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How to Connect a New Printer to Your Computer

Tap a step to see how it works.

  1. Power on and connect the printer

    Turn the printer on and connect it with a USB cable, or, for a wireless printer, join it to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer.

  2. Open printer settings on your computer

    Go to Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners.

  3. Click "Add device"

    Click "Add a printer or scanner" and your computer automatically searches for nearby printers.

  4. Select the printer and install it

    Choose your printer from the list and follow the prompts to finish installing the driver.

  5. Set it as your default printer

    If you have more than one printer registered, setting the one you use most as the default means you won't have to pick it manually every time.

Most printers today connect in just a few minutes

Modern printers are largely plug-and-play: connect the cable or join the same Wi-Fi network, and your computer typically detects the printer and installs the driver automatically without extra steps.

If your printer isn't found automatically

Double-check that the printer and computer are on the same network -- a printer connected to a guest Wi-Fi network or a different band won't show up. If it still doesn't appear, downloading the driver directly from the manufacturer's website and installing it manually almost always resolves the issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

My printer isn't showing up in the automatic search.

Confirm the printer and computer are joined to the same network, and if that doesn't help, download and install the driver directly from the manufacturer's website.

Can multiple computers use the same printer?

Yes -- for a network-connected printer, any computer on that same network can add it the same way and use it independently.