Add a printer on a Mac

Choose the Apple menu, then System Settings, and click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar. Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.

Printers found on your network or connected by USB appear on the Default tab. Select yours, give it a name you'll recognize if you have several, and wait a moment for the Use menu to fill in.

In the Use menu, AirPrint works without installing anything and suits most current printers. Choose the maker's driver only if you need a feature AirPrint lacks, such as extra trays or finishing options, and only if the maker lists it as supporting your macOS version. Then click Add.

If the printer isn't listed, find its IP address on its network status page, click the IP tab and type the address. Choose IPP in the Protocol menu first; if that doesn't work, try HP Jetdirect – Socket, which many printers from other makers also support, or LPD. Leave Queue blank unless the printer's manual gives a value.

With IPP, the Mac can often choose AirPrint by itself. For socket or LPD, choose the maker's driver if you've installed it, or a generic PostScript or PCL driver if the printer supports that language, then click Add.

Select the printer in Printers & Scanners and choose Remove Printer, or Control-click it and choose the remove option. Restart the Mac and add it again, which rebuilds its settings and queue.

On macOS 15 and later, if the maker's app can't find the printer, open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and switch the app on.

Control-click in the printer list and choose Reset printing system. This removes every printer and its queued jobs, so you'll need to add all your printers again afterwards.

On macOS 12 Monterey and earlier, open System Preferences > Printers & Scanners and click the add (+) button below the list. The same Default and IP tabs appear.

Make sure the printer is on and connected to the same network as your Mac, not a guest network. Print a network status page from the printer's menu to see its network name and IP address.

If you add the printer by IP address, reserve that address for it in your router's DHCP settings, so it doesn't change later and break the connection.

For USB, plug the cable straight into the Mac or a powered hub. Macs with only USB-C ports need a USB-C to USB-B cable or an adapter. The printer usually appears on the Default tab within a minute.