Error 0x00000bc4: No printers were found
Error 0x00000bc4 (No printers were found) appears when adding a shared printer, often on Windows 11 22H2 or later. Here is how to get connected.
What this error means
Error 0x00000bc4 means Windows went looking for the printer you asked for and couldn't find it, so adding the printer ends with "No printers were found". It turns up most often on Windows 11 PCs connecting to a printer shared from another computer. Windows 11 version 22H2 changed the default way a PC connects to a shared printer, and a host computer that isn't ready for the new method, or isn't reachable at all, produces this error.
Common causes
- The host PC is asleep, switched off, or no longer sharing the printer
- Network discovery or file and printer sharing is turned off
- The network is set to Public instead of Private
- The client and host disagree on the connection method after the Windows 11 22H2 change
- Firewall or security software blocking the connection
How to fix it
Start with the first fix. They’re ordered from safest and quickest to most involved.
Fixes for Windows
0 of 6 steps tried
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Check the host PC and the share
Make sure the computer sharing the printer is on and awake, and that the printer prints from that computer. On the host, open Printers & scanners, select the printer, choose Printer properties and open the Sharing tab. Confirm Share this printer is ticked and note the share name.
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Turn on network discovery and sharing
On both PCs, open Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings and turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing for private networks. Then open your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection's properties and make sure the network profile is Private. On Windows 10, use Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings.
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Update both PCs
Install all available updates from Settings > Windows Update on the host and on the connecting PC, then restart both. Many shared-printer errors from the 2021 to 2022 security and connection changes are resolved by bringing both machines to the same patch level.
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Add the printer by its exact share path
Rather than browsing, choose Add device > Add manually > Select a shared printer by name and type the path, for example
\\OFFICE-PC\Printer. If the computer name doesn't work, use the host's IP address instead, such as\\192.168.1.20\Printer. To find the host's IP address, run the command below on the host and look for IPv4 Address.ipconfig -
Connect straight to a network printer
If the printer has its own Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, add it to each PC directly with Add manually > Add a printer using an IP address or hostname. That avoids the PC-to-PC connection entirely and is usually the most reliable setup.
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Switch the client to the older connection method (Advanced, temporary)
On Windows 11 Pro, Education or Enterprise, press Win + R, run
gpedit.mscand go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Printers > Configure RPC connection settings. Set it to Enabled, choose RPC over named pipes, click OK and restart. Windows 11 Home has no Group Policy editor; the equivalent is a DWORD namedRpcUseNamedPipeProtocolset to1underHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC, and you should back up the registry before adding it. Treat this as a compatibility workaround and set it back to Not configured (or delete the value) once the host is updated or you have moved to a direct connection.
Did this fix it?
Good. To confirm everything is healthy, print a test page. It takes a minute and shows any quality problems early.
Still stuck? Our printer assistant can walk you through it by live chat, free. . Or the The troubleshooter asks a few questions and narrows it down. If your printer is under warranty, the manufacturer can repair or replace it at no cost. Find their official support site on our brand pages.
Common questions
Why can older PCs connect but my Windows 11 PC can’t?
Windows 11 22H2 and later use a different default method for connecting to shared printers, so a newer PC can fail where older ones still connect. Updating the host and adding the printer by its exact path usually fixes it.
Is 0x00000bc4 related to 0x0000011b?
They often appear in the same situation, connecting to a printer shared from another PC, and share the same fixes: update both PCs, re-add the printer, or connect directly by IP address.