Type

Device or system

Setup and installation5 guides

  • How-to

    How to add a printer in Windows

    Add a USB or Wi-Fi printer to Windows 11 or Windows 10 in a few minutes, and learn what to do when Windows cannot find it.

    Windows 11, Windows 10

    10 minBeginner

  • How-to

    How to connect a printer to Wi-Fi

    Join a printer to your home Wi-Fi using its own screen, the maker's app or a temporary cable, then check it is on the same network as your devices.

    Any device

    15 minBeginner

  • How-to

    How to install printer drivers safely

    Find the right driver for your printer from Windows Update or the maker's own website, install it, and avoid fake driver sites and driver updater programs.

    Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac

    15 minBeginner

  • How-to

    Find your printer's IP address and fix port problems

    Find a network printer's IP address, check Windows is pointing at it, and set up a new TCP/IP port when the address changed and printing stopped.

    Windows 11, Windows 10

    20 minAdvanced

  • How-to

    How to print from your phone or tablet

    Print photos, documents and web pages from an iPhone, iPad or Android device to a Wi-Fi printer using AirPrint or Android's built-in print service.

    Android, iPhone / iPad

    8 minBeginner

Won't print or shows offline3 guides

  • Fix

    Printer offline: how to get it back online

    Your computer says the printer is offline although it is switched on. Work through these checks in order, from a restart to the print spooler.

    Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac

    12 minBeginner

  • Fix

    Printer won't print or the queue is stuck

    A document sits in the print queue and nothing comes out. Clear the stuck job, restart the Print Spooler and empty the spool folder in Windows 11 or 10.

    Windows 11, Windows 10

    12 minIntermediate

  • Fix

    Printer driver is unavailable: how to fix it

    Windows says the printer driver is unavailable and the job will not print. Restart the spooler, reinstall the driver from the maker, and clear old driver leftovers.

    Windows 11, Windows 10

    15 minIntermediate

Print quality and hardware4 guides

  • Fix

    Printer paper jams: how to clear and prevent them

    Your printer says paper is jammed or has stopped mid-page. Clear the paper safely, deal with a jam message that will not go away, and stop it coming back.

    Any device

    12 minBeginner

  • Fix

    Faded, streaky or blank prints: how to fix them

    Prints come out pale, striped or empty. Find the cause with a test page, then try the simple settings fixes before cleaning the print head or replacing a cartridge.

    Any device

    15 minBeginner

  • Fix

    Printer says ink or toner is not recognized

    Your printer reports a missing, incompatible or unrecognized cartridge. Check the model, reseat the cartridge, clean the contacts and learn when to replace it.

    Any device

    10 minBeginner

  • Reference

    Printer error lights and codes explained

    Printer lights and error codes differ by maker and model. Learn how to read them, the usual categories of fault, and where to find the exact meaning for your printer.

    Any device

    8 minBeginner

Scanning3 guides

  • How-to

    How to scan a document to your computer

    Scan a paper document or photo from your printer or scanner and save it on a Windows PC or a Mac, using the free Windows Scan app or the Mac scanner window.

    Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac

    10 minBeginner

  • Fix

    Scanner not detected: how to fix it

    Your computer cannot find your scanner or the scan option is missing. Check power and cables, add the scanner again, restart the scan service, then try maker software.

    Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac

    20 minIntermediate

  • Explainer

    Scanner resolution (DPI) and file formats explained

    Understand what DPI means when you scan, which resolution suits documents and photos, and how to choose between PDF, JPEG, PNG and TIFF so files stay the right size.

    Any device

    8 minBeginner