How to Add a Printer in Windows 11

To add a printer in Windows 11, turn the printer on and connect it by USB or to the same network as your PC, then go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Next to Add a printer or scanner, select Add device, wait for the list to fill in, and select Add device next to your printer. Windows installs a driver for most printers on its own.

Applies to: Windows 11.

Older guides tell you to open Devices in Settings. That is the Windows 10 layout. In Windows 11, printers live under Bluetooth & devices, and every step below uses the Windows 11 names.

Before you start

Most failed printer setups come down to the printer not being ready or not being reachable. Check these first:

• The printer is on and awake. Let it finish starting up before you search for it.
• USB printers: the cable is firmly connected at both ends. If Windows doesn’t react, try a different USB port on the PC.
• Wi-Fi and network printers: the printer is already connected to your network and is on the same network as your PC. If you use extenders or several routers with different network names, make sure both devices are on the same one. Joining the printer to Wi-Fi is done on the printer itself (its control panel or the maker’s app), so follow the printer’s own setup instructions for that part.
• Bluetooth printers: Bluetooth is turned on in Windows and the printer is in discoverable (pairing) mode.
• Network printers you add by address: you know the printer’s IP address or hostname. Many printers can print a network configuration page that shows it, or display it on their screen.

How to add a printer in Windows 11 (USB, Wi-Fi or network)

This is the standard method, and it works for most home and small-office printers.

1. Select Start, then Settings.
2. Select Bluetooth & devices, then select Printers & scanners. You’ll see a list of printers already installed on this PC.
3. Look through that list first. If your printer is already there, it’s installed and you can skip to the test page section below.
4. Next to Add a printer or scanner, select Add device. Windows starts searching for printers. The list can take a few minutes to fill in, so give it time.
5. When your printer appears, select Add device next to it. Windows sets it up and adds it to your list of printers. Some USB printers install automatically before you get this far.
6. Wait until the printer shows in the Printers & scanners list, then print a test page to confirm it works. Windows won’t remember the jobs you send unless you ask it to, so this is also a good time to set up print history in Windows 11.

After setup, a Find drivers button might appear next to the printer. That means Windows installed a basic driver. The printer should work, but some features may be missing until the full driver is installed. Windows Update is the best place to get it, and the driver section below shows how.

If your printer isn’t listed: add it manually

When the search finishes without finding your printer, the line The printer that I want isn’t listed appears. Select Add a new device manually next to it (some Windows 11 versions label this Add manually). The Add Printer window opens and offers several options. Pick the one that matches your situation.

Add a network printer by IP address or hostname

Use this when a network printer is turned on and connected but the automatic search doesn’t find it, for example on a network that blocks device discovery.

1. In the Add Printer window, choose Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings, then select Next.
2. Choose Create a new port, set the port type to Standard TCP/IP Port, and select Next. If a port for this printer’s address already exists, choose Use an existing port and pick it instead.
3. Type the printer’s IP address or hostname. Leave Query the printer and automatically select the driver to use checked if you want Windows to pick the driver, then select Next.
4. If Windows asks for a driver, choose the manufacturer and model from the list. If your model isn’t there, select Windows Update to load a longer list, or select Have Disk and point Windows to the driver files you downloaded from the printer maker. Select Next.
5. If Windows asks about an existing driver, choose Replace the current driver (usually the better choice) or Use the driver that is currently installed.
6. Type a name for the printer and select Next.
7. Choose Do not share this printer unless other PCs need to use it through this one, then select Next.
8. Select Print a test page, then select Finish.

Network printers often get their address from the router, and that address can change. If a printer you added by IP address stops working weeks later, check the printer’s current address and update or re-add it.

Add a printer shared from another PC

If a printer is plugged into another Windows PC and shared from it, you can connect to it over your home or office network.

1. On the PC the printer is connected to, go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer, and select Printer properties. On the Sharing tab, select Share this printer, note the Share name, and select Apply and OK.
2. On both PCs, go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings and turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.
3. On your PC, open Printers & scanners, select Add device, and if the printer isn’t found, open the manual option and choose Select a shared printer by name.
4. Enter the path in the form \\ComputerName\PrinterShareName, using the host PC’s name and the share name, and follow the prompts. If Windows asks you to sign in, use an account on the host PC.

The host PC has to be on and connected to the network whenever you print to a shared printer.

How to add a Bluetooth printer

1. Turn on the printer and make it discoverable. How you do this depends on the model, so check its manual or the maker’s support site.
2. In Windows, go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices and make sure the Bluetooth toggle is On. You can also turn it on from the Bluetooth tile in Quick Settings (select the network, sound or battery icon next to the clock).
3. Select Printers & scanners, then select Add device next to Add a printer or scanner.
4. Wait while Windows searches nearby devices, which can take a few minutes, then select Add device next to your printer.

