Panasonic KX-P1150: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Panasonic KX-P1150 right for you?

A 9-pin Panasonic impact printer built for invoices, delivery notes and multi-part stationery, the KX-P1150 was sold in enormous numbers to small businesses. Output is coarse compared with 24-pin machines, but for carbon copies that hardly matters. Ribbon availability is now the main constraint, and generic replacements vary in quality, so buy a couple at a time from a supplier you trust.

Best for: Small businesses printing carbon-copy invoices and delivery notes

Setting up the Panasonic KX-P1150

Use a real parallel port or a print server with a parallel interface rather than a basic USB adapter, which can break direct-port printing from DOS-based software. Choose the Epson FX or IBM Proprinter emulation on the printer's menu to match your application, then set the top of form so the first line lands correctly on pre-printed stationery. If output fades unevenly across the page rather than everywhere, the ribbon has bunched — reseat the cartridge and take up the slack before replacing it.

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 Panasonic'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 Panasonic KX-P1150 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• Panasonic KX-P115 black ribbon cartridge

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