Dell V525w All-in-One Wireless Inkjet: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Dell V525w All-in-One Wireless Inkjet right for you?

The V525w was Dell's last serious inkjet, a Lexmark-built four-in-one with auto duplex, ADF, fax, Ethernet and Wi-Fi, and individual Series 31-34 ink tanks. It was decent in its day, but Dell ink is now hard to find and the separate printhead clogs if left unused. Owners mostly need help with cartridge recognition errors and with reconnecting to a new Wi-Fi router.

Best for: Home offices still using a Dell inkjet with duplex and ADF

Setting up the Dell V525w All-in-One Wireless Inkjet

Dell's V525w driver is still downloadable; install it before connecting, and use Ethernet if the wireless utility fails on Windows 11. The printer's LCD menu can join Wi-Fi directly using WPS or by entering the password. Run printhead cleaning from the maintenance menu and, if that fails, remove the printhead and clean its contacts with a lint-free cloth.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the ink cartridges, and load paper in the tray.
2. Join your Wi-Fi. Keep the printer close to the router for setup. Most printers only connect to the 2.4GHz band, so if your router broadcasts one merged network name you may need to split the bands temporarily. See our Wi-Fi guide if it will not join.
3. Install the setup app. Use Dell's official app rather than a driver you found on a search result — third-party driver sites are the most common source of printer malware.
4. Add the printer. On Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device. On macOS: System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer.
5. Print a test page and run a scan if this is an all-in-one, so you find any problem now rather than when you are in a hurry.

Ink, toner and supplies

The Dell V525w All-in-One Wireless Inkjet uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• Dell Series 31 black and colour individual cartridges
• Dell Series 32 / 33 / 34 high-yield cartridges

High-yield (XL) versions almost always cost less per page if you print regularly. On third-party ink and toner, read our honest assessment first, and note that some manufacturers push firmware that rejects non-original chips.

Full specifications