When you bring home a New Wireless or USB Printer, you won’t be able to print anything, unless you go through the process of adding the printer to your computer.
The actual process of adding a printer varies, depending on whether you are connecting a Network or Local Printer to Windows computer.
As the name suggests, Local Printer is directly connected to the computer using a USB Cable and a Network Printer is wirelessly connected to the computer using Wi-Fi or Ethernet Network.
Add Wireless & USB Printer in Windows 11/10
Now that we understand the terms Local & Network Printer, let us go ahead and take a look at the steps to add both Local (USB connected) and Network or Wireless printer to Windows computer.
Note: If you are looking for a way to Add Printer using IP Address, refer to this guide: How to Add Printer Using IP Address in Windows 11/10.
1. Add Network or Wireless Printer to Windows Computer
You can follow the steps below to add a wireless printer to Windows computer.
1. Plug the wireless Printer to its Power Supply source and start the Printer by pressing its Power button. Once, the Printer starts, it will start scanning for nearby Wi-Fi Networks.
2. Go to LCD Panel of the Printer > open Settings menu and select your Wi-Fi Network.
3. When prompted, enter the Password for your Wi-Fi Network and this will connect the Printer to your Home Wi-Fi Network.
4. On your computer, go to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices (left-pane) > click on Printer & Scanners in the right-pane.
Windows 10: Go to Settings > Printers and Scanners > Add a Printer or Scanner > select Printer > click on Add Device.
5. On the next screen, you may find your wireless printer already listed. If the printer is not listed, click on Add Device button and wait for Windows to scan and locate the printer.
Note: If Windows fails to list the Printer, click on Refresh and wait for the Printer to be listed. If this fails, click on Add a new device manually option.
6. When the Printer becomes listed or manually added, click on Add Device button located next to the Printer.
7. On the next screen, enter the WPS PIN for your printer and click on the Next button.
8. Follow the remaining onscreen instructions to complete the setup process.
Note: On certain printers, you may be required to install the printer software on the computer.
2. Add Local USB Printer to Windows Computer
You can follow the steps below to add a Local or USB printer to Windows 11/10 computer.
1. Connect the USB Printer to Power Supply Source.
2. Plug the Printer to computer using its supplied USB cable and press the Power button to switch on the Printer.
3. On your computer, go to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices (left-pane) > click on Printer & Scanners in the right-pane.
Windows 10: Go to Settings > Printers and Scanners > Add a Printer or Scanner > select Printer > click on Add Device.
4. On the next screen, click on Add Device button and wait for the computer to scan for available printers.
5. After the scan process is completed, click on the Add Manually button.
6. On the next screen, select “My Printer is a little older, Help me find it” option and click Next and wait for Windows to come up with a list of Printers.
7. Go through the list of printers, select your printer and click on Next to install the printer driver.
8. Follow the next set of onscreen instructions to complete the installation of USB Printer.
Note: If the printer does not appear in the list of printers, go to website of the printer manufacturer and download the latest driver software required to run the printer on your computer.