Add and manage printers on Mac

• On your Mac, update your printer software: Check with your printer’s manufacturer whether any updates are available.

• Prepare your printer: Use the instructions for your printer to unpack it, install ink or toner, and add paper. Turn on the printer and make sure it’s not displaying any errors.

Many popular printers are AirPrint-enabled, so you can print wirelessly from your Mac without installing an app, driver, or other software.

1. Make sure your printer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac. (See the setup information that came with your printer.)

2. With a document open on your Mac, choose File > Print.

3. Click the Printer pop-up menu, then choose your AirPrint printer. If you don’t see it, choose Add Printer to add it to your list. See Add a printer to your printer list.

4. Select the other print options you want, then click Print.

If your Mac and printer are already connected to the same Wi-Fi network, the printer might be available to you without any setup. If a network printer you want to use isn’t in your list of available printers, you can add it as an IP printer. The printer must support one of these protocols: AirPrint, HP Jetdirect (Socket), Line Printer Daemon (LPD), or Internet Printing Protocol (IPP).

1. Go to the System Settings  app on your Mac.

2. Click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)

3. Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, then do any of the following:

   • Add a Wi-Fi or network printer: Select your printer from the list, then click Add.

     If your printer isn’t connected to the network, you need to add it. Follow the instructions that came with the printer to connect it to the network.

     If you have a Wi-Fi printer, you might need to connect the printer to your Mac with a USB cable to set up Wi-Fi printing. After connecting the printer to your Mac, install the software that came with the printer and use the printer’s setup assistant to connect the printer to your Wi-Fi network. After setup, you can disconnect the cable from your printer and Mac, and the printer should stay connected to the Wi-Fi network. See the Apple Support article Connect an AirPrint printer to a Wi-Fi network.

   • Add a USB printer: Connect the printer to your Mac using the appropriate cable.

     Important: If your Mac has a single USB-C port, use a multiport adapter. Connect the printer, then connect a USB-C cable to a power supply to prolong the battery life of your Mac. See Use USB-C cables with Mac.

   • Add a Bluetooth printer: Select your printer from the list, then click Add.

     Follow the instructions that came with your printer to make sure it’s ready to connect with Bluetooth. If your printer doesn’t appear in the list, make sure you have the latest Bluetooth driver for the printer installed. Check with the manufacturer for the latest driver.

   • Add a Wi-Fi or mobile printer that requires a configuration profile: Select the printer (listed as an AirPrint Profile) in the Printers list, then click Add.

     If your printer doesn’t appear in the list, make sure you have the latest configuration profile installed and there’s a network path for your computer to the printer. Check with your network administrator for the latest profile.

   • Add a network printer by specifying its IP address: Click , enter the printer information using the following table as a guide, then click Add.

     You must know the network printer’s IP address or host name, printing protocol, and model number or printer software name. If it uses a special queue, you also need to know the queue name. Ask the person who manages the printer or server for assistance.

   Option	Description
   Address	Enter the printer’s IP address (a number that looks like 192.168.20.11) or host name (for example, printer.example.com).
   Protocol	Choose a printing protocol that your printer supports: AirPrint: Use the AirPrint protocol to allow Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet network access to a printer’s printing and scanning options (if the specific printer supports these features). You don’t need to download or install printer software to use AirPrint-compatible printers. A wide variety of printers, including Aurora, Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, Fuji, HP, Samsung, Xerox, and many others, support the AirPrint protocol. Internet Printing Protocol -IPP: Allows access to modern printers and print servers. Line Printer Daemon - LPD: Allows access to some older printers and print servers that use this protocol. HP Jetdirect – Socket: Use this protocol to access printers from HP and many other printer manufacturers.
   Queue	Enter the queue name for your printer. If you don’t know the queue name, try leaving it blank or ask your network administrator.
   Name	Records a descriptive name for the printer (for example, Color Laser Printer), so you can identify it in the Printer pop-up menu.
   Location	Records the printer’s location (for example, “outside my office”), so you can identify it in the Printer pop-up menu.
   Use	Displays the appropriate software for the printer. If you don’t see software for your printer, choose Select Software, then select your printer in the Printer Software list. If the Printer Software list doesn’t include your printer, try downloading and installing the printer software (also called a printer driver) from the printer manufacturer. You can also try choosing generic PostScript or PCL printer software from the pop-up menu depending on your type of printer.

Some network printers may require you to install a configuration profile so that the printer can be discovered on your network using AirPrint. If you’re provided a profile to install, download or copy the printer profile to your Mac, then install it.

1. On your Mac, double-click the profile to open it.

2. When you see a message asking if you want to install the profile, click Continue.

3. When a message appears asking you to confirm you want to install the profile, click Install.

   The profile is installed in the Device Management settings of System Settings . Click General, then click Device Management. You can then add the printer to your printer list.

1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)

2. Do any of the following:

• Set the default printer: Click the “Default printer” pop-up menu, then choose a printer. Choose Last Printer Used to use whichever printer you used most recently.

• Rename a printer or change its location: Click the printer in the Printers list, then enter a descriptive Name (for example, Color Laser Printer) or Location. This information appears to others on your network.

• Remove a printer: Control-click the printer in the Printers list, choose Remove Printer, then click Remove Printer to confirm.

You can print to a printer connected to a Windows computer if its owner has set it up to be shared. The printer and computer names must use only these characters: A–Z, a–z, 0–9, and no spaces.

1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)

2. Click the Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax button on the right, then click the Windows (network) button.

3. Select the printer from the network browser: click the workgroup, click the print server, then select the printer.

4. Click the Use pop-up menu, choose the appropriate printer software, then click Add.

If the printers you use are often busy, you can create a printer pool—a collection of printers. Your document prints to the first available printer in the pool.

1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)

2. Press and hold the Option key, position the pointer over the Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax button, then click Create Printer Pool.

3. Enter a name for the pool, select the printers to include, then click Create Printer Pool.

4. To print to the pool, open a document, choose File > Print, click the Printer pop-up menu, then choose the printer pool.