(Credit: Arsenii Palivoda / Shutterstock)
Whether you have upgraded to Windows 11 or still use Windows 10, connecting a wireless printer isn't always easy. Windows can connect automatically to any printer that's on the same network as your PC. But sometimes, the operating system doesn't see your printer, and finding a solution can tricky.
If you can't seem to print, first make sure that the printer is actually connected to Wi-Fi. If restarting the printer, checking your cables, and rebooting the computer don't work, here are a few more quick solutions that will ensure Windows plays nice.
1. Find a Connected Printer
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)A printer can be connected to the internet over an Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection, or to a network computer via direct USB link. It can then also be shared with other users on the network by enabling print sharing on the server or on the computer to which the USB printer is connected. If the printer is connected, it should be listed under Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners in Windows 10 or Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners in Windows 11.
Windows no longer requires you to run a wizard to connect a printer, like it did back in the day. That means, when you connect a printer to a computer, it should simply show up automatically in the list of installed devices. If it doesn't, you can also add it manually. From the Printers & scanners menu, click the Add a printer or scanner button (Windows 10) or the Add device button (Windows 11).
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)Windows searches the network for connected printers and lists its findings. Simply click the printer you want to connect to, then click Add device. Windows should then move the printer to the list of installed printers and scanners. From here, when you click the printer name in the list, you can manage the machine as desired. Of course, printers don't always install as they should. It may not appear at all in the list of available printers, or Windows might say it can't connect.
2. Share a Network Printer
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)If the printer you wish to use is connected to a different computer on your local network, make sure printer sharing is enabled. Open the Printer & scanners page using the instructions above, then select the printer and click Manage. Go to Printer Properties, open the the Sharing tab, and enable Share this printer. (In Windows 11, you may first need to select Change Sharing Options before you can check the Share this printer box.)
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)Click Apply, and the printer is now available on the network. To connect from a different computer, return to the Printers & scanners menu and click Add a printer or scanner (Windows 10) or Add Device (Windows 11), and the printer should appear. Click Add device to link the printer with your computer.
Recommended by Our Editors
3. Add an Unseen Printer
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)Just because you don't see a printer doesn't mean it isn't there. In an office, for example, some IT departments hide the names of all printers by default. Although IT likely has good reasons for doing so, hidden printers can be a hassle. And other issues could prevent you from seeing an accessible printer. After conducting a search for a printer, click the printer that I want isn't listed to open a dialog box that will allow you to locate a printer by other means. There are five options here:
- My printer is a little older. Help me find it: Choose this option, and Windows performs another search. If it finds the printer, it will display a second dialog box. Select your printer, and the drivers will install. If it's not listed, try one of the other options in this dialog box (which may require another search from the Control Panel).
- Select a shared printer by name: To use this option, you must know the name of the computer that the printer is connected to and the network name of the printer itself. If this is a network-attached printer in an office, and you don't know the printer name, ask another employee who uses it, or talk to IT.
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)- Add a printer using a IP address or hostname: This option brings up a new dialog box, where you'll need to enter the printer's hostname or IP address. The printer’s IP address can typically be found by printing a status report or checking the its built-in onboard web portal. Windows will query the printer, then display a list of compatible devices, allowing you to select the printer by manufacturer and type. Make your selections and click Next to connect your PC to the printer.
- Add a Bluetooth, wireless, or network-discoverable printer: With this option, you can add peer-to-peer network devices that are not actually on your LAN. (Windows does a brute search for all available protocols available to your PC.)
- Add a local printer or network with manual settings: Choosing this option runs a wizard that goes through a series of steps for manually creating a printer port and installing the printer, which requires technical expertise beyond the scope of this entry-level guide.
4. Run the Troubleshooter
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)At any point in this process, you can run the Windows troubleshooter to try connecting to the printer. To run the troubleshooter, the printer must be displayed in the available devices list in the Printers & scanners menu. To run it, click the printer in the list, then click Manage.
In Windows 11, this brings up a control panel for that specific printer. Click Run the troubleshooter from the list of options to make Windows search for problems. Windows 10 users will instead see a new dialog box in which you click Run the troubleshooter in the menu.
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)If Windows detects an issue, it displays another dialog box informing you of the problem and, depending on what the problem is, provides a potential solution. For instance, Windows may want you to make the printer in question the default for the computer.
Click Apply this fix to make the change or Skip this fix to continue the troubleshooting process. What happens next depends on a number of factors, including (but not limited to) which option you pick and what problem(s) are detected.
(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)If you choose to skip a suggestion, the troubleshooter will look for other issues, and, if it finds any, displays another dialog asking if you want to apply the fix or keep looking for problems. Depending on what options you choose and what problems the troubleshooter finds, the issue might be solved right away, or it could take a few tries.
In the rare chance these troubleshooting steps can't solve the problem, contact IT (for office printers) or call customer service for your printer's manufacturer. In most cases, though, the techniques discussed here should eventually connect your PC to the printer.