How to set the default printer - Step by step guide

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In this guide, we show you how to set the default printer. The default printer is the printer you print to the most. We set a printer as the default to avoid having to choose which printer we want to use to each time we click print. To set the default printer follow the steps below.

How to set the default printer in Windows 7

Press the Windows key to activate the text box on the taskbar
Type Printers in the text box on the taskbar
Select Devices and Printers
Right-click the printer name you want to set as default
Select set as default printer
Close Devices and Printers
Try printing (Ctrl + P)

How to set the default printer in Windows 10

Press the Windows key to activate the text box on the taskbar
Type Printers in the text box on the taskbar and press Enter
Click the printer you wish to set as default.
Left-click the printer name you want to set as default
Select Manage
Click Set as Default
Try printing (Ctrl + P)

If the ‘set as default’ option is not available, scroll down the list of printers and deselect Let Windows manage my default printer. When ticked this option sets the last printer you used as the default printer

Why set a default printer?

There are a number of reasons why you could set a specific printer as the default printer. It could be that it is simply the closest printer to where you are working or if you have many documents to print and you don’t want to have to choose the printer each time.

You might have a black only printer on your desk but a colour printer in another room and you want to print in color. You could choose the colour printer to be the default printer until you are finished printing in colour. This will avoid you having to select the colour printer each time you print.

Can any printer be the default printer?

Any printer can be selected as the default printer. You could select a local printer (attached by a cable), a wireless or ethernet connected printer as the default printer. You could even choose a virtual printer such as a ‘print to pdf’ printer as the default.

Can I change the default printer?

Yes, you can change the default printer. Simply follow the steps above again and select a different printer to be the new ‘default printer’. Remember that the selected ‘default printer’ will remain selected as the default printer until you decide to change it.

We have many other posts on printers here at Techsnail covering everything from what is a printer to different types of printers such as laser printer, inkjet printer to see a complete list of printer posts click here.

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