The printer is an essential part of a computer. It allows us to print out our files with the help of inks, toner, and paper.
Printers are required to print out documents, photographs, and much more. Connecting to a printer from a mac can be a tasking one but it’s actually not that difficult to do at all.
All you need is the right connection method and our quick guide to help you along the way. This is because the mac was not designed with the printer in mind.
So due to this reason, a lot of people try and find ways on connecting their Macs to the printer for them to operate their printer. So, let us discuss how to add a printer to mac.
Table of Contents
Steps to Adding a Printer to Mac
Set a wireless connection
Most new printers have wireless capabilities, allowing you to set them up without the usual need for cords.
The printer needs to be connected to a wireless access point in order to work. Many printers nowadays allow you to connect wireless to your network, usually via the printer’s built-in Wi-Fi control panel.
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You will almost always find this somewhere in your home screen or settings tab. If you can’t locate the manual online, there should be a copy available on the manufacturer’s support site but if your printer and router both support WPS push-to-connect, simply press the WPS button on the back of your printer while pressing the WPS button on top of your router within two minutes. The connection will be made automatically.
Update your Mac
Updating your Mac ensures that there are always the latest fixes for everything that is wrong with it.
For example, if your computer freezes a lot or if you just want to make sure you have all the latest features, it might be time to update your Mac.
This can be easily done by opening up the App Store and clicking on either Update All or Updates and making sure everything is running smoothly.
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Open System Preferences
From the Apple menu, click System Preferences. You can find this near the top of the Apple menu. This opens up a brand new window in which you’ll see lots of icons and tabs with different settings.
Open Printers
On the left side, click “Click Printer and Scanners” or choose “Click Printers and Scanners” from the drop-down menu.
This displays a list of connected printers (if any) on the left side. Now you can change your default printer by right-clicking on it in the list and choosing Set as Default Printer.
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Click on the Plus Button
Click “+” at the bottom of the wifi box. Your Mac will scan for any wireless printers connected to your house.
Add Printer
Click your printer and click Add. Connect to the printer. Make sure to connect the printer to your Mac via a USB cord and install the drivers that came with the printer or from the manufacturer’s websites.
Connect the wireless network to your network using the instructions provided by your ISP.
Print the Page
Usually, when you want to print something in an app, one of the options is “Print.” If the option isn’t visible, click ⋮ in the upper-left corner of your screen.
Then choose Print. The first time you try to print something on a Mac computer, you may have to tell your Mac which printer to use.
FAQs Related How to Add a Printer to Mac?
Why can’t I add a printer to my Mac?
As you set up and configure your printer, never forget to verify if the printer is turned on.
If it is not then plug it into a power source and turn it on before proceeding with any further setup steps.
Also, make sure that your Mac is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the printer via an available port so that you may be able to access the necessary settings without having to initiate an Ethernet connection.
Why won’t my Mac connect to my wireless printer?
When you’re having problems with your printer, there are a few things that you need to try to get it working.
The first one is to literally unplug and plug back all of the wires leading from the computer to your printer. The second thing that you should do is check out if the connections are right and tight.
Some Mac computers have more than one USB port so if your printer still isn’t working after ensuring all of these connections were plugged incorrectly, then we might as well admit that your original printer might be dead by now and we need a replacement one instead.
Why is the printer not showing up?
If you’re having trouble making your printer work, the first thing to do is check that power is connected and try turning it on again.
Another thing you can do is unplug the printer, wait a few minutes, and plug it back in.
You might also want to check that the printer is properly set up or connected to your computer’s system.
Conclusion
Adding a printer to Mac is not a difficult task to do. However, it is not something that you can do in 5 minutes.
This is because the steps involved in adding a printer to Mac will depend on the type of printer you have.
The reason for this is that there are different procedures to follow depending on the respective printer manufacturer you have.
This will require someone that is an expert at adding a printer to Mac. This is because it will involve following different procedures every time.
This will depend on where the printer is located in relation to your Mac. In this blog, I had covered all the steps to add a printer to your mac and I hope after reading this article you will understand how to add a printer to mac.