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How to Set a Default Printer in Windows 10

Simple ways to set your Windows 10 default printer

By Sandy Writtenhouse Sandy Writtenhouse Writer Kaplan University Sandy has been writing about technology since 2012. Her work has appeared on How-To Geek, MakeUseOf, iDownloadBlog, groovyPost, and many other websites. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 17, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide

What to Know

Go to Settings > Printers & Scanners, select your printer, click Manage, and then Set as default.Go to Control Panel > View Devices and Printers and right-click your printer to pick Set as default printer.Go to Settings > Printers & Scanners and check the box for Let Windows manage my default printer. This article walks you through two easy ways to set your default printer on Windows 10 and let Windows manage it for you. Use whichever method is quickest or easiest for you. How to Set a Default Printer in Windows 11

Set the Default Printer in Settings

You can go right to the Settings on Windows 10 and pick the printer you want to use by default. It makes printing with a click faster with your preferred printer. Open the Start menu by clicking the Windows icon on the bottom left of your screen and selecting Settings. Choose Devices at the top of the window that pops open. Pick Printers & Scanners on the left and select the printer you want to use on the right. Below your printer’s name, click Manage. On the final screen in the process, click Set as default.

Set the Default Printer in Control Panel

Some Windows 10 users still like to use the Control Panel for managing settings and devices. If you fall into this group, follow these steps to set your default printer in Control Panel. Open Control Panel as you usually would. You can also use the Search box to locate it quickly if you have it in your Taskbar. Just enter “Control Panel” into the Search box and select it from the results. Under Hardware and Sound, choose View devices and printers. If, for some reason, you don’t see this option, click Hardware and Sound and then pick Devices and Printers. Scroll down to Printers, right-click the printer you want to use, and pick Set as default printer.

Set the Default Printer as the Last One Used

One other handy option on Windows 10 is to set your default printer as the last one you used at that location. So if you travel between your home and physical office, for instance, you can have the default printer set as the one you used most recently at that spot. Click the Windows icon on the bottom left of your screen and select Settings. Choose Devices at the top. Pick Printers & Scanners on the left. Below the list of printers on the right, check the box for Let Windows manage my default printer.

Take Control of Your Printer on Windows 10

Rather than selecting the printer you want to use each time, set a default printer instead. Then you can print much faster with fewer steps. How to Create a Printer Shortcut in Windows 10 Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Set a Default Printer in Windows 11 How to Scan From Printer to Computer How to Add a Printer to Windows 10 How to Find the Printer on Your Network in Windows 10 How to Use Quick Settings in Windows 11 Latest Windows 10 Drivers (October 21, 2022) How to Cancel a Print Job How to Create a Printer Shortcut in Windows 11 How to Print to PDF How to Disable Startup Programs on Windows 10 How to Change the Default Download Location in Windows 10 How to Set up Parental Controls in Windows 10 How to Disable the Touchpad on Windows 10 What Version of Windows Do I Have? How to Create and Delete User Accounts in Windows 10 How to Open Device Manager (Windows 11, 10, 8, 7...) Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies