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Connect the printer to power, load its consumables, join it to the office network (or connect it by USB), then add it in the operating system and print a test page. On Windows 11, use Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Add device. On macOS, use Apple menu > System Settings > Printers & Scanners > Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax. Most Windows printers install without a separate driver, while macOS normally uses AirPrint.
Prepare the printer before adding it
Finish the physical setup first. Remove all shipping restraints, install the ink cartridges or toner and other consumables specified by the manufacturer, load paper, and turn the printer on. Complete any language, region, date, or calibration prompts on the printer’s own display.
- For Wi-Fi: use the printer’s control panel or setup documentation to select the office wireless network (SSID) and enter its password.
- For Ethernet: connect a network cable to the printer and an appropriate office network socket or switch, then wait for the printer to obtain a network address.
- For USB: leave the printer powered on and connect it directly to the computer. A printer with a USB-B device socket usually needs a USB-A-to-USB-B cable; newer computers may require a USB-C adapter or USB-C cable.
Decide on the connection method before opening the computer’s printer settings. The choice affects discovery, driver requirements, scanning support, and how easy the printer is to troubleshoot.
Choose USB, ordinary network printing, AirPrint, or Universal Print
| Method | Connection medium | Must the computer and printer share a local network? | Driver or protocol dependency | Identity and licensing | Scanning and advanced features | Troubleshooting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USB | Direct cable between computer and printer | No | Windows generally installs automatically; macOS can use USB with an AirPrint-capable printer or manufacturer software | No enterprise identity or service license | Often available when the model’s software supports it; capabilities vary by model | Usually limited to cable, power, port, and local driver checks |
| Ordinary network printing | Wi-Fi or Ethernet on the office LAN | Yes, for discovery and normal local printing | Windows discovery or a manually selected printer protocol; macOS supports AirPrint, HP Jetdirect (Socket), LPD, and IPP when adding by address | Normally controlled by the office network and print-server policy | Depends on the printer’s driver or AirPrint implementation; model-specific scanning may need vendor software | Requires checking the printer’s network connection, IP address, and queue |
| AirPrint | Wi-Fi, USB, or Ethernet on an AirPrint-capable printer | For wireless discovery, the Mac and printer must be reachable on the same local network | macOS uses Apple’s AirPrint connection; no separate driver is normally needed | No separate enterprise license | Basic printing is broadly supported; some scanning or advanced controls may require current manufacturer software | Remove and re-add the printer, verify AirPrint selection, and check the address or network |
| Universal Print | Cloud-managed printing through the organization’s service | Not necessarily the same local network for the user, because assignment and authentication are cloud-managed | On macOS, use the Universal Print Mac app from the App Store rather than the ordinary discovery flow | Requires sign-in with Microsoft Entra ID and an eligible Universal Print license | Features depend on the deployed printer and service integration; do not assume every model feature is exposed | Check app sign-in, printer assignment, licensing, and organizational policy |
For a single nearby computer, USB is the simplest path. Use Wi-Fi or Ethernet when several people need the printer. Use AirPrint when the printer and Mac support it and you want macOS to manage the connection with minimal driver work. Use Universal Print only when your organization has deployed it and assigned the required license and printer access.
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Set up the printer in Windows 11
These instructions use Microsoft’s current Windows 11 labels. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, so a computer still running Windows 10 should be moved to a supported Windows release according to your organization’s policy.
Install a USB printer locally
- Turn on the printer and wait until it is ready.
- Connect the printer’s USB cable to the computer. If the printer has a square USB-B device port and the computer has a USB-A port, use a USB-A-to-USB-B printer cable. Use the correct adapter or cable for a USB-C-only computer.
- Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
- Select Add device. Windows normally detects a directly connected printer and installs it automatically.
- Wait for the printer to appear in the list, then select it and complete any prompts.
Microsoft says, “Windows supports most printers out of the box so in most cases, special printer drivers or software doesn’t need to be installed.” Windows Update may still supply a newer or fuller driver, especially when you need features beyond basic printing.
Add a Wi-Fi or Ethernet printer
- Use the printer’s control panel or documentation to connect it to the office Wi-Fi, or connect its Ethernet cable and wait for the network connection to become ready.
- Connect the Windows PC to that same network. Microsoft explicitly requires the computer and wireless printer to be on the same network for normal discovery.
- On the PC, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
- Select Add device and wait while Windows searches.
- Select the matching printer. Confirm the model and location if Windows displays more than one result.
