Change Default Printer on Windows

  1. 1

    Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners

    Open Settings (Windows + I). Click Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners.

  2. 2

    Disable “Let Windows manage my default printer”

    At the top of the Printers & scanners page, if “Let Windows manage my default printer” is turned on, Windows automatically sets the most recently used printer as default. Turn this off to manually control which printer is default.

  3. 3

    Click the printer → Set as default

    Click on the printer you want as your default. Click Set as default. A green tick or “Default” label appears next to it.

Change Default Printer on Mac

Apple menu → System Settings → Printers & Scanners. At the bottom, click the Default printer dropdown. Select the printer you want as default. Or select “Last Printer Used” to automatically use whatever printer you most recently printed to — useful if you regularly switch between a home and office printer.

Change Default Printer Per Print Job

In any application: File → Print (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P). The printer selector at the top of the dialog lets you choose any installed printer for that specific job without changing the system default. Useful for occasional use of a non-default printer.

Frequently Asked Questions

On Windows: the “Let Windows manage my default printer” setting is the culprit. When enabled, Windows automatically changes the default to the last printer used. Turn this setting off (Settings → Printers & Scanners) and then manually set your preferred default. Once the automatic management is off, your choice persists.
Windows: Settings → Printers & Scanners → Add device. Windows scans for available printers on the network. If not found automatically: click “The printer I want is not listed” to add by IP address or manually. Mac: System Settings → Printers & Scanners → click + → select the printer or add by IP. Ensure the printer is powered on and connected to the same WiFi network as your computer.