How to ready and install a figurer printer

Updated: 02/01/2021 by Calculator Promise

Canon printer

A computer printer does not work until yous install the included drivers and software. If you have lost the CD for your printer, y'all tin download the drivers for your printer and employ them to install your printer. A list of printer manufacturers and links to their associated driver download pages are on our printer drivers page.

Are all printers the same?

Although non all printers are the aforementioned, this page helps with all printer brands (e.g., Brother, Canon, HP, Lexmark, and Sharp) and their models (e.thou., DeskJet, LaserJet, Photosmart, etc.). This page tin also help you whether you take an inkjet printer and laser printer.

Connecting the printer to the computer

USB ports on a laptop computer.

Connect the printer to the computer either using a USB cable, parallel port cable, or SCSI cable, then connect the power plug to a power outlet. Today, most home computer printers are using a USB cablevision similar to the example picture show.

Annotation

A laptop computer works the same way equally a desktop and can utilize any of the above connections if they are available.

Note

Smartphone and tablet users must have a printer that connects to devices wirelessly or over the Cyberspace to print.

Turning on a printer

After connecting the printer to the computer, it can be turned on using the power push button on the front of the printer. Typically the power button is on the front right corner of the printer. However, the push button placement depends on the type of printer y'all have. Older laser printers may even have a power switch in one of the back bottom corners of the printer.

Setup printer and install software

After connecting the printer and turning information technology on, you'll demand to install the printer'southward software and drivers. Every printer should come with the software used to install a printer in Windows or your operating organization.

  1. After everything is plugged in, plow on the computer.
  2. Insert the CD that came with the printer. If the CD does not automatically start, open up My Computer, double-click the CD drive, and then click the Setup or Install file. If you lot accept downloaded the drivers, run the downloaded setup file.
  3. Follow the installation sorcerer, and one time completed, your software is installed.
  4. Test the printer to make certain information technology is working.

Computer with no CD, DVD, or disc bulldoze

If your reckoner does not accept a disc drive or you lost the CD, you lot tin download the software for your printer from the manufactures printer'southward driver page. Once the drivers are downloaded, you can run the file to install the drivers.

No drivers available for my operating system

Newer operating systems may not support all older printers. For example, Windows x may not back up a printer that was made years before it was released. If drivers are non listed on a printers' driver page, your operating system or your versions of Windows does non back up that printer. You tin try installing an earlier version of operating system drivers, and it may work. However, for total back up, consider getting a new printer.

Installing a printer only using the drivers

If you only want the printer to be installed and none of the extra software programs, you can merely install the printer commuter by following the steps below.

Tip

A list of printer drivers and software is on our printer drivers page.

Note

If you accept installed the printer doing the above steps, these steps should not exist necessary unless you encountered errors.

  1. Open the Control Panel with the printer connected and powered on.
  2. In the Command Panel, double-click the Printers or Printers and Fax icon.
  3. In the Printers window, click the Add together a printer icon.
  4. After completing the above steps, see the Windows Printer Wizard. Click Adjacent to start the magician.
  5. Next, yous have the choice of installing a Local or Network printer. If the printer connects direct to your computer, choose Local printer attached to this computer and click Side by side.
  6. When prompted for the printer driver location, scan to the directory of your drivers or indicate it to the printer CD.

Does a printer require drivers?

Yes. For a printer to communicate and work with the reckoner and its operating system, it requires a driver to be installed. In some situations, you tin can utilize a generic printer driver included with the operating arrangement, just these generic drivers don't always work with all printers.

Tip

Although a driver is required, the extra software for the printer is rarely required for the printer to piece of work.

Exam the printer

After installing the printer, you tin can use Windows to impress a self-test folio to help verify the printer is working.

Microsoft Windows users

  1. Open the Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the Devices and Printers, Printers, or Printers and Fax icon.
  3. Right-click the printer y'all desire to exam and click Properties. If y'all do not see your printer, your printer is not installed.
  4. In the Printers Properties window, click the Print Exam Page button.
  5. If the printer can print a test page, your printer is installed and set up up properly. However, if you cannot print in other programs, the program yous are attempting to print from has issues.

If the printer can print a test page, your printer is installed and working. You can configure other printer settings by opening the printer software or the Printers & scanners section in Windows.