How to share your printer on a network

Share your printer on Windows 11, Windows 10, and Mac

· TechRadar

Features By Ritoban Mukherjee published 1 November 2024

(Image credit: Future)

Whether you're in a home office with multiple computers or a small business environment, the convenience of shared printing can't be overstated. But with different operating systems and printer models in the mix, how do you really go about it?

After poring through pages of printer documentation from HP, Epson, Xerox, and more, I'll explore the various methods available for sharing your printer on a network, covering everything from Windows 11 to Windows 10 to macOS. I'll also touch on some general principles that apply across different systems. Let's dive right in!

Related reading: The best home printers.

How to share your printer on Windows 11

Windows 11 makes it straightforward to share your printer across your network. Here's how to do it:

  1. First, ensure that file and printer sharing is enabled on your Windows 11 PC. To do this, open the Start menu and type "control panel". Select the Control Panel from the results.
  2. In the Control Panel, make sure the "View by" option is set to "Category" and click on "View network status and tasks".
  3. Click on "Change advanced sharing settings" on the left side of the window.
  4. Expand the "Network discovery" section and ensure that both "Turn on Network discovery" and "Turn on file and printer sharing" are enabled.
  5. Click "Save changes" at the bottom of the window.

Now that sharing is enabled, you can share your specific printer:

  • Open the Settings app by pressing Windows key + I.
  • Click on "Bluetooth & devices" in the left sidebar, then select "Printers & scanners" on the right.
  • Click on the printer you want to share.
  • Click on "Printer properties".
  • In the new window that opens, click on the "Sharing" tab.
  • Check the box next to "Share this printer" and give it a name that will be easy to recognize on the network.
  • Click "Apply" and then "OK" to save your changes.

If you ask me, Windows 11 printer sharing is quite smooth and user-friendly. I've used the method above to share my home office printer with my family's devices — it's made our printing tasks much more convenient.

How to share your printer on Windows 10

The process for sharing a printer on Windows 10 is similar to Windows 11, with a few minor differences:

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