mode; setting that to a longer time can delay deep sleep.

Can I disable deep sleep completely on my Brother printer?

Yes, on most models. In the printer’s menu, look for Deep Sleep Timer and select Off. If that option isn’t available, use the web interface and look for a power-saving setting. If you still can’t find it, check the manual—some entry-level models may not allow disabling it, but you can set the timer to the maximum value (often 60 minutes).

Why does my printer not wake when I send a print job?

This is usually a network issue. The printer may be in deep sleep and not listening for network traffic, or the computer may be sending the job to a stale IP address. Try waking the printer manually with a button press first. Then ensure the printer has a static IP address (set via the web interface or router) to avoid IP changes that break the connection.

Will leaving the printer on all the time damage it?

No, Brother printers are designed to be left on. Disabling deep sleep will increase power consumption slightly, but it won’t damage the printer. The trade-off is faster response times versus a few extra dollars in electricity per year. If you’re concerned, set the sleep timer to a longer interval rather than turning it off completely.

How do I wake my Brother printer from deep sleep without pressing a button?

If you’re away from the printer, you can’t wake it remotely unless it’s in regular sleep (not deep sleep). Some models allow wake-on-LAN, but this is rare. The most reliable way is to press any button on the printer. If you need remote printing, consider setting the deep sleep timer to a longer duration or disabling it entirely.

Related

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.