Printer sharing in Windows 11 and 10: how to share a printer on your network

Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs sharing a USB or locally installed printer with other PCs on a home or small office network.

What you need first

Printer sharing turns one PC into a small print server. Microsoft lists three requirements:

• The printer is installed and printing correctly on the primary PC, the one it’s connected to.
• The primary PC is turned on and connected to the network whenever someone else wants to print.
• Printer sharing is enabled on that PC, which the steps below cover.

If your printer has its own Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, you usually don’t need printer sharing at all. Each PC can add the network printer directly, and nobody has to leave a PC switched on.

Step 1: Set the network to Private

Windows only allows sharing on networks marked as Private. Do this on the primary PC, and on the PCs that will connect to it:

1. Open Settings > Network & internet.
2. Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, then select the network you’re connected to.
3. Under Network profile type, choose Private network.

Only do this on a network you trust, such as your home or office network. Leave public Wi-Fi in cafés, hotels and airports set to Public.

Step 2: Turn on file and printer sharing

1. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings.
2. Expand Private networks.
3. Make sure Network discovery and File and printer sharing are both On.

These are normally on by default for Private networks, but they’re worth checking. If a User Account Control prompt appears, sign in with an administrator account and select Yes.

Step 3: Share the printer

1. On the primary PC, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Select the printer you want to share, then select Printer properties.
3. Open the Sharing tab and select Change Sharing Options (this needs administrator rights).
4. Tick Share this printer.
5. Check the Share name. Other PCs will use it, so a short name with no spaces, such as OfficeHP, is easiest to type.
6. Select OK.

Leave Render print jobs on client computers ticked if you see it. It lets each PC do the processing, which takes load off the sharing PC.

Step 4: Find the sharing PC’s name or IP address

• PC name: on the primary PC, open Settings > System > About and look at Device name under Device specifications.
• IP address: open Settings > Network & internet, select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, select the network and scroll to IPv4 address.

The name is easier to remember, but the IP address is useful when the name doesn’t resolve on your network. If you connect by IP, it helps to reserve that address for the PC in your router so it doesn’t change.

Step 5: Add the shared printer on another PC

1. On the second PC, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Next to Add a printer & scanner, select Add device. The list can take a few minutes to fill in.
3. If the shared printer appears, select Add device next to it, and you’re done.
4. If it doesn’t appear, select Add a new device manually next to The printer that I want isn’t listed.
5. Choose Select a shared printer by name and type the path in one of these forms, or use Browse to pick the PC and printer:

\\computer_name\printer_name
\\ip_address\printer_name
http://computer_name/printer_name/.printer
http://ip_address/printer_name/.printer

1. If Windows asks for credentials, enter a user name and password for an account on the primary PC.
2. Select Next, let Windows install the printer, then select Next and Finish. Print a test page to confirm it works.

Microsoft’s tip: if adding the printer by name fails, try the IP address instead, and the other way round.

Printer sharing in Windows 10

The idea is the same in Windows 10, but the Settings pages are laid out differently:

• Set the network to Private under Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Properties.
• Turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing in Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings.
• Share the printer from Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners: select the printer, choose Manage, then Printer properties and the Sharing tab.
• On the other PC, select Add a printer or scanner, then The printer that I want isn’t listed and Select a shared printer by name.

A Windows 10 PC can share a printer with Windows 11 PCs and the other way round, as long as both are on the same Private network.

Windows protected print mode and shared printers

Windows 11 has an optional security setting called Windows protected print mode, under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Printer Preferences. When it’s on, Windows prints only through its built-in Windows Ready Print (Mopria) driver stack, and Microsoft says printers that use third-party drivers are uninstalled and can’t be used while the mode stays on.

Microsoft’s page doesn’t discuss printer sharing directly, but it follows that if a shared printer needs the manufacturer’s driver, a PC with protected print mode turned on won’t be able to use it. If a shared printer disappears from one PC, check this setting there. If your organization set it through group policy, only an administrator can turn it off.

If the shared printer won’t connect

Problem	What to try
The printer or PC doesn’t show up	Check both PCs are on the same network, set to Private, with Network discovery on. Then add it by name or IP address instead of waiting for the list.
“Windows cannot connect to the printer” with error 0x0000011b	This usually comes from a print security change in Windows updates. See how to fix error 0x0000011b.
Error 0x000003e3 or “Operation could not be completed”	Often a driver problem on the connecting PC. See printer error 0x000003e3.
“The network path was not found”	The PC name or path is wrong, or sharing is blocked. See error 0x80070035.
“The print processor does not exist”	The driver’s print processor is missing or damaged. See this fix.
Windows asks for administrator credentials to install the driver	Since the 2021 PrintNightmare security updates, Windows can require an administrator to install a driver from a shared printer. Sign in with an admin account once, or install the printer’s driver on the second PC first.
It prints, then stops working later	The primary PC may be asleep or off. Shared printers only work while it’s on and awake, so adjust its sleep settings or switch to a network printer.

Related guides

• Error 0x0000011b: how to fix “Windows cannot connect to the printer”
• Printer error 0x000003e3 “Operation could not be completed”: how to fix
• Error 0x80070035 “The network path was not found”: how to fix it
• The print processor does not exist: how to fix it
• HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 driver for Windows 11 and 10: download and install

Official sources: for more detail, see these pages:

• Microsoft Support: Share a printer as a network printer
• Microsoft Learn: Windows protected print mode

Frequently asked questions

Does the PC sharing the printer need to stay on?

Yes. Print jobs go through the primary PC, so it has to be on, awake and connected to the network. If that’s inconvenient, use a printer with built-in Wi-Fi or Ethernet, or a small print server.

Can I share a printer without a password?

Windows may ask the connecting PC for an account on the sharing PC. Using the same Microsoft account or a matching local account on both PCs usually avoids repeated prompts. Turning off password-protected sharing is possible but makes the PC less secure, so it isn’t recommended.

Can a Mac or phone print to a Windows shared printer?

Sometimes, but it isn’t reliable because they need a compatible driver. A network printer that supports AirPrint or Mopria is a better choice for mixed devices.

Why did my shared printer stop working after a Windows update?

Print security updates have changed how PCs connect to shared printers several times. Check the error code and see the guides above, especially error 0x0000011b.