A printer connected to a different SSID, an isolated guest network, or a separate office segment may not appear even when both devices are powered on. Verify the network name shown on the printer rather than relying on memory.
Use the manual-add flow when discovery fails
If the printer does not appear, remain on the Printers & scanners page and choose the manual-add option shown by Windows. Follow the wizard’s instructions to select the appropriate local, shared, or network printer entry. The wording of the manual option can vary slightly by Windows 11 build, but it is presented from the Add device workflow.
For a network printer, have its network address available from the printer’s information page or control panel. For a shared office printer, use the path supplied by the administrator and sign in if Windows requests permission. Do not guess a printer share name or address; an incorrect entry can create a queue that looks installed but can never reach the device.
Handle drivers safely, including on ARM PCs
Install a driver only when Windows does not provide the required functionality or when the manufacturer’s instructions specifically call for one. First check Windows Update through the printer’s Windows settings or the normal Windows Update page. Avoid downloading packages from unverified driver sites.
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Microsoft warns that some ARM-based PCs may fail with manufacturer-provided installer programs. On those computers, use Windows’ built-in Add device flow first and follow the manufacturer’s ARM guidance only when it is explicitly compatible with the PC. A successful basic installation does not guarantee that every proprietary finishing, fax, or scanning feature will be available.
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- In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select the newly added printer.
- Open its queue or management page and print a Windows test page if that option is available.
- Confirm that the page exits the expected tray and that the paper size matches the loaded stock.
- Open printing preferences and set color or monochrome, one-sided or duplex printing, orientation, and default paper tray as required by the office.
- If several printers are installed, choose the intended default printer in the printer’s Windows settings instead of relying on whichever device was added most recently.
Keep the test page until you have confirmed both the physical output and the queue status. A page that prints successfully proves that the basic path works, but it does not prove that every advanced option is configured.
Set up the printer in macOS
On current macOS releases, open Apple menu > System Settings > Printers & Scanners, then select Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax. Apple states, “When you add a printer, macOS uses AirPrint to connect to the printer.”
Add a discovered AirPrint printer
- Turn on the printer and complete its paper and consumable setup.
- Join the printer to the office Wi-Fi using the printer’s own controls, or connect it to the office Ethernet network.
- Connect the Mac to the same local network when you are using wireless discovery.
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
- Select Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.
- Choose the printer shown in the discovered list. Select the AirPrint option when macOS offers a choice of software.
- Accept the add dialog, then select the printer in the list to set options such as paper size, duplex behavior, and default media source.
AirPrint-capable printers can use Wi-Fi, USB, or Ethernet. Wireless discovery still depends on network reachability; a USB connection does not.
Add a network printer by IP address
Use the IP method when discovery does not find the printer or when your office administrator gives you a fixed address.
- Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners and select Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.
- Select the IP tab.
- Enter the printer’s current network address exactly as shown on its configuration page or supplied by the administrator.
- Choose the protocol required by the printer or office: AirPrint, HP Jetdirect (Socket), LPD, or IPP.
- Enter a useful queue name and location, then select the appropriate AirPrint or vendor software option in the driver field.
- Select Add and print a test page.
An address can change when the network assigns it dynamically. If the printer later becomes unreachable, verify its current address before deleting and rebuilding the queue.
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Connect by USB and use model-specific software only when needed
For a USB setup, connect the powered-on printer directly to the Mac, then use Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax. Select the USB device and choose AirPrint when it is offered. If scanning, finishing, color management, or another model-specific feature is missing, check the manufacturer’s current software and firmware guidance for that exact model. Apple recommends checking for manufacturer updates when a printer’s features are not fully available through AirPrint.
Use Universal Print in an office that has deployed it
Universal Print is not added through ordinary AirPrint discovery. On macOS:
- Install the Universal Print Mac app from the App Store.
- Sign in with the Microsoft Entra ID account used by your organization.
- Allow the app to discover printers assigned to that account.
- Select the assigned printer and complete any organization-required authentication or setup.
Microsoft states that an eligible Universal Print license is required. If no printers appear, ask the administrator to verify the account assignment, license, and printer publication rather than repeatedly scanning the local network.
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Verify paper, color, duplex, trays, and the default printer
After either operating-system setup, perform a controlled test instead of sending an important document immediately.
- Print a test page with the printer idle and its normal paper loaded.
- Check that the selected paper size matches the physical sheets. A mismatch can cause a job to pause or print from an unexpected tray.
