Your Mac makes it simple to print documents, photos, web pages and more. This guide walks you through how to add a printer to your Mac, print wirelessly or via USB, and optimize your printer settings for the best results. By following these steps, you’ll be able to easily print from your Mac whenever you need.
How to Add a Printer to Your Mac
The first step to printing from your Mac is adding your printer. Whether you have a wireless or USB printer, you can add it to your Mac in just a few clicks:
- Make sure your printer is turned on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac (if wireless).
- On your Mac, click the Apple menu and select “System Preferences.”
- Click “Printers & Scanners.”
- Click the “+” button to add a new printer.
- Select your printer from the list. It may take a few moments for your Mac to detect the printer.
- If prompted, install any additional software for your printer.
- Click “Add” to finish adding your printer.
Your printer should now show up in the Printers & Scanners preferences and be available when you print. If you plugged in a USB printer, your Mac should automatically detect and add it.
Connecting to Your Printer Wirelessly
Many modern printers support wireless printing over Wi-Fi. This lets you print to the printer from your Mac without having to connect any cables. To print wirelessly:
- Make sure your printer is connected to Wi-Fi. Consult your printer’s manual for instructions on connecting it to your network.
- Add the wireless printer to your Mac using the steps in the previous section.
- When you print, choose the wireless printer from the Printer pop-up menu.
- Click Print to send your job to the wireless printer.
Tips for reliable wireless printing:
- Keep your printer close to your Wi-Fi router to ensure a strong, stable connection
- Make sure your Mac and printer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network
- Keep your printer’s firmware up to date for the best wireless performance and security
Printing via USB Cable
You can also connect your printer directly to your Mac using a USB cable. This provides a dependable wired connection and is a good option if you don’t have Wi-Fi or your wireless connection is unreliable. To print via USB:
- Connect your printer to your Mac using a USB cable.
- Your Mac should automatically detect the printer and download any necessary software.
- If your Mac doesn’t auto-detect the printer, follow the “Add a printer” steps above and choose the USB printer from the list.
- When you print, select the USB-connected printer from the Printer menu.
Advantages of USB printing:
- Reliable wired connection not impacted by wireless interference
- Faster data transfer speeds compared to wireless
- Easier to set up in some cases, with no need to connect to Wi-Fi
Optimizing Print Quality and Settings
To get the best looking prints from your Mac, make sure to choose the optimal settings. When you print, you’ll see a dialog box with options to configure:
- Presets: To quickly optimize settings, choose a preset that matches your print job, like Black & White or Photo.
- Media type: For the highest quality, choose the paper type that matches what you loaded in the printer, such as Plain Paper, Glossy Photo Paper, or Cardstock.
- Quality: For documents, choose Standard or Normal quality. For photos, use High or Best quality for more detail. Higher quality settings use more ink.
- Color mode: Select Color for full-color prints. Choose Black & White to print in grayscale and save color ink.
- 2-Sided: To save paper, select Long-Edge binding or Short-Edge binding to print on both sides.
Tips for the best print quality:
- Use genuine ink cartridges from your printer’s manufacturer for optimal quality and reliability
- For photos, use glossy photo paper and configure the media type setting to match
- Clean the print heads if you notice streaks, missing colors or poor quality; consult your printer’s manual for guidance
Printing Securely and Protecting Your Data
To safeguard sensitive data when printing, follow these best practices:
- Secure your printer’s wireless connection: Set a strong password on your printer’s Wi-Fi to prevent unauthorized access. Consult your printer’s manual for instructions.
- Use a firewall: Ensure your Mac’s built-in firewall is enabled in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall to protect your computer and printer from threats.
- Keep software up to date: Install the latest updates for macOS and your printer’s drivers to patch any security vulnerabilities.
- Hard-delete sensitive prints: When printing confidential documents, send them to the Secure Print or Hard Delete queue, if your printer has this feature. This stores the print job in the printer’s memory and deletes it after printing.
- Destroy unneeded prints: Shred or destroy sensitive documents you no longer need to protect against dumpster diving and theft.
By taking precautions to print securely, you can protect your sensitive personal and business information from falling into the wrong hands.
