The fastest way: use AirPrint if your printer supports it

If your printer is AirPrint-compatible, adding it to your Mac takes about 30 seconds. AirPrint is Apple's wireless printing standard, and most printers made in the last ten years support it. Your printer and Mac just need to be on the same Wi-Fi network.

Open any document or photo, press Command+P to open the print dialog, and look at the "Printer" dropdown menu. Your AirPrint printer should appear in that list automatically. Select it, choose your settings, and print. That's it — no driver installation, no setup software.

To check whether your printer supports AirPrint, look at the printer's manual or visit the manufacturer's website and search for your model number plus "AirPrint". If it does, you're done reading this section.

Key Takeaways

  • AirPrint printers connect automatically over Wi-Fi and require no driver installation on your Mac.
  • Non-AirPrint printers need a driver downloaded from the manufacturer's website, installed, and then added through System Settings.
  • Your printer and Mac must be on the same Wi-Fi network for wireless printing to work.
  • If your printer doesn't appear after you add it, restart both the printer and your Mac, then try again.
  • USB-connected printers are recognized when ready by macOS in most cases and appear in the printer list without extra steps.

Adding a non-AirPrint printer: read the driver first

If your printer is older or doesn't support AirPrint, you'll need to install a printer driver — software that lets your Mac communicate with the printer. The driver comes from the printer manufacturer, not from Apple.

Go to the manufacturer's website (Canon, HP, Brother, Epson, Xerox, etc.) and find the support or downloads section. Search for your exact printer model — you can find this on a sticker on the printer itself or in the manual. read the driver for macOS (not Windows). The file will usually be a .dmg file, which is a Mac installer.

Double-click the .dmg file to open it, then follow the on-screen instructions to install the driver. You may be asked to restart your Mac. Do it — the driver won't work until you do.

Connecting a wireless printer after installing the driver

Once the driver is installed, your printer needs to be on the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac. Check your printer's screen or manual to find the Wi-Fi setup menu, then select your network and enter the password.

On your Mac, open System Settings (the gear icon in the dock or the Apple menu). Click "Printers & Scanners" on the left sidebar. Click the plus sign (+) to add a printer. Your printer should appear in the list. Select it and click "Add".

If your printer doesn't appear, make sure both devices are on the same network. Restart the printer and try again. If it still doesn't show up, restart your Mac as well.

Connecting a USB printer

If you're plugging the printer directly into your Mac with a USB cable, the process is simpler. Connect the cable, and macOS will usually recognize the printer automatically — no driver needed for basic printing on newer printers.

Open System Settings, go to "Printers & Scanners", and your USB printer should already be listed. If it isn't, click the plus sign (+) and select it from the list. For older USB printers, you may still need to install a driver from the manufacturer first.

USB printing is reliable because there's no network involved, but it means the printer has to stay physically close to your Mac.

Setting a default printer and checking print queue

If you have multiple printers, you can set one as your default. Open System Settings, go to "Printers & Scanners", and click the printer you want to use most often. At the top, find "Default printer" and select it from the dropdown.

To see what's printing or cancel a stuck print job, open System Settings, go to "Printers & Scanners", select the printer, and click "Open Print Queue". You'll see all jobs waiting to print. Select any job and click the X to cancel it.

Troubleshooting: printer won't appear or won't print

If your printer doesn't show up in the printer list, start with the basics: make sure the printer is turned on, connected to Wi-Fi (for wireless printers), and on the same network as your Mac. Restart both devices and try again.

If the printer appears but won't print, open the print queue (see the section above) and delete any stuck jobs. Then restart the printer and try printing a test page. If you're still stuck, go back to the manufacturer's website and check whether there's a newer driver available for your Mac's operating system version.

For wireless printers, check your printer's Wi-Fi settings to confirm it's still connected to your network. Wi-Fi can drop, especially if the printer hasn't been used in a while. Reconnect it to the network and try printing again.

Removing a printer you no longer use

Open System Settings and go to "Printers & Scanners". Select the printer you want to remove and click the minus sign (−). The printer will be deleted from your list, though the driver remains on your Mac. You can uninstall the driver later if you want to free up space, but it's not necessary.

If you ever add that printer back, it will appear in the list again without needing to reinstall the driver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to install a driver for every printer?

No. AirPrint printers work without a driver. USB printers often work without one too, depending on age and model. Non-AirPrint wireless printers almost always need a driver from the manufacturer.

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

Yes, if the printer supports AirPrint. On iPhone or iPad, open the document or photo, tap Share or the print icon, select the printer, and print. The printer doesn't need to be connected to your Mac — it just needs to be on the same Wi-Fi network.

What if the manufacturer's website doesn't have a driver for my Mac?

Your printer may be too old for your current macOS version. Check what version of macOS you're running (Apple menu > About This Mac), then contact the manufacturer's support to ask whether they offer a compatible driver. If not, the printer may not work with your Mac.

Why does my printer keep disconnecting from Wi-Fi?

Wireless printers sometimes drop connection if they're far from the router, if the router is overloaded, or if the printer goes into sleep mode. Move the printer closer to the router, restart both devices, and check your printer's settings to disable sleep mode if possible.

Can I print to a printer on someone else's network?

Not directly. Your Mac and the printer must be on the same network. If you're at someone else's house, connect your Mac to their Wi-Fi, and the printer will appear in your printer list if it's AirPrint-compatible or if the driver is installed.