HP Easy Start Download and Setup Guide
Small bootstrap installer that fetches the right HP driver for your model
Representative photo — rsaxvc CC BY-SA 2.0
HP Easy Start is a tiny downloader rather than a driver. You run it, it identifies your printer, and it then fetches and installs the correct software from HP's servers, which avoids the guesswork of picking between PCL, PostScript and full-feature packages. On macOS it is the standard way HP delivers printer and scanner software, since Apple no longer bundles most HP drivers. On Windows it overlaps heavily with HP Smart, and for consumer models HP now steers people to HP Smart instead.
Version and licence: Free. There is no single permanent download link; HP serves Easy Start from each model's driver page, so you enter your printer model at the drivers page and download what it offers. The downloader itself is small, typically under 10 MB, but it then pulls a driver package that can be several hundred megabytes.
Download HP Easy Start
What it does
- Detects the connected or networked HP printer automatically
- Downloads only the components your model actually needs
- Installs the scan driver alongside the print driver on all-in-one models
- Can add the printer to the operating system queue as part of the same run
- Offers firmware updates during installation
- Works for USB, wired Ethernet and wireless connections
How to install it
Step 1
Go to the HP printer drivers page and type your exact model number, for example OfficeJet Pro 9015e.
Step 2
Choose your operating system and version from the detected list, correcting it if HP guesses wrong.
Step 3
Download the HP Easy Start item from the results, saving it rather than running it straight from the browser.
Step 4
Connect the printer by USB, or make sure it is already on your Wi-Fi network, and switch it on.
Step 5
Run the downloaded file. On macOS you may need to allow it in System Settings, Privacy and Security, because it is a downloaded application.
Step 6
Accept the licence, let it detect the printer, and choose the connection type you want when prompted.
Step 7
Wait for the download and installation to complete, then print the test page it offers.
Which printers it supports
Most HP inkjet and laser printers from roughly 2010 onwards, including DeskJet, ENVY, OfficeJet, Smart Tank, LaserJet Pro and many LaserJet Enterprise models. Very old models and fleet deployments are better served by the Universal Print Driver.
When HP Easy Start will not work
Connect the printer with a USB cable for the installation even if you intend to use Wi-Fi afterwards, because a direct connection removes network discovery from the equation. If you must stay wireless, confirm from a Network Configuration page that the printer has an IP address on the same subnet as the computer.
Easy Start pulls a large package over HTTPS, so a proxy, VPN or aggressive antivirus scanner can break it. Pause the VPN, temporarily allow the installer through security software, and use a wired internet connection if the Wi-Fi is unreliable.
Open System Settings, Privacy and Security, scroll to the security section and choose Open Anyway for HP Easy Start, then run it again. On recent macOS releases you also need to grant it permission when it asks to find devices on the local network.
Remove the printer from Printers and Scanners and re-run Easy Start, choosing the option to add the printer during setup so both the print and scan queues are created. On macOS the scanner appears inside the Preview or Image Capture apps rather than as a separate HP program.
For many consumer models HP no longer publishes a standalone full-feature driver, so Easy Start hands off to HP Smart deliberately. If you need a classic driver for a print server or a locked-down machine, check whether your model is covered by the HP Universal Print Driver.
Printers that use HP Easy Start
Frequently asked questions
Where is the permanent download link for HP Easy Start?
There is not one. HP serves it from each model's drivers page, so start at the HP printer drivers page, enter your model and download what it lists for your operating system.
Do I need Easy Start if I already have HP Smart?
Usually not on Windows. Easy Start is most useful on macOS and for business models where a traditional driver is still published.
Can I keep the installer for reuse on other machines?
It is only a downloader, so it will fetch the current package each time it runs. That is convenient for updates but means it needs internet access on every machine.
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