- Test color and monochrome preferences separately if the office uses both.
- Confirm duplex or one-sided output; duplex is a software setting and may also depend on installed hardware.
- Check the default tray when the printer has multiple input sources.
- Set the intended default printer on the computer if users routinely print without selecting a device each time.
- For a shared printer, have an authorized user verify that access controls and accounting prompts work before distributing the queue to staff.
Record the printer’s connection type, network address if applicable, location, and the name of the queue. That information makes future support faster without requiring another physical inspection.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot Windows when the printer cannot be found
Wireless or Ethernet printer does not appear
- Confirm that the printer is powered on and has finished starting up.
- Read the printer’s network status and verify the selected Wi-Fi SSID or the Ethernet link.
- Check that the Windows PC is connected to the same network, not a guest or separate wireless network.
- Return to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Add device and run discovery again.
- Use the manual-add option if discovery continues to fail, using the address or share path supplied by the administrator.
- Check Windows Update for a newer or fuller printer driver after the queue is created.
Restarting the printer and the PC can clear a temporary discovery state, but it will not correct a wrong SSID, an incorrect address, or a network policy that blocks device-to-device communication.
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USB printer is missing
- Reseat both ends of the cable and make sure the printer is turned on before opening the add-printer page.
- Try another known-good USB port on the computer, avoiding an unpowered hub during initial setup.
- Verify that the cable matches the printer’s USB-B or other device port and the computer’s USB-A or USB-C host port.
- Open the Windows add-printer flow again after reconnecting the cable.
A job is stuck, the queue crashes, or the printer reports an error state
Open the printer from Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and inspect its print queue. Remove a failed job only after noting its error message, then try a one-page test. If the queue remains stuck or the Print Spooler is crashing, inspect the Windows Print Spooler service and follow your organization’s support procedure before rebuilding the printer. Microsoft lists printer-not-found errors, stuck queues, spooler crashes, and “Printer in error state” among common printer problems.
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Manufacturer installer fails on an ARM PC
Stop retrying the same installer. Use the built-in Windows add-printer flow, apply available Windows Update drivers, and consult the manufacturer’s instructions for the specific ARM model. Basic printing may work while optional utilities or proprietary features remain unavailable.
Troubleshoot macOS when discovery or printing fails
The printer is not listed
- Verify power, paper, and the printer’s Wi-Fi SSID or Ethernet link.
- Confirm that the Mac and wireless printer are on the same reachable local network.
- Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, and try discovery again.
- If the printer still does not appear, select the IP tab and enter its current address.
- Choose the protocol required by the device: AirPrint, HP Jetdirect (Socket), LPD, or IPP.
- Remove an incorrect queue and add it again with the correct address and AirPrint or vendor software selection.
The printer appears but features are missing
AirPrint can provide reliable basic printing without a separate driver, but model-specific scanning, finishing, or other advanced controls may require current manufacturer software. Check the manufacturer’s software updates for the exact model and macOS version. Do not select an unrelated model merely because its name looks similar.
Jobs remain in the Mac queue
Open the printer in System Settings > Printers & Scanners, inspect the queue, and cancel a failed job before retrying a one-page test. Verify the printer’s current IP address if it was added by IP. If the address changed, remove the old queue and add the printer again with the new address.
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A printer that works over USB may still be unavailable to colleagues because USB connects only the attached computer. For shared use, follow the organization’s print-server or access-control policy and obtain permission when prompted. The administrator may provide a shared queue name, require sign-in, restrict color or duplex printing, or publish the device through Universal Print instead of the local network.
Do not bypass an access prompt by creating a second unmanaged queue. That can avoid accounting or security controls and can produce duplicate drivers and confusing defaults. Ask for the approved queue or Universal Print assignment, then test with the account that will actually print.
Quick Recap
A short final checklist
- Printer unpacked, consumables installed, powered on, and showing ready.
- USB cable connected correctly, or printer joined to the intended Wi-Fi or Ethernet network.
- Windows PC and wireless printer on the same network when using Windows discovery.
- Windows path used: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Add device.
- macOS path used: System Settings > Printers & Scanners > Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.
- Manual IP protocol selected correctly on macOS when discovery failed.
- Universal Print app, Microsoft Entra ID sign-in, printer assignment, and eligible license confirmed when that service is required.
- Test page printed, paper size and tray verified, color and duplex preferences checked, and the intended default printer selected.
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