How to Add a Printer to a Computer (Windows & Mac)
Your printer is on the network, but your computer does not know about it yet. Here is how to introduce them on both Windows and macOS.
Adding a Printer on Windows 10 and 11
Open Settings and navigate to "Bluetooth & devices" then "Printers & scanners." Click "Add device" and Windows will begin searching for available printers on your network. If your printer appears in the list, select it and follow the prompts. Windows will automatically download and install the appropriate driver from Windows Update. If the printer does not appear automatically, click "The printer that I want isn't listed" to search by IP address or add a local printer manually.
Adding by IP Address on Windows
If Windows cannot find your printer automatically, you can add it by its IP address. Select "Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname" in the manual add wizard. Enter the printer's IP address — you can find this by printing a network configuration page from the printer itself. Windows will attempt to detect the driver automatically. If it fails, you will need to download the driver from the manufacturer's website and select "Have Disk" during installation to point to the downloaded driver files.
Adding a Printer on macOS
On a Mac, open System Settings and go to "Printers & Scanners." Click the plus button to add a new printer. macOS will automatically discover Bonjour-enabled printers on your network. Select your printer from the list — macOS often includes the necessary driver natively, so you may not need to download anything. If the driver is not included, macOS will prompt you to download it from Apple's server or the manufacturer's website. Select the appropriate driver and click Add.
Using AirPrint on macOS
Most modern printers support AirPrint, Apple's wireless printing standard. If your printer is AirPrint-compatible, macOS will detect it automatically without requiring any driver installation. AirPrint printers appear in the add printer dialog with "AirPrint" listed as the driver type. This is the simplest method for Mac users and typically provides the most reliable experience. Check your printer's specifications to confirm AirPrint support if you are unsure.
Setting the Default Printer
After adding your printer, you may want to set it as the default so applications use it automatically without prompting. On Windows, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, toggle "Let Windows manage my default printer" to have Windows remember which printer you last used, or manually select a printer and click "Set as default." On macOS, right-click the printer in System Settings and choose "Set default printer" from the context menu.
Testing the Connection
Once the printer is added, print a test document to verify the connection is working. On both Windows and Mac, you can print a test page from the printer properties or settings dialog. Open any document, press Ctrl+P or Command+P, select your new printer, and print. If the job succeeds, you are all set. If the print job fails or hangs, check that both the printer and computer are on the same network and that no firewall is blocking printer communication.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If the printer does not appear in the discovery list, ensure both devices are on the same network segment. Guest networks often block device discovery, so connect to your main network instead. If you added the printer by IP address but it stops working after a router restart, the printer's IP may have changed — assign a static IP to the printer in your router settings. On macOS, if you cannot add a printer, reset the printing system by right-clicking the printer list and choosing "Reset printing system," then add printers again.