How to Add a Network Printer and Set Your Default Printer

01Overview

In a home office or small office, one laser printer often serves several computers. This guide shows how to add a network printer on Windows and Mac, how a printer shared from another computer differs from one connected to the network directly, and how to set the default printer so documents don’t end up in the wrong place.

Menu names here follow Windows 11 and recent macOS releases and may change with updates. In a managed workplace, printers are often added by IT through company tools; follow their instructions where they exist.

02Before you start

• Find out how the printer is connected. A printer with its own Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection is a network printer. A printer plugged into someone’s computer by USB and shared from it is a shared printer, and that computer must be on for others to print.
• Get the printer’s address. Print a network configuration report from the printer and note its IP address. For a shared printer, note the host computer’s name and the printer’s share name.
• Be on the right network. Your computer must be on the same network as the printer, not a guest network. Turn off any VPN temporarily if the printer isn’t found.
• Look for duplicates. If you see several entries for the same printer, decide which one to keep before adding another.

03Key terms

• Network printer: a printer connected directly to the network by Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
• Shared printer: a printer connected to one computer and shared over the network from it.
• Default printer: the printer your computer chooses automatically when you print.
• Let Windows manage my default printer: a Windows setting that changes the default to the printer you used most recently at your current location.
• Hostname: a name for a device on the network that can be used instead of its IP address.

04Add a network printer

1. On Windows 11, open Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners, then select Add device. Wait for the search to finish and choose your printer. Not listed? Choose the option for a printer that isn’t listed, then add it using its IP address or hostname from the configuration report.
2. On a Mac, open System Settings, Printers & Scanners and click the add button. Choose the printer in the Default tab, or use the IP tab to type its address. Check the Use menu shows AirPrint or your printer’s driver, then click Add.
3. For a shared printer on Windows, make sure the host computer is on and that sharing is turned on there. Add the printer from the list, or by its share path if your network administrator gives you one. Microsoft’s support page on shared printer connection problems covers common errors.
4. For a shared printer on a Mac, turn on Printer Sharing on the host Mac (in its sharing settings), then add the printer from the other Mac’s list.
5. Print a test page from the new entry. Did it print? If yes, continue. If the job sits in the queue, see print queue stuck.

05Set your default printer

1. On Windows 11, open Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners. If you want to choose the default yourself, turn off Let Windows manage my default printer. Then select your printer and choose Set as default.
2. On a Mac, open System Settings, Printers & Scanners and choose your printer from the Default printer menu. You can also choose Last Printer Used if you prefer that behavior.
3. Check inside apps. Some apps remember the last printer you used. Print once to the correct printer from each app you use often.
4. Remove printers you no longer use. Old entries for retired printers, or duplicate entries for the same printer, make mistakes more likely.
5. Name printers clearly in a shared office. If several printers are on the network, many printers and computers let you give each a descriptive name, such as the room it sits in. A clear name makes it much easier for everyone to pick the right printer from a list.

06Check that it worked

1. The printer appears once on each computer, with your printer’s correct model name and a ready status.
2. Printing from a common app, such as a word processor, sends the job to the intended printer without you choosing it.
3. A test page prints from each computer.
4. For shared printers, printing works while the host computer is on, and other users understand it must stay on.
5. If the printer’s address changes often, consider a DHCP reservation as explained in the Ethernet setup guide.

07When to contact the manufacturer

Contact the manufacturer through its official support site if:

• The printer is on the network but no computer can install a driver for it.
• The printer’s built-in web page or network menu shows a hardware or network error.
• You need help with advanced network features such as secure printing or user access controls that the manual describes only briefly.

In a workplace, contact your IT administrator first for printers they manage.

08FAQ

What’s the difference between a network printer and a shared printer?

A network printer connects to the network itself and works whenever it is on. A shared printer is connected to one computer and only works for others while that computer is on and awake.

Why does my default printer keep changing on Windows?

Windows may be set to manage your default printer automatically, choosing the one you used most recently. Turn off Let Windows manage my default printer in Printers & scanners, then set your default.

Can a Mac and a Windows PC use the same network printer?

Yes. Each computer adds the printer separately. Mac and Windows may use different drivers, but they print to the same device.

Should I add the printer by IP address or by name?

Adding it from the automatic list or by hostname keeps working if the address changes. Adding by IP address is reliable when the address is reserved in your router.

How do I remove a duplicate printer?

Open your printer settings, select the entry you don’t use and remove it. Keep the entry that prints reliably and shows your correct model.