How to Add a Printer to a Mac (2026): USB, Wi-Fi, and AirPrint

Adding a printer to a Mac takes about two minutes once you know where to look. Whether your printer plugs in with a USB cable or joins your Wi-Fi network, macOS does most of the work for you. Here is exactly how to set it up in 2026, plus the one setting that trips people up.

The short version

Open System Settings → Printers & Scanners → Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, wait for your printer to appear in the list, select it, and click Add. That is the whole flow. Everything below is just the detail for each connection type.

Before you start

  • Turn the printer on and wait for it to finish warming up. A printer that is still booting will not show up.
  • Pick your connection: a USB cable is the simplest and most reliable; Wi-Fi lets any device print without cables.
  • Same network matters for Wi-Fi. Your Mac and the printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network. A 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz split, or a separate guest network, is the number-one reason a wireless printer never appears.

Add a USB printer

  1. Plug the printer's USB cable into your Mac. On modern MacBooks that means a USB-C port, so most people need a USB-C to USB-B cable or a hub with a full-size USB-A port.
  2. Turn the printer on. macOS usually detects it instantly and may set it up on its own — you will see it appear under System Settings → Printers & Scanners.
  3. If it does not appear automatically, click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, select the printer from the list, and click Add.

macOS pulls the correct driver over the internet the first time, so stay connected to Wi-Fi during setup.

Add a Wi-Fi printer

  1. Make sure the printer is already joined to your Wi-Fi network. Most printers do this from their own touchscreen or a companion app during first-time setup.
  2. On your Mac, open System Settings → Printers & Scanners.
  3. Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax. Nearby network printers appear in the Default tab after a few seconds.
  4. Select your printer and click Add. If it offers a choice of driver, pick AirPrint when available (see below).

Add an AirPrint printer (the easy way)

AirPrint is Apple's built-in, driverless printing. If your printer supports it — most printers made in the last several years do — you often do not have to "add" anything at all: just choose File → Print in any app and the printer shows up in the dropdown automatically, as long as it is on the same Wi-Fi network.

When you do add an AirPrint printer manually, choose AirPrint in the "Use" menu rather than a model-specific driver. AirPrint needs no downloads, updates itself with macOS, and avoids the bloated manufacturer software that causes most printing headaches.

Add a printer by IP address

On a busy office network, discovery sometimes fails and your printer never lists itself. You can add it directly:

  1. Print the printer's network status page (usually a menu option on the printer itself) to get its IP address.
  2. In Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, click the IP tab (the globe icon).
  3. Enter the IP address, choose protocol AirPrint or IPP, and click Add.

Set a default printer

Once added, you can make one printer the default so every app prints to it without asking. In Printers & Scanners, use the Default printer menu at the bottom. Leaving it on "Last Printer Used" is handy if you switch between home and office.

Printer not showing up?

If your printer never appears in the Add list, the fix is almost always one of a short checklist — wrong Wi-Fi band, sleeping printer, or a stale entry. We walk through all of them, fastest first, in MacBook not connecting to printer? 10 fixes.

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Where is Printers & Scanners on a Mac?

Open System Settings (the gear icon), then scroll the sidebar to Printers & Scanners. On older macOS versions it lived in System Preferences → Printers & Scanners.

Do I need to install printer drivers on a Mac?

Usually not. If your printer supports AirPrint, macOS prints without any driver. For non-AirPrint printers, macOS downloads the right driver automatically the first time you add the printer — you rarely need the manufacturer's installer.

Why does my Wi-Fi printer not appear when I click Add?

Almost always because the Mac and printer are on different networks. Confirm both are on the same Wi-Fi name (not a guest network), and note that some routers split 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz into separate names — many printers only join 2.4 GHz.

Can I add a printer over USB-C on a MacBook?

Yes. Most printers use a USB-B cable, so you need a USB-C to USB-B cable or a hub with a USB-A port. Once connected, macOS detects it and adds it automatically.

How do I set a default printer?

In Printers & Scanners, choose your printer from the Default printer menu at the bottom of the window.

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