Learn how to change the default printer on Windows in just a few simple steps. Follow our guide to easily switch to a new default printer on your computer.Every time you want to print a document or a web page, your computer tries to start the printing process with a different printer than the one connected to the computer? This happens because, most likely, a different printer than the one you currently have connected to the PC has been set as the default printer (e.g. an old printer that you no longer use or the photo printer that you use only for your photos).
Index
- How to Change Default Printer on Windows
- How to Change Default Printer on Windows 11
- How to Change Default Printer on Windows 10
- How to Change Default Printer on Windows 8 and Earlier
- How to Change Default Printer on Mac
- How to Change Default Printer on Smartphones and Tablets
How to Change Default Printer on Windows
If you use Windows and want to know how to change the default printer , all you have to do is follow the instructions below.
How to Change Default Printer on Windows 11
To change the default printer on Windows 11 , click on the Start button (the flag icon located at the bottom of the screen) and go to Settings (the gear icon ). In the screen that opens, go to Bluetooth and devices in the left sidebar and then to Printers & scanners .
At this point, you can activate the switch next to the item Allow Windows to manage the default printer , so that the operating system intelligently chooses the printer to use as the default. Alternatively, deactivate the switch in question, then select the printer you want to make default and click on the button Set as default . Easy, right?
How to Change Default Printer on Windows 10
On Windows 10 , you can change the default printer by simply pressing the Start button (the flag icon located in the lower left corner of the screen) and accessing the Windows Settings panel , via the gear icon on the left in the menu that opens.
At this point, click on the Devices icon , select the Printers & scanners item from the left sidebar and remove the check from the Allow Windows to manage the default printer box : by doing so, you will prevent Windows from automatically setting the printer you used last time as the default printer.
Next, click on the name of the printer you want to use as the default and press the Manage and Set as default buttons in sequence , to make the selected printer the default printer on your PC. Easier than that?
I would like to point out that the settings are automatically applied to all the programs installed on the computer. Therefore, if, for example, you were wondering how to change the default printer in Word , how to change the default printer in Outlook or how to change the default printer in Mozilla Thunderbird , the steps you need to take are always those found in the previous lines.
How to Change Default Printer on Mac
Using a Mac ? No problem: changing the default printer is a breeze even on “apple” computers.
All you have to do is open the System Settings (the gear icon found on the Dock bar ) and select the Printers & Scanners icon from the window that opens.
At this point, expand the Default Printer drop-down menu located at the bottom of the screen that appears, select the name of the printer you want to use as default from it and that’s it.
Alternatively, you can leave the Last Printer Used option enabled and have macOS automatically change the default printer based on the last printer used.
Again, I would like to point out that this change affects all applications used on your computer, so you don’t need to set the default printer in each program you intend to use.
How to Change Default Printer on Smartphones and Tablets
Do you sometimes need to print documents from your smartphone or tablet and wonder if there is a way to set the default printer on these devices too?
In fact, both Android and iPhone/iPad automatically set the last printer used as the default, so there is no need to do anything except choosing the right printer when printing a document or photo. If you don’t know how to do it, I’ll “refresh” your memory right away.
- Android — open the content to print, call up the sharing menu and select the print icon . In the screen that appears, expand the drop-down menu with the list of available printers and press the button with the printer icon , to start the printing process. Of course, the printer in use must be turned on, connected to the network and correctly configured to accept requests from smartphones and tablets. Furthermore, depending on the version of Android in use, it may be necessary to install a printing plugin from the Play Store (the one from the manufacturer of your printer).
- iPhone and iPad — open the content to print, call up the sharing menu and select the Print item . In the screen that appears, press the Printer menu and select the printer to use. Of course, in this case too, the printer must be turned on, connected to the network and correctly configured to accept requests from smartphones and tablets.