Get the full driver for your printer

Windows installs a working driver for most printers, but the maker’s full driver can add features such as scanning, duplex options or ink status. Try these in order.

Windows Update (Microsoft’s recommended source)

1. Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options.
2. Make sure Receive updates for other Microsoft products is turned On.
3. Under Additional options, select Optional updates. Optional drivers aren’t installed automatically, so check here.
4. If a driver for your printer is listed, select it and select Download and install, then restart the PC.

The printer maker’s website

Find the model number on the printer or its box, go to the manufacturer’s official website, and open its Support or Drivers section. Search for your model, pick your version of Windows if asked, and download the latest software. Open the downloaded file and follow the prompts, which may include connecting the printer. Restart if asked.

Only download drivers from the printer maker’s own site. If you have the disc that came with the printer, it works too, but its driver may be older than the one online.

The same approach works for other hardware, covered in updating drivers in Windows 11. HP owners have a dedicated HP printer setup walkthrough for Windows 11.

PCs with an Arm processor

Some newer laptops, including Copilot+ PCs, use an Arm processor. To check, go to Start > Settings > System > About and look at System type. If the printer maker’s installer fails on an Arm PC, add the printer with the Windows steps above instead, unless the maker says otherwise.

Confirm it worked: print a test page

1. Go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Select your printer, then select Printer properties.
3. On the General tab, select Print Test Page.

If the page prints, setup is done. If it doesn’t, work through the troubleshooting section below before trying other apps.

Set it as your default printer

By default, Windows can pick your default printer for you. To choose it yourself, open Printers & scanners, scroll to Printer preferences, and turn off Let Windows manage my default printer. Then select your printer and select Set as default. Setting a default printer in Windows 11 goes into more detail. If you print often, you can also put a printer icon on your desktop.

Undo: remove a printer

To remove a printer you added by mistake, or to start over, go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer, select Remove, and confirm with Yes. What happens to its driver is explained in removing a printer in Windows 11.

Troubleshooting: Windows can’t find or add the printer

The printer doesn’t appear after you select Add device

• Power cycle the printer. Turn it off, unplug it, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in and turn it on. Then select Add device again (or Refresh).
• Check the connection. For USB, reseat the cable at both ends and try another port. For Wi-Fi, check the printer’s display for connection errors, and run its built-in wireless test if it has one.
• Check the network type. If your trusted home Wi-Fi is set to Public, try switching it to Private and searching again. To change it, go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, select your network, and under Network profile type, select Private. Leave public networks, such as cafe or airport Wi-Fi, set to Public.
• Add it manually. Use the IP address method above, which doesn’t depend on the printer announcing itself on the network.

Windows can’t install the driver, or shows Find drivers

Check Optional updates in Windows Update first, then download the full driver from the maker’s site. You can also open Device Manager (search for it from Start), expand Printers, right-click your printer and select Update driver. If no update is available, select Uninstall device, restart the computer and let Windows set it up again.

The printer was added but nothing prints

• Restart the Print Spooler. The spooler is the Windows service that manages print jobs. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc and press Enter. Find Print Spooler, right-click it and select Restart. If jobs are still stuck after that, clear the printer queue in Windows 11.
• Run the printer troubleshooter. In Windows 11, Microsoft’s automated printer troubleshooter runs in the Get Help app. Search for Get Help from Start and ask it to fix printer problems.
• Remove and re-add the printer. Remove it as described above, then add it again with Add device.

You can’t add printers on a work or school PC

If your PC is managed by an employer or school, your organization may control which printers you can add and may install office printers for you. If the steps above are blocked or a printer is missing, contact your IT department rather than changing settings yourself.

Microsoft’s own pages on adding or installing a printer in Windows and fixing printer connection and printing problems cover these steps as well.

Frequently asked questions

Can I add a printer without the installation CD?

Yes. Windows can install a driver for most printers by itself when you select Add device, and you can get newer drivers from Windows Update or the printer maker’s website. The disc is optional and its driver may be out of date.

Why won’t my wireless printer show up?

The most common reasons are that the printer isn’t connected to Wi-Fi yet, it’s on a different network from your PC, or your PC’s network is set to Public. Confirm the printer’s network connection on its display, make sure both devices use the same network, and try adding it by IP address.

Do I need to install drivers before adding the printer?

Usually not. Add the printer first and let Windows install a driver. Install the maker’s full software afterward if a Find drivers button appears or if features such as scanning are missing.

Can I add more than one printer?

Yes. Repeat the steps for each printer. All of them appear in Printers & scanners, and you can choose which one is the default.

Does adding a printer also set up its scanner?

Not always. On an all-in-one printer, Windows may list the device only as a printer. To get scanning working, follow the steps for adding a scanner in Windows 11.

Once your test page prints, set your default printer so documents go to the right place every time.

Related: how to set up Secure Print on Windows 11.