What a default printer is and why it matters
Your default printer is the printer your computer or phone automatically sends jobs to when you hit print, without asking you to choose first. Setting one saves you a step every time you print — instead of selecting from a list, the document goes straight to the printer you use most.
If you have multiple printers at home (a laser printer for documents, an inkjet for photos, a printer at a shared desk), setting a default prevents you from accidentally printing to the wrong one. It also matters for security: if you're printing sensitive documents, you want to be sure they're going to a printer in your home, not a shared network printer or a printer you've forgotten about.
The steps differ slightly between Windows, Mac, and mobile devices, but the concept is the same — you're telling your device which printer to use unless you tell it otherwise.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, open Settings, go to Devices, then Printers & Scanners, right-click your printer, and select "Set as default".
- On Mac, open System Settings, go to Printers & Scanners, select your printer, and click "Set as default printer" in the dropdown menu.
- On iPhone and iPad, the default printer is set per app — some apps let you choose in their print settings, while others use the most recently used printer.
- On Android, most apps remember the last printer you used, but you can change it in each app's print settings before you send a job.
- If your printer doesn't appear in the list, it may not be connected to your network or installed correctly — restart both the printer and your device first.
Setting a default printer on Windows 10 and 11
Open the Settings app (press the Windows key and type "Settings"). Click Devices in the left menu, then select Printers & Scanners.
You'll see a list of all printers your computer knows about. Find the one you want to use by default, right-click it, and select Set as default. A checkmark will appear next to that printer's name. If you don't see your printer in the list, scroll down to "Add a printer or scanner" and follow the prompts to connect it first.
Windows will now send all print jobs to that printer unless you manually choose a different one at the moment you print. You can change your default printer at any time by repeating these steps.
Setting a default printer on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions). Click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar.
The list shows all printers your Mac has found. Click the printer you want to use by default, then look for the dropdown menu labeled Default printer (it may say "Last Printer Used" or show a printer name). Click the dropdown and select your chosen printer.
Close the settings window. Your Mac will now send print jobs to that printer by default. Like Windows, you can change this at any time by returning to the same menu.
Setting a default printer on iPhone and iPad
iPhones and iPads don't have a single system-wide default printer the way computers do. Instead, each app handles printing separately. When you print from an app (usually by tapping a share icon and selecting Print), the app will show you a list of available printers.
Most apps will remember the last printer you used and suggest it the next time you print. If you want to use a different printer, tap the printer name at the top of the print screen and select a new one from the list. Some apps, like Notes and Mail, let you set a preferred printer in their settings — check the app's preferences to see if that option exists.
If your printer doesn't appear in the list, make sure it's connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone or iPad, and that it supports AirPrint (most modern printers do).
Setting a default printer on Android
Android also handles printing app-by-app rather than system-wide. When you print from an app, tap the printer icon or "Print" option, and you'll see a list of available printers. Select the one you want, and most Android apps will remember that choice the next time you print.
If you want to change which printer an app uses, open that app's print dialog again and select a different printer from the list. Some apps have a "Default printer" setting in their preferences — check the app's settings menu to see if you can set one there.
Like iOS, your Android device must be on the same Wi-Fi network as your printer, and the printer should support Google Cloud Print or a similar standard for Android printing to work.
What to do if your printer doesn't appear in the list
If you've just set up a new printer and it's not showing up, the most common cause is that it's not connected to your network yet. Check that the printer is powered on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer or phone. Most printers have a network settings menu on their control panel or a button to connect to Wi-Fi — consult your printer's manual if you're not sure how.
On Windows, restart both your printer and your computer, then go back to Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners and click "Add a printer or scanner" at the top. Windows will search for nearby printers and may find one it missed before.
On Mac, restart both devices and return to System Settings > Printers & Scanners. Click the "+" button to add a printer manually. If your printer still doesn't appear, it may need a driver — visit the printer manufacturer's website and read the latest driver for your model and operating system.
Changing your default printer later
You can change your default printer at any time by following the same steps you used to set it. On Windows and Mac, you can also change your default printer temporarily at the moment you print — when you click Print, a dialog box appears with a dropdown menu showing available printers. Selecting a different printer there will send that one job to the new printer, but it won't change your system default.
If you have a printer you rarely use but keep connected, you might want to remove it from your printer list to avoid confusion. On Windows, right-click the printer in Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners and select "Remove device". On Mac, click the printer in System Settings > Printers & Scanners, then click the "-" button at the bottom of the window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have different default printers for different users on the same computer?
Yes. Each user account on Windows or Mac has its own default printer setting. When you log in as a different user, you can set a different default printer in that account's settings. This is useful if multiple people share a computer and prefer different printers.
What happens if I set a default printer and then unplug it?
On Windows and Mac, your computer will remember the default printer setting even if the printer is offline. When you try to print, your computer will either wait for the printer to come back online or show an error message. You can change your default to a different printer, or straightforward turn the printer back on and try again.
Do I need to set a default printer if I only have one printer?
No. If you have only one printer connected to your device, it will automatically be used when you print. Setting a default becomes useful once you have two or more printers and want to avoid selecting the wrong one by mistake.
Can I set a default printer for printing to PDF instead of a physical printer?
Yes. Both Windows and Mac include a "Print to PDF" option in their print dialogs. You can set this as your default printer if you want most documents to save as PDFs rather than print physically. On Windows, look for "Microsoft Print to PDF" in your printer list. On Mac, this option appears in the print dialog itself, not in the default printer settings.
Why does my printer keep disappearing from the list?
If your printer keeps disconnecting from your network, it may be losing its Wi-Fi connection. Check that your printer is close enough to your router and that your Wi-Fi password is correct. Some printers also have a sleep mode that disconnects them from the network after a period of inactivity — check your printer's settings to disable this if it's causing problems.