Troubleshooting Common Mac Printing Problems
If you run into problems printing from your Mac, try these troubleshooting tips:
Printer not found
- Make sure the printer is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or plugged in via USB
- Restart your printer, wait a minute, then try adding it again in System Preferences
- Restart your Mac, which can resolve some temporary software glitches
- Update your Mac in System Preferences > Software Update, then try re-adding the printer
Poor print quality
- Make sure you’ve selected the correct media type to match your paper (e.g. glossy photo paper)
- Clean the print heads using your printer’s built-in maintenance routine or print a test page
- Replace low or empty ink cartridges and make sure to use cartridges designed for your printer model
Wi-Fi printing issues
- Restart your printer, Wi-Fi router, and Mac to reset the network connection
- Move your printer closer to your router to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal
- Make sure your Mac and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network
- Update your printer’s firmware to the latest version
Print job stuck in queue
- Delete the stalled print job in System Preferences > Printers & Scanners, select your printer, then click Open Print Queue and delete the job
- Restart your Mac and send the print again
- Check if your printer is out of paper or has a paper jam and refill paper or clear jam if needed
If you still have trouble printing after trying these tips, consult your printer’s manual or contact the manufacturer for more specific support.
Key Takeaways
- Add a printer to your Mac in System Preferences > Printers & Scanners
- Connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi or wired with a USB cable
- Optimize print settings like quality, media type, color, 2-sided to get the best prints
- Print securely by password-protecting your printer, using a firewall, deleting sensitive jobs
- Troubleshoot common problems by checking connections, restarting devices, updating software
Conclusion
Connecting a printer to your Mac opens up a world of possibilities, from printing professional reports to treasured family photos. Take a few minutes to add your printer in System Preferences and optimize your print settings. If you hit any snags, work through them systematically using the troubleshooting tips. By cultivating your Mac printing skills, you’ll save time, money, and frustration when it comes time to print. Happy printing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I add a printer to my Mac?
A: Go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners, click “+”, then select your printer from the list and click “Add.”
Q: How do I connect my Mac to a wireless printer?
A: Ensure your printer is connected to Wi-Fi, then add it in System Preferences > Printers & Scanners. Select the wireless printer when printing.
Q: How do I connect my Mac to a USB printer?
A: Connect the printer to your Mac with a USB cable. It should be auto-detected and added. If not, add it manually in System Preferences.
Q: How do I change my default printer on Mac?
A: In System Preferences > Printers & Scanners, right-click the printer you want to set as default and choose “Set Default Printer.”
Q: How do I remove a printer from my Mac?
A: In System Preferences > Printers & Scanners, select the printer, then click “-” to remove it.
Q: Why is my printer offline on my Mac?
A: Ensure the printer is turned on and connected. Restart your printer, router, and Mac. Update printer drivers and macOS.
Q: Why won’t my Mac find my printer?
A: Restart devices, check connections and drivers. For wireless, ensure the printer and Mac are on the same Wi-Fi network.
Q: How do I clear the print queue on a Mac?
A: In System Preferences > Printers & Scanners, select your printer, click “Open Print Queue”, then delete any stuck jobs.
Q: How do I set up AirPrint on Mac?
A: Ensure your printer supports AirPrint. Connect it to the same Wi-Fi as your Mac. It should be auto-detected and available to print.
Q: How do I print double-sided on Mac?
A: In the print dialog, choose “Long-Edge Binding” or “Short-Edge Binding” from the two-sided menu to print on both sides.
Q: How do I print in black and white on Mac?
A: In the print settings, choose “Black & White” as the Color option to print in grayscale and conserve color ink.
Q: How do I password protect my printer on Mac?
A: Set a password on your printer’s configuration page or EWS portal to prevent unauthorized access over the network.
Q: How do I share a printer on Mac?
A: In System Preferences > Sharing, enable Printer Sharing. Select printers to share, then add them on other Macs.
Q: How do I add a network printer by IP address on Mac?
A: In System Preferences > Printers & Scanners, click “+”, then choose “IP” and enter your printer’s IP address.
Q: How do I fix a printer not responding on Mac?
A: Restart printer and Mac, check connections, update drivers, reset printing system. Contact manufacturer if issue persists.
Q: How do I map a network printer on Mac?
A: Use the printer’s IP address or hostname to add it as a network printer in System Preferences.
Q: How do I install printer drivers on Mac?
A: When adding a printer, macOS auto-downloads drivers. You can also get the latest drivers from the manufacturer’s site.
Q: How do I print to PDF on Mac?
A: In the print dialog box, click the PDF menu in the bottom left, then choose “Save as PDF” to create a PDF file.
Q: How do I check my printer’s ink levels on Mac?
A: Many printers show ink levels in System Preferences > Printers & Scanners. Select your printer, then click “Options & Supplies.”
Q: How do I troubleshoot printer problems on Mac?
A: Check connections, restart devices, update software, reset printing system. For specific issues, consult printer manual or contact support.