How to Connect Your Printer to Wi-Fi

Wireless printing is convenient once it's set up, but the process can feel confusing the first time. Here's what you need to know.

Before you start, make sure your printer is within range of your Wi-Fi router, and that you have your network password handy. Most printers with a screen let you complete the wireless setup directly from the device menu.

Using the Printer's Control Panel

  1. Power on the printer and navigate to Settings or Network Setup on the screen.
  2. Select Wireless Setup Wizard or Wi-Fi Setup.
  3. Choose your network name (SSID) from the list.
  4. Enter your Wi-Fi password using the on-screen keyboard.
  5. Confirm and wait for the printer to connect. A confirmation page will print or a light will turn solid.
Tip: If your network name doesn't appear, the printer may be out of range or your router may be broadcasting on a 5 GHz band only. Most printers only support 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.

Adding the Printer on Windows

  1. Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners.
  2. Click Add device and wait for your printer to appear.
  3. Click Add device next to your printer's name.
  4. Windows will install the necessary driver automatically in most cases.

Adding the Printer on macOS

  1. Open System Settings → Printers & Scanners.
  2. Click the + button to add a printer.
  3. Select your printer from the list — it should appear automatically if it's on the same network.
  4. Click Add and macOS will handle driver installation.

Setting Up a USB-Connected Printer

USB setup is generally the simplest approach. When you plug the printer into your computer, most modern operating systems detect it and install a driver automatically.

  1. Power off the printer before connecting the USB cable.
  2. Connect the USB cable from the printer to an available USB port on your computer.
  3. Power on the printer.
  4. Windows or macOS should detect the device and install a driver within a minute or two.
  5. Open a document and test print to confirm everything is working.
Note: If your computer doesn't recognise the printer automatically, you may need to download the driver manually from the printer manufacturer's official website using the exact model number.

Installing Printer Drivers on Windows 11

Windows 11 uses Windows Update to find drivers for most printers, but sometimes you need to install one manually.

Automatic Driver Installation

In most cases, simply connecting your printer (via USB or adding it over Wi-Fi) will trigger an automatic driver download. You'll see a notification in the system tray. Allow it to complete, then try printing.

Manual Driver Installation

  1. Visit the printer manufacturer's official support website.
  2. Search for your exact printer model number (found on the label on the bottom or back of the printer).
  3. Download the full driver package for Windows 11 or Windows 10 (often compatible).
  4. Run the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen prompts.
  5. Restart your computer once the installation is complete.
  6. Go to Settings → Printers & scanners to confirm the printer appears.

Bluetooth Printer Setup

Some compact or portable printers connect via Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi. The process is straightforward.

  1. Enable Bluetooth on your printer (usually a dedicated button or a setting in the menu).
  2. On Windows: go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Add device → Bluetooth.
  3. On macOS: go to System Settings → Bluetooth and look for the printer in the device list.
  4. Select your printer and pair it. Some printers require a PIN (usually "0000" or "1234").
  5. Once paired, add it as a printer through Printers & Scanners as described above.

Setting Up a Shared Printer on a Home Network

If you have a USB printer connected to one computer and want other devices on the same network to use it, you can share it without buying a separate wireless printer.

On Windows

  1. On the computer the printer is connected to, go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners.
  2. Select the printer → Printer properties → Sharing tab.
  3. Check Share this printer and give it a name.
  4. On the other Windows computers, go to Add a printer and look for the shared printer under The printer that I want isn't listed → browse network printers.

Keep in mind that the host computer (the one the printer is physically connected to) must be switched on and awake for other computers to print through it.