Installing printers under Windows – the most common problems

If problems occur when installing a printer under Windows 7, 8 or 10, they are usually easy to recognise and eliminate. We will show you how to solve the most common problems with printer installation.

Windows 7, 8, 10: Installing printers with the troubleshooter

Whether the driver is outdated or the printer is not approved for the network: With the Windows troubleshooter you can solve almost all problems.

• Open the Control Panel and select the category “Network and Internet” there.

• In the “Network and Sharing Centre” you will now find the category “Troubleshoot” at the bottom.

• Select the item “Printer” below and confirm the process by clicking on the button “Next”.

• Windows will now automatically search for problems with the printer. If an error is detected, Windows will try to correct it on its own.

• Note: In some cases you may need to confirm the operation by clicking on the button “Run these repairs as administrator”.

Uninstall and reinstall printer driver

If problems occur during the installation of the printer, it often helps to simply uninstall and then reinstall the corresponding driver:

• Press the [Windows] and [R] keys simultaneously so that the “Run” command opens.

• Enter “devmgmt.msc” here and confirm with “OK”. The device manager then opens.

You will now find your printer under the category “Printer”. Click on it with the right mouse button.

• Select the option “Uninstall” here and then “Install” again.

Windows 7/8/10: Set up printer manually

If Windows does not recognise your printer or does not install it properly, you will need to set up the machine manually:

• Open the Control Panel and select the category “Hardware and Sound” there.

• Click on “Devices and Printers” at the top and on the “Add Printer” button.

• Now the connected printer is searched for. Even if it is found, click on the button “The searched printer is not listed”.

• It is advisable to select the second or fourth item (see picture). This allows you to identify the printer either by IP address or by connection point. Points one and three seldom give the desired result.

Now click your way through the setup manager until you reach the point “Install printer driver”. Here you select the desired device from the list or click on the button “Data medium”. This way you can use the driver previously downloaded from the Internet. In case of complications, this way is recommended.

• The driver will now be installed, this may take some time. You can then give the printer a name and print a test page. Then click on the button “Finish”.