Set your default printer


OVERVIEW

Target audience: Entire McGill community

If you have multiple printers configured for use, you can select which one is used by default. It should be the printer you will use most. This way, when you print using various programs, you won't have to select a printer each time. You can change the default printer or select other printers at any time.

In this article:

Steps to set your default printer on:

Windows 10 or 11

  1. In the Windows search window, type printer.

    search for printer

  2. Select either:
    • Devices and Printers:

      Devices and Printers

      Right-click on the printer icon you want to set as your default and select Set as default printer. A check mark is displayed on the printer icon.  

      set your default printer

       

    • OR, select Printers & Scanners:

      Printers & Scanners

      1. Click on the icon of the printer you want to make your default, and click Manage.
        Note that all uPrint printers (mono and color) can be set from the same printer icon.
      2. Click Set as default

        set as default

    note

    NOTE:

    For McGill-managed computers, uPrint drivers are installed centrally, by IT Services or by your LAN Administrator; for personal computers that are not managed by McGill, you may install the uPrint drivers on your own. Once the drivers are installed, you can specify any of the uPrint devices from the drop-down menu.

    select a uPrint device from list

Windows 7

  1. Go to Start > Devices and Printers.
  2. Right-click on the printer icon you want to set as your default and select Set as default printer. A check mark is displayed on the printer icon to mark it as your default printer.

    set your default printer

    note

    NOTE:

    To set a uPrint printer as your default printer, once the uPrint drivers are installed, right-click on any uPrint printer icon you see, select Set as default printer, and choose the desired uPrint printer from the list that is displayed. For McGill-managed computers, uPrint drivers will be installed centrally, by IT Services or by your LAN Administrator; for personal computers that are not managed by McGill, you may install the uPrint drivers on your own.

    set your default printer

macOS

  1. Click the Apple menu > System Preferences > Print & Scan.
  2. Choose an option from the Default Printer pop-up menu.
    • If you want the default printer always to be the same printer, choose that printer. The default printer doesn’t change even after you print to a different printer.
    • If you want the default printer to be the one you printed to last, choose Last Printer Used. The default printer changes whenever you print to a different printer.

references

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: