Setup & mobile
Adding a printer to your Mac
Add a USB or network printer on macOS 13 to 26 through System Settings, choose AirPrint or the maker’s driver, and fix a printer your Mac can’t find.
You’ll need: The printer switched on and on your Mac’s network, or a USB cable · The printer’s IP address, if the Mac doesn’t find it
Try this first
Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax… and give the list a few seconds to fill. Select your printer, leave Use on AirPrint or Secure AirPrint if either is offered, and click Add. Most current printers need no extra software on a Mac.
Didn’t work? Go to the full stepsWhat you’ll notice
- The Add Printer list is empty or your printer is missing
- macOS says the software for the printer isn’t available
- The printer is added but jobs stop with an error in the queue
- The printer shows up twice, or under an old name
Usually caused by
- Most commonThe Mac and printer are on different networks
- Most commonThe printer is asleep or its IP address changed
- SometimesAn old driver or a stale printer entry is in the way
- SometimesBonjour or AirPrint is turned off on the printer
- SometimesThe network blocks the printer’s announcements
- Less commonThe printer predates AirPrint and needs the maker’s driver
Step by step
Work down the list in order. Tick off each step as you go: your progress is saved on this device.
macOS
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Open Printers & Scanners
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar; you may need to scroll down. On macOS 12 and earlier it’s System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
You should see: You see a list of printers, which may be empty, and a button to add one.
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Add a printer the Mac finds by itself
Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax…. Network printers that announce themselves, and any printer plugged in by USB, appear in the list after a few seconds. Select yours, check the Use menu and click Add.
You should see: The printer appears in Printers & Scanners and in the Print dialog.
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Choose AirPrint or the maker’s driver
In the Use menu, AirPrint or Secure AirPrint covers everyday printing on most current printers. Pick the manufacturer’s driver only if you need a feature AirPrint lacks, and install that software from the manufacturer’s support website first.
You should see: The Use menu shows your choice before you click Add.
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Add it by IP address if it isn’t listed
In the Add Printer window, click the IP tab (the globe icon). Type the printer’s IP address, set Protocol to the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) option, and wait for macOS to identify the printer before clicking Add.
You should see: macOS fills in the printer’s name and a suitable Use option.
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Print a test page
Open any document, press Command + P, choose the new printer and click Print. To watch the job, open the printer’s queue from Printers & Scanners.
You should see: The page prints and the queue empties.
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Remove duplicate or stale copies
If the printer appears more than once, select the old or unused copy in Printers & Scanners and remove it. Jobs sent to a stale copy head for an address or driver the printer no longer uses.
You should see: Only one working copy of the printer remains.
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Reset the printing system as a last resort
Control-click inside the printers list and choose Reset printing system…. This deletes every printer, queue and waiting job on the Mac, so note anything you need first, then add the printer again from step 2.
You should see: The printers list is empty and ready for a clean add.
On the printer itself
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Wake the printer and confirm its network
Wake the printer and print a network configuration page from its menu. Note the network name and IP address it lists.
You should see: The report shows the same network your Mac is on and a normal local address.
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Check AirPrint and Bonjour are on
Type the printer’s IP address into Safari to open its built-in web page. In the network or protocol settings, make sure AirPrint, Bonjour and IPP are enabled; the layout varies by maker, and some pages ask for an admin password printed on the printer’s label.
You should see: After saving, the printer appears in the Mac’s Add Printer list within a minute.
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Reserve the printer’s IP address
If the printer keeps disappearing after restarts, reserve its IP address in your router so it never changes. A printer added by IP address on the Mac then keeps working.
You should see: The printer shows the same address on every network report.
Did this fix it?
Good to hear. If the problem comes back, the steps will still be here, and your ticked steps are saved on this device.
Try these next:
- On macOS 15 and later, if the manufacturer’s app or utility can’t see the printer, open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and turn that app on.
- Remove manufacturer software you no longer need, using the uninstaller from the manufacturer’s support site, then add the printer again with AirPrint.
- Try a USB cable. If the printer adds and prints over USB, the fault is on the network side, not in macOS.
Still stuck? Run the diagnose questions, or check your printer’s manual and the manufacturer’s official support site.
Common questions
Do I need to download a driver to use a printer on a Mac?
Usually not. macOS prints to most current printers through AirPrint with no extra software. Install the manufacturer’s software from its support website only for features AirPrint doesn’t offer, such as some scanning or finishing options.
What’s the difference between AirPrint and Secure AirPrint?
Secure AirPrint sends jobs to the printer over an encrypted connection, on printers that support it. Both use the same built-in macOS driver, so choose Secure AirPrint when it’s offered.
Why does my Mac say Hold for Authentication?
macOS is waiting for a name and password before it sends the job, usually for a shared or office printer. Open the printer’s queue and resume the job to be asked again; the related page on that message covers the rest.