Got a printer? Good for you! Now you won’t have to be angry with the airline companies asking you to print out your boarding pass at home. To start printing, you have to add your new printer to the printer list on Mac. Let’s guide you through the process. Show
How to connect printer to MacThe Macintosh printer setup is complicated. Unlike other things you regularly connect to a Mac — AirPods, keyboard, or mouse — printers require an individual approach. The instructions will vary depending on the type of printer (color or monochrome, all-in-one or printer only), the manufacturer, the type of connection (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB), and more. Some might say, well, read the printer documentation. And that’s a good recommendation. But the truth is, documentation is often this 100-page all-jargon book that takes ages to make sense of. In contrast, modern printers that support AirPrint (Apple’s printing feature) are pretty easy to set up without installing any software or printer drives. So if you read through this article, the chances are you’ll save time and effort connecting your printer to Mac. Here’s what you’ll find in this guide:
How to add a printer to a Mac via Wi-FiIf you have a wireless printer, try connecting it via Wi-Fi. In setting up wireless printer on Mac, the most difficult thing is to connect your printer to Wi-Fi. Sometimes, you can do it by pressing only two buttons. The other times, it requires a bit more effort — it all depends on the type of printer and router you use. Here’s the easy way:
Make sure you connect your printer to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac. Once they are both connected, install printer on Mac:
Choose a perfect location for your printerNetSpot is a great tool for the owners of wireless printers. Whether you have connection problems or your printing is super slow, NetSpot helps deal with that. Essentially a WiFi scanner tool, it can check your room for weak Wi-Fi spots, run speed tests, and suggest ideal locations for your printer. And not only printer! You can use it to plan your home workspace in a way that you’ll always have a stable and reliable Wi-Fi connection. Add a USB printer to MacConnecting printer to Mac via a USB cable might sound like something people used to do in the previous decade. But in fact, it’s even easier than adding printer on Mac via Wi-Fi. Usually, your Mac just automatically recognizes the printer connected through a cable and all you have to do is follow the on-screen instructions. Sometimes, you might run into a problem, though. How do I get my Mac to recognize my printer?The short answer is you can’t. Whether your Mac sees your printer can depend on many things, from printer settings to the macOS version. The best you can do is to open System Preferences > Software Update and install the latest updates. What to do if your Mac doesn’t automatically recognize a USB printerNo luck? You can try adding your printer manually:
Add a Bluetooth printer to MacIf you have a Bluetooth-enabled printer, you can pair it with your Mac and start printing (just as you do with wireless headphones). Before you pair your printer, add it to your printer list:
When you need to print something, click on the Bluetooth icon on Mac > Bluetooth Preferences and pair your printer. An even easier way is to do it with ToothFairy. ToothFairy is your magic wand for all things Bluetooth — no wonder the app icon looks like a magic wand! Pair any number of wireless gadgets with your Mac using custom keyboard shortcuts, switch between them, and instantly see battery levels. With Toothfairy, you don’t ever have to dig through Bluetooth settings again. Add a printer to Mac via IP addressA surefire way to add printer to Mac is through its IP address. Use this method in case you don’t see your printer in the printer list and therefore can’t connect it. You’ll need to know your printer’s IP address (or host name), printing protocol, and its type — look for this information in the user documentation or contact support. Once you have the IP, here’s how to connect your printer to Mac:
How to start printing wirelesslyYou add your wireless printer to the printer list only once. After that, your Mac will automatically recognize the printer when you turn it on. You can also set your printer as default if you have multiple printers connected, or ask your Mac to always choose the last printer used (System Preferences > Printers & Scanners > Preferences). Here’s how to start printing:
How to remove an unused printer from MacNow when we’ve learned about setting up printer on Mac, let’s see how to disconnect it. If you stop using a printer, it’s important that you remove it from your printer list. This will help you avoid confusion when you add new printers and also free up some space on your Mac (turns out printers create files that pile up and eat your storage!) Here’s how to disconnect an unused printer:
CleanMyMac X will help finish the work by deleting all the files associated with an unused printer. Unfortunately, you can’t do that by simply disconnecting the printer, the files will still remain on your disk. With CleanMyMac X, you can get rid of those leftovers in no time. To remove the traces of old printers, use CleanMyMac X’s System Junk module:
That’s it. Your Mac is now ready for a new printer (and a bit of new system junk). ConclusionIf you’re currently in the process of choosing a new printer for home use, we recommend an AirPrint-enabled model. With AirPrint, you’ll avoid the trouble of manually downloading printer drivers and save a lot of time on the setup process. With wireless printers, use NetSpot to choose a good location for your printer. For Bluetooth printers, you’ll really appreciate Toothfairy as a handy connection toggle. And, of course, whenever you disconnect an old printer, don’t forget to remove system junk with CleanMyMac X. It will keep your computer clean and high-performing. CleanMyMac X, NetSpot, and ToothFairy are all available to try for 7 days free with Setapp. Why is my Mac not detecting my printer?If you can't add the printer because it doesn't appear in the list of available printers, it may be turned off, or your Mac may be on a different network now. If the printer was shared by another user, the user may have stopped sharing it, or the user's Mac may be offline.
Why is my wireless printer not being detected?Remove and Re-Add Your Printer in Windows
If this happens, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners, select your printer, and remove it. Then click Add a Printer or Scanner to re-add it to the device list. Incredibly (and frustratingly), this often gets things up and running again.
Why can't my Mac find my HP wireless printer?Make sure your Mac is connected to the Internet. In the Printers list, click your HP printer, and then click the Minus button to delete it. Click the Add button . Find and select the name of your printer from the Printer list, and then click Add to add your printer.
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