How to Add and Troubleshoot Network Printers in Windows 10 and 11
Add network and wireless printers in Windows 10 and 11. Connect via IP, share printer over network, fix printer offline errors and troubleshoot print queue.
Adding a network printer in Windows is usually straightforward. Here's how to handle both simple and problematic cases.
Add Printer via Settings
Win + I → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → Add device
Windows scans the network automatically. If your printer appears — click Add device.
Add Printer by IP Address
If Windows doesn't find it automatically:
Win + I→ Printers & scanners → Add device → Add manually- Add a printer using a TCP/IP address → Next
- Enter printer's IP address (find it on printer's control panel or router)
- Windows installs the driver automatically
# Add network printer by IP via PowerShell
Add-PrinterPort -Name "IP_192.168.1.100" -PrinterHostAddress "192.168.1.100"
Add-Printer -Name "Office Printer" -DriverName "HP LaserJet" -PortName "IP_192.168.1.100"
Share a Printer on the Network
# Share a local printer
Set-Printer -Name "EPSON" -Shared $true -ShareName "EpsonOffice"
# Check sharing status
Get-Printer | Select-Object Name, Shared, ShareName, PortName
# Connect to a shared printer from another PC
Add-Printer -ConnectionName "\\PCName\EpsonOffice"
Fix Printer Shows as Offline
# Set printer to online
Set-Printer -Name "Office Printer" -WorkOffline $false
# Restart Print Spooler service
Restart-Service Spooler -Force
# Check print spooler status
Get-Service Spooler | Select-Object Status, StartType
Or: Right-click printer → See what's printing → Printer menu → uncheck Use Printer Offline
Clear Stuck Print Queue
# Stop spooler
Stop-Service Spooler -Force
# Delete stuck jobs
Remove-Item "C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS\*" -Force -EA 0
# Restart spooler
Start-Service Spooler
Write-Host "Print queue cleared"
Reinstall Printer Driver
# List installed printer drivers
Get-PrinterDriver | Select-Object Name, MajorVersion, PrinterEnvironment
# Remove a specific driver
Remove-PrinterDriver -Name "HP LaserJet 1020"
# Add a driver from Windows driver store
Add-PrinterDriver -Name "Microsoft Print to PDF"
Troubleshoot "Driver Unavailable" Error
# Run printer troubleshooter
msdt.exe /id PrinterDiagnostic
# Reset printer spooler completely
Stop-Service Spooler -Force
Remove-Item "C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS\*" -Force -EA 0
Get-PrinterDriver | Remove-PrinterDriver -EA 0
Start-Service Spooler
# Re-add printer from scratch
Check Printer Status
# All printers with status
Get-Printer | Format-Table Name, PrinterStatus, WorkOffline, Shared, PortName
# Check print jobs
Get-PrintJob -PrinterName "Office Printer"
# Cancel all jobs on a printer
Get-PrintJob -PrinterName "Office Printer" | Remove-PrintJob
For a deeper dive into fixing "printer not printing" (stuck queue, offline, driver issues), see the dedicated guide: Printer Not Printing in Windows
Summary
Add via Settings → Add device for automatic detection. For manual: use IP address method. Fix offline: restart Spooler + uncheck "Use Printer Offline". Clear stuck jobs by stopping Spooler, deleting spool files, restarting. Reinstall driver for persistent errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
My printer shows as offline even when it's on and connected — why?
Usually the Spooler service needs restarting. Also check that the printer IP hasn't changed (DHCP can reassign IPs). Set a static IP on the printer to prevent this.
Printer was working, then stopped after Windows Update?
The update may have changed the driver. Device Manager → Printers → right-click → Roll Back Driver. Or uninstall and reinstall the printer.
How do I find my network printer's IP address?
On the printer: print a configuration page (usually hold the button for 5-10 seconds). Or check your router's connected devices list — look for the printer's hostname.