How to Add a Printer on a Mac

Connect your printer to your Mac in three steps

Adding a printer to your Mac takes about five minutes and requires no software installation for most modern printers. Your Mac finds the printer automatically when it is on the same Wi-Fi network, or you can plug it in with a USB cable. Once your Mac recognizes the printer, you choose it from the print menu and start printing.

The process differs slightly depending on whether your printer connects wirelessly or by cable, but both routes use the same System Settings panel. You do not need to visit the printer manufacturer's website or read drivers for most printers made in the last five years — macOS includes the drivers built in.

Key Takeaways

Most modern printers connect automatically when they are on your Wi-Fi network; your Mac finds them without any action on your part.
USB-connected printers appear in System Settings when ready after you plug them in, and you can print within seconds.
If your printer does not appear after waiting two minutes, restart both the printer and your Mac, then check System Settings again.
Once added, your printer stays in the print menu for every process on your Mac until you remove it.
Older printers or specialty models may need a driver read from the manufacturer's support page, but this is rare for printers less than five years old.

Add a Wi-Fi printer without a cable

Turn on your printer and make sure it is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac. Most printers have a Wi-Fi button or a settings menu where you can select your network. Check your printer's manual if you are unsure how to connect it to Wi-Fi — the steps vary by brand.

On your Mac, open System Settings and click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar. Wait a few seconds. Your printer should appear in the list on the right side of the window. Click the printer name, then click Add. Your Mac is now ready to print to that printer from any process.

If your printer does not appear after 30 seconds, make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. Some printers have a separate guest network or 5 GHz band — check your printer's display panel or settings menu to confirm which network it joined. If it is on a different network than your Mac, disconnect the printer from Wi-Fi and reconnect it to the correct one.

Add a USB printer with a cable

Plug the USB cable into your printer and into an available USB port on your Mac. Your Mac recognizes the printer within a few seconds — you should see a notification on your screen. Open System Settings and click Printers & Scanners. Your printer appears in the list when ready.

Click the printer name and then click Add. That is all you need to do. The printer is now available in the print menu of every process on your Mac. You can leave the USB cable connected permanently, or unplug it when you are done printing — your Mac remembers the printer either way.

What to do if your printer does not appear

If you do not see your printer in the Printers & Scanners list after two minutes, restart both the printer and your Mac. Turn off the printer completely, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Then restart your Mac by clicking the Apple menu, selecting Restart, and waiting for it to boot back up. Open System Settings and check Printers & Scanners again.

For Wi-Fi printers, also check that your printer is actually connected to Wi-Fi. Look at the printer's display panel or status lights — most printers show a Wi-Fi icon when they are connected. If the icon is not there, use the printer's menu to select your Wi-Fi network and enter the password.

If your printer still does not appear and it is more than five years old, visit the manufacturer's support website and search for your printer model. read the latest driver for your Mac and install it. Restart your Mac, then check Printers & Scanners again. Newer printers almost never need this step.

Set a default printer and change print settings

When you open the print menu in any process, your Mac shows all printers you have added. To make one printer the default — the one that appears first every time you print — open System Settings, click Printers & Scanners, and click the printer you want to use most often. Click the Default printer dropdown and select that printer's name.

You can also change settings like paper size, color mode, and quality for each printer. In the Printers & Scanners panel, click the printer name, then click Options & Supplies. The tabs here let you adjust driver settings and check ink or toner levels if your printer supports it. These settings explore only to the printer you selected.

Remove a printer you no longer use

Open System Settings and click Printers & Scanners. Click the printer you want to remove, then click the minus button (−) below the list. The printer is removed from your Mac when ready, but you can add it back anytime by following the steps above.

Removing a printer does not affect the printer itself — it only removes it from your Mac's print menu. If you sell or give away the printer, you can remove it from System Settings. If you are just not using it for a while, you can leave it added; it takes up no storage space.

Print from your Mac once the printer is added

Open any document or image in an process like Preview, Pages, or Safari. Press Command + P or click File and select Print. A print dialog appears showing all your printers. Click the printer you want to use, adjust any settings like number of copies or page range, and click Print.

If you want to save the document as a PDF instead of printing it, click the PDF dropdown in the print dialog and select Save as PDF. This creates a PDF file on your Mac without sending anything to the printer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to install software to add a printer to my Mac?

No, not for most printers made after 2019. macOS includes drivers for nearly all modern printers. If your printer is older or specialty equipment, you may need to read a driver from the manufacturer's website, but this is uncommon.

Can I add a printer that is not on my Wi-Fi network?

No, Wi-Fi printers must be on the same network as your Mac to print wirelessly. You can use a USB cable to connect a printer that is not on your network, or you can move the printer closer to your router and reconnect it to Wi-Fi.

What if my printer keeps disappearing from the printer list?

This usually means the printer lost its Wi-Fi connection. Check that the printer is still powered on and within range of your router. Restart the printer and your Mac, then check System Settings again. If it keeps disconnecting, move the printer closer to the router or check the manufacturer's support page for Wi-Fi troubleshooting steps.

Can I print to the same printer from multiple Macs?

Yes. Each Mac on the same Wi-Fi network can add the printer independently by following the steps above. Once added, any Mac can print to it. The printer does not need to be paired or linked to a specific Mac.

How do I print from my iPhone or iPad to a Mac printer?

Your iPhone or iPad can print to any printer on your Wi-Fi network using AirPrint. Open the document, tap Share or Print, select your printer, and tap Print. The printer does not need to be added to your iPhone separately — it finds it automatically on the network.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.