macOS Printers and Scanners Download and Setup Guide
Where macOS adds printers, scans documents and resets the printing system
Representative photo — Bench Accounting
Printers and Scanners in System Settings is where macOS manages everything to do with printing: adding and removing printers, setting defaults, opening queues and scanning from an all-in-one. macOS handles most modern printers without any manufacturer driver, using AirPrint or IPP Everywhere. The most valuable tool in it is Reset the printing system, a hidden option that wipes all printers and their settings and rebuilds the printing stack, which resolves a large proportion of otherwise unfixable problems.
Version and licence: Built into macOS; nothing to download. The current Apple guide covers macOS 26 Tahoe. The single most useful item here is Reset the printing system, which clears every printer, queue and setting and fixes a large share of stubborn Mac printing faults.
Download macOS Printers and Scanners
What it does
- Add printers by network discovery, IP address or Windows share
- Open and manage the print queue for each printer
- Scan from an all-in-one without any manufacturer software
- Set the default printer and default paper size
- Share a printer with other devices on the network
- Reset the printing system to clear a corrupt configuration
- Works with AirPrint and IPP Everywhere printers with no driver
How to install it
Step 1
Connect the printer to the same network as the Mac, or plug it in by USB.
Step 2
Open System Settings and choose Printers and Scanners.
Step 3
Click Add Printer, Scanner or Fax and wait for the Default tab to list discovered printers.
Step 4
Select your printer; macOS chooses AirPrint or a driver automatically in the Use field.
Step 5
If the printer is not listed, click the IP tab and enter its address, choosing the IPP protocol.
Step 6
Click Add, then set the default paper size and any installable options macOS offers.
Step 7
Print a test page, and to scan, select the printer and choose the Scan tab or open Image Capture.
Step 8
If nothing works, right-click in the printer list, choose Reset printing system and add the printer again.
Which printers it supports
Almost every current network printer through AirPrint or IPP Everywhere, plus USB printers with a driver supplied by Apple or the manufacturer. Very old printers may need a manufacturer driver that is no longer published for current macOS.
When macOS Printers and Scanners will not work
Open the queue by double-clicking the printer, choose Resume Printer if it is paused, and delete any stuck jobs. If it goes offline repeatedly, give the printer a fixed IP address so macOS is not chasing a changing one.
Right-click in the printer list in Printers and Scanners and choose Reset printing system. This removes every printer, queue and setting, so you will re-add printers afterwards, but it clears a corrupt configuration and fixes most stubborn faults.
Confirm the Mac and printer are on the same network, turn off any VPN, and grant local network permission if macOS asks. Otherwise add it manually on the IP tab using the IPP protocol and the printer's address.
The printer must be an all-in-one and added as a scan device. Remove and re-add it, or open Image Capture, which lists scanners independently. Some older scanners need a manufacturer driver that may not exist for current macOS.
Try adding it with the Generic PostScript or Generic PCL driver in the Use menu, which prints on many older devices. If the printer supports IPP or AirPrint, that route needs no driver at all.
Printers that use macOS Printers and Scanners
Frequently asked questions
Where is Reset the printing system?
Right-click, or Control-click, inside the printer list in Printers and Scanners. It is deliberately hidden because it removes every printer and setting.
Do I need a driver on a Mac?
Usually not. AirPrint and IPP Everywhere cover most current printers. Drivers matter mainly for scanning and for older hardware.
How do I scan without manufacturer software?
Select the printer in Printers and Scanners and use the Scan tab, or open Image Capture or Preview, both of which drive standard scanners.
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