PCL vs PostScript Printer Driver: Which One to Install

For everyday printing from Windows, install the PCL 6 driver. It is the default on most office lasers, it is usually the fastest, and HP recommends it for most Windows environments. Choose the PostScript (PS) driver when you print from Adobe and other design software, when files must look the same from Mac and Windows, or when an application specifically asks for PostScript. Installing both side by side is free and is the quickest way to settle it for your own documents.

What PCL and PostScript actually are

A printer driver turns what is on your screen into a stream of instructions the printer understands. That stream is written in a page description language. PCL and PostScript are the two that most office printers speak.

• PCL (Printer Command Language) was created by HP. PCL 5 is the older version, still used by some legacy business systems. PCL 6, also called PCL XL, is the modern version. The driver does more of the work on the computer and sends a compact stream, so the printer has less to process.
• PostScript was created by Adobe. It describes the page in a device-independent way, and the printer itself interprets that description. That makes output very consistent across devices and operating systems, but it asks more of the printer's processor and memory.

Many printers that offer "PostScript" actually run a licensed or compatible version under another name. Kyocera calls its version KPDL, Brother calls its version BR-Script, and Canon labels its option PS3. For choosing a driver, treat them all as PostScript.

PCL 6 vs PostScript at a glance

Kyocera's printer driver guides make the trade-off explicit: PCL XL is the default and suits most printing, while KPDL needs more printer memory, may print more slowly than PCL, and is most useful for applications that expect PostScript.

When to choose PCL 6

Pick PCL 6 if most of what you print comes from Microsoft Office, a browser, an accounting package or a line-of-business app. HP's support guidance for its LaserJet and enterprise printers calls PCL 6 the recommended driver for most Windows environments and general office use. It is also the safer choice on printers with modest memory, and it is what most driver installers set up by default.

Stick with PCL 5 only when an older system requires it. HP lists PCL 5 for legacy needs such as older forms, SAP and some UNIX or mainframe setups.

When to choose PostScript

• Design and publishing software. Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop, and other graphics apps are built around PostScript output. HP suggests the PS driver for Adobe and other graphics-intensive applications.
• Mixed Mac and Windows offices. HP also recommends PostScript where fonts must match between macOS and Windows files.
• Problem PDFs. If a complex PDF prints with missing elements, wrong fonts or odd transparency through PCL, the PostScript driver often renders it correctly.
• An application that asks for it. Some label, CAD and prepress tools expect a PostScript printer.

The catch is that PostScript only works on a printer that supports it. If you send PostScript to a printer that does not, it usually prints pages of text code, often starting with "%!PS", instead of your document. If that happens, switch the queue back to the PCL driver.

What each brand calls the choice

The menus and download names differ by manufacturer, which is where most of the confusion comes from.

The common search "KX driver vs PCL" comes from this table. Kyocera's KX driver is not a separate language. It is Kyocera's universal Windows driver, and inside it you choose PCL XL, PCL 5e or 5c, or KPDL. Kyocera's guides say the permanent choice is made in the driver's Device Settings, while a change in Printing Preferences is temporary.

Sharp packages its Windows drivers the same way. On Sharp's official download listing for a business colour model such as the Sharp BP-70C31, the model-specific download is a single "PCL6 / PS / PPD Drivers" package, offered alongside the SHARP UD3 universal driver and an ARM64-compatible version for Windows on Arm laptops. Run the package and choose which drivers to install.

Canon's UFR II is a third, Canon-specific language. On Canon office devices it is usually the most feature-complete option, with PCL6 and PS3 offered for compatibility with mixed fleets and specific applications.

Universal drivers and Windows' own driver

A universal driver works across many models from one manufacturer, which suits offices with several printers. HP notes that its Universal Print Driver is tested only on HP printers, so use each manufacturer's own driver for other brands.

Windows is also moving away from vendor drivers. Microsoft's end-of-servicing plan for third-party printer drivers says that from January 15, 2026, no new printer drivers are published to Windows Update for Windows 11, and that from July 1, 2026, Windows prefers its built-in IPP class driver. Vendor installation packages can still be installed. In practice, a modern network printer may already print through the Windows IPP class driver without either PCL or PostScript appearing in the name. If you need finishing options, accurate colour, or specific tray control, install the manufacturer's PCL 6 or PS package. Our Windows 11 printer driver guide covers the routes.

How to test which works better for you

1. Download the manufacturer's package for your exact model from its official support site. Install the PCL 6 driver first, then add the PostScript driver as a second printer pointing at the same printer.
2. Rename the two queues clearly, for example "Office laser PCL" and "Office laser PS".
3. Print the same three documents through each: a typical Word file, a heavy PDF, and something from your design software if you use it.
4. Compare speed, fonts, line weights and colour. Keep the one that wins as the default and remove the other, or keep both if different people need different ones.

If both are slow, the bottleneck may be elsewhere. Our guide to slow printing covers spooler settings, network and file size. On a Mac, the choice is usually made for you; see the Mac printer driver guide for when an extra driver is worth installing.

Sources

• HP: How to select the correct printer driver (LaserJet, OfficeJet Enterprise, PageWide Enterprise)
• Kyocera: Extended Driver user guide (PDL selection)
• Sharp: Official driver downloads for the BP-70C31
• Microsoft: End of servicing plan for third-party printer drivers on Windows