The “Devices and Printers” interface, as available on a Windows computer provides access to both Local and Network printers that are installed on the computer and also displays supported USB and Bluetooth-connected devices like projectors, headphones, mice, keyboards, cameras and phones; depending on the way they were registered and are being detected by Windows operating system.
Hence, getting familiar with different ways to open the “Devices & Printers” interface on a Windows computer can be useful for performing the following types of tasks.
- Adding/Removing printers and other types of supported devices.
- Setting default printer, pausing, resuming, cancelling and managing print jobs.
- Accessing printer properties and changing printing preferences (paper size, orientation, print quality).
- Viewing installed printers, scanners and other supported devices (including some network-connected devices).
- Checking printer/device status and performing basic printer/device troubleshooting functions.
Note: Managing headphones, webcams and other types of USB, Bluetooth & Wi-Fi connected devices in greater detail, requires you to get familiar with accessing them in Windows Settings and Device Manager.
Open Devices and Printers in Windows 11/10
After Windows 11 22H2 update, the popular way of opening the classic “Devices & Printers” interface by clicking on Devices & Printers Icon in the Control Panel no longer works. However, you can still directly access the “Devices & Printers” interface from Control Panel by right-clicking on “Devices & Printers” Icon (instead of clicking on it).
In addition to this, you can find below multiple other ways to open the “Devices & Printers” interface on both Windows 11 & Windows 10 computers.
1. Open Devices & Printers Using Run Command
The quickest way to open the Devices & Printers interface on a Windows 10 computer and also in certain versions of Windows 11 is by using the Run Command.
1. Press Windows + R to open Run Command.
2. Type control printers and press the Enter key.
This will lead you to the legacy printers and devices screen in Windows 10 and older versions of Windows 11.
Note: If you are using a newer version of Windows 11, this command will lead you to Bluetooth & Devices screen. From there, you can open Devices & Printers by clicking on View More Devices, as described in the next method.
2. Open Devices & Printers Using Settings
You can open the “Devices and Printers” interface from the Settings menu by using the following steps.
1. Press Window + I keys to open Settings.
2. On Settings screen, select Bluetooth & Devices in the left-pane and click on View More Devices option in the right-pane.
3. On the next screen, scroll down to “Related Settings” section and click on More devices and printer settings tab.
4. This will take you to the “Devices and Printers” screen, which allows to Set Default Printer, Manage Print Jobs and Printer Preferences on your computer.
Windows 10: Go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & Other devices (left-pane) > click on Devices & Printers link located under “Related Settings” section.
3. Open Devices & Printers Using Control Panel
As mentioned above, you can still open the “Devices & Printers” interface from Control Panel by right-clicking on Devices & Printers link, instead of clicking on it (which takes you to the Settings screen).
1. Type control panel in the Search bar and click on Control Panel in the search results.
2. On “All Control Panel Items” screen, switch to Large icons view > right-click on Devices & Printers and click on open.
3. This will take you directly to the “Devices and Printers” screen on your computer.
4. Open Devices and Printers Using Device Manager
An easy way to open “Devices and Printers” is by using the Device Manager utility as available in Windows.
1. Right-click on Start button and click on Device Manager.
2. On the Device Manager screen, click anywhere inside the screen or click on any device.
3. After this, select the Action tab and click on Devices and Printers.
4. On the next screen, you will find the Printers and other supported devices attached to your computer.
5. Open Devices & Printers Using USB Drive
If there is a USB Drive attached to the computer, you can open “Devices & Printers” by right-clicking on the USB Drive.
1. Click on Up Arrow Icon located in the System Tray > right-click on USB Drive and select Open Devices and Printers option.
2. On the next screen, click on View More Devices link.
3. On the “Devices” screen, scroll down to “Related Settings” section and click on More devices and printer settings tab.
4. Within a few moments, you will be landing on the “Devices & Printers” screen.
Note: This option becomes available only if a USB Drive is attached to the computer.
6. Open Devices & Printers Using File Explorer
You can also make use of the File Explorer to access the Devices & Printers interface on your computer.
1. Open the File Explorer on your computer.
2. Type control panel\ in the Explorer Search bar and select Control Panel\Hardware & Sound option in the drop-down.
3. On the Control Pane screen, right-click on Devices & Printers and click on open.
4. This will take you to the Devices & Printers screen on your computer.
7. Open Devices & Printers Using Command Prompt
If you are already on Command Prompt or Terminal, you can open the “Devices & Printers” interface by executing control /name Microsoft.Printers command.
1. Open Command Prompt.
2. On the Command prompt screen, type control /name Microsoft.Printers and press the Enter key.
3. This will lead you to the Devices & Printers screen.
Note: You can also press Windows + R keys > type control /name Microsoft.Printers and click on OK to open the Devices & Printers screen on a Windows 11 computer.
Note: There needs to be a single-space between control and back-slash(/).
8. Open Devices and Printers Using Print Queue
Another way to open the “Devices & Printers” screen on a Windows computer is by going to the “Print Queues” properties screen on Device Manager screen.
1. Open Device Manager > right-click on Print queues and click on Properties.
2. On the next screen, switch to Settings tab and click on Devices & Printers Folder button.
3. On the next screen, you will be landing on the Devices & Printers screen.
9. Open Devices & Printers Using Desktop Shortcut
You can add a “Devices and Printers” shortcut to Desktop and use it to open the “Devices and Printers” Interface on your computer.
1. Type control panel in the Search bar and click on Control Panel in the search results.
2. On the Control Panel screen, switch to Large icons view > right-click on Devices & Printers and click on Create Shortcut option.
3. On the confirmation pop-up, click on the Yes option to confirm.
4. You should now see a “Devices and Printers” shortcut Icon on the Desktop.
At any time, you can open the “Devices and Printers” screen on your computer by double-clicking on the Shortcut Icon.