Adding a printer in Windows 11 is straightforward in most cases — Windows detects modern printers automatically. This guide covers every method: automatic detection, adding by IP address, connecting to a shared network printer, and what to do when Windows cannot find the printer at all.
Method 1: Automatic Detection (USB or Network Printers)
For USB printers, plug the printer into your PC and turn it on. Windows 11 will detect it and install the driver automatically in most cases. Wait about 30 seconds and check if it appears in Settings.
For network printers on the same Wi-Fi or wired network, Windows will often find them automatically:
- Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners
- Click Add device
- Windows scans the network — if your printer appears in the list, click Add device next to it
If the printer appears but the driver is not available locally, Windows will download it from Windows Update automatically.
Method 2: Add a Printer by IP Address
If automatic detection does not find your printer, add it manually using its IP address. This is the most reliable method for network printers.
- Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners
- Click Add device
- Wait a moment, then click Add manually (appears below the scan results)
- Select Add a printer using an IP address or hostname and click Next
- Under Device type, choose TCP/IP Device
- Enter the printer’s IP address in the Hostname or IP address field (e.g.
192.168.1.150) - Leave Port name as it is — Windows fills this in automatically
- Click Next — Windows queries the printer and selects a driver
To find your printer’s IP address, print a configuration page from the printer’s control panel, or log in to your router and look at connected devices.
Method 3: Connect to a Shared Network Printer
If another PC on your network is sharing a printer, you can connect to it directly:
- Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → Add device → Add manually
- Select Select a shared printer by name
- Enter the path in the format
\\computername\printername(e.g.\\OFFICE-PC\HP-LaserJet) - Click Next — Windows installs the shared printer driver from the host PC
The host PC must be powered on and have File and Printer Sharing enabled for this to work.
How to Set a Default Printer
- Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners
- Click on the printer you want as default
- Click Set as default
Note: Windows 11 has a setting called Let Windows manage my default printer that automatically sets your most recently used printer as the default. If you want a fixed default printer, turn this off first. You will find it at the bottom of the Printers & scanners settings page.
How to Install a Printer Driver Manually
If Windows cannot find a driver automatically, download the driver from the printer manufacturer’s website:
- HP: support.hp.com
- Brother: support.brother.com
- Canon: canon.co.uk/support
- Epson: epson.co.uk/support
Download the driver for your exact printer model and Windows 11. Run the installer — it typically adds the printer and driver in one step. For network printers, the installer will usually ask for the printer’s IP address.
How to Remove a Printer
- Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners
- Click the printer you want to remove
- Click Remove
This removes the printer from Windows but does not uninstall the driver. To remove the driver as well (useful if you are reinstalling): open Print Management (search in Start), expand Print Servers → [Your PC] → Drivers, right-click the driver and select Delete.
Troubleshooting
Printer Installed but Not Printing
- Check the print queue: click the printer in Settings → Open print queue. If there are stuck jobs, right-click them and select Cancel
- Try restarting the Print Spooler service: open Services (search in Start), find Print Spooler, right-click and choose Restart
- Turn the printer off and on, and check it is online (not showing “Offline” in the print queue)
Printer Shows as Offline
- Right-click the printer in the print queue and ensure Use Printer Offline is not ticked
- For network printers, verify the printer’s IP address has not changed — printers on DHCP can get a new IP after a restart. Assign a static IP in the printer’s network settings to prevent this.
Windows Cannot Find Printer Driver
- Download the driver from the manufacturer’s website (see links above)
- If the printer is very old, it may not have a Windows 11 driver. Try installing the Windows 10 driver — it usually works
Printer Works but Printing is Slow
- For network printers, switch from printing via a shared PC (which creates an extra hop) to connecting directly to the printer’s IP address
- Check your network connection — slow printing over Wi-Fi can be caused by a weak signal
