Setting Your Default Printer in Windows

Overview

You can select or change your default printer any time.

The default printer is where your print jobs will automatically be sent when using Quick Print option in MS Office applications and others.  It is also the printer that is automatically selected in all print dialog.

Manually set the default printer

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and then select SettingsBluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners 

  2. In the Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners window, under Printer preferences, make sure Let Windows manage my default printer is switched Off.

  3. In the list of installed printers at the top of the Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners window, select the desired printer to be set as the default.

    Tip: If the desired printer isn't displayed in the list of printers, see Add or install a printer in Windows to install the printer.

  4. In the Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > <Printer> window, next to the printer's name, select the Set as default button. The Printer status: under the printer's name changes to Default.

    Note: If the Set as default button isn't visible next to the printer's name, make sure the setting Let Windows manage my default printer from one of the previous steps is switched Off.

Set the last printer used as the default printer

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and then select Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners .

  2. In the Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners window, under Printer preferences, make sure Let Windows manage my default printer is switched On.

 

Note: For mobile Windows devices, when the option Let Windows manage my default printer is switched On and the location of the Windows device changes, the default printer might change to the last printer used at the new location.