Getting the printer icon on your desktop in Windows 11 isn’t a hard yakka, and it can save you heaps of time. Sometimes, poking around in the Control Panel or Settings just to check ink levels or change print settings feels a bit over the top, especially if you print a fair bit. Making a shortcut on the desktop means you can get to it quick as a flash. Weirdly, Windows doesn’t make this super obvious, but once you know how, it’s a piece of piss.
How to Put the Printer Icon on Your Desktop in Windows 11
This comes in handy if you’re sick of rummaging through menus, or maybe your printer isn’t showing up in the taskbar or quick actions. With a shortcut, just double-click and you’re straight into printer settings. Fair dinkum, it mostly applies if your printer’s not already pinned or showing up on the desktop or taskbar, which is a common bugbear.
Step 1: Open Devices and Printers
First up, get to the Devices and Printers window. You can do this a couple of ways — the quickest is probably typing Control Panel in the Windows search bar and hitting Enter, then heading to Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers.
If Control Panel’s not your go-to, you can also try Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Either way, you’ll land there.
Step 2: Find your printer
Once you’re in Devices and Printers, scan through the list to find your printer. Make sure it’s plugged in, turned on, and set as default if you want it ready to go. If it’s not showing up, maybe your drivers are dodgy or it’s not installed properly. That’s a whole different story, but for now, just assume it’s there and working.
Step 3: Make a shortcut
Right-click on the printer icon, then choose Create shortcut. Windows will pop up a warning saying it can’t create the shortcut directly here and will put it on your desktop like magic — standard stuff. Sometimes, this stuff doesn’t work the first go. If that happens, give it another crack or try running as admin.
A bit funny, but Windows doesn’t always make creating shortcuts easy from that menu. Another trick is simply dragging the printer from this window to the desktop while holding Alt.
Step 4: Rename if you like
Once the shortcut’s on the desktop, right-click it and pick Rename if you want to give it a clearer name (“My Printer” or something). Easy as, and keeps things tidy.
Step 5: Use it!
Double-click the icon whenever you want quick access to printer stuff — ink levels, troubleshooting, whatever. Especially handy if the printer isn’t always in the taskbar or if you’d rather jump straight into device settings than trawl through menus again.
Sometimes this might not work perfectly straight away — the shortcut might not behave the way you expect — but after a reboot or deleting and re-adding it, things usually settle down. Windows can be a bit quirky with shortcuts.
Tips for Putting the Printer Icon on Your Desktop in Windows 11
- Make sure your printer’s installed, turned on, and set as default — otherwise, the shortcut might be a dead end.
- If Create shortcut doesn’t do the trick, try dragging the printer icon to the desktop while holding Alt.
- Renaming the shortcut helps you spot it quickly, especially if you’ve got multiple printers.
- Aim to keep your desktop tidy — no need to create shortcuts for every device if it clutters up your workspace.
- Using the shortcut to check ink levels or run diagnostics can save heaps of clicking through menus.
FAQs
Why can’t I find my printer in Devices and Printers?
Check it’s powered on, properly connected (USB or network), and that the drivers are installed and up to date. Sometimes Windows doesn’t see the device if drivers are missing or dodgy — a reinstallation can do the trick.
How do I rename the printer shortcut on my desktop?
Right-click the shortcut, pick Rename, and type whatever makes sense. Keep it simple — like “Office Printer” or “LaserJet” — so you know what’s what at a glance.
Is there another way to make a printer shortcut?
Yeah, you can drag the printer from Devices and Printers directly onto your desktop while holding Alt. Not sure why, but Windows sometimes prefers this method.
Can I delete the printer icon if I don’t need it anymore?
Sure can — just right-click and hit Delete. It won’t uninstall the printer, just remove the shortcut from your desktop.
What if the shortcut won’t open or lands in the wrong menu?
Give it a tidy delete and make a new one. Sometimes, Windows gets a bit confused or cache issues are at play. Check that your printer’s set as default and look for driver updates if needed.
Summary
- Open Devices and Printers via Control Panel or Settings
- Find your printer and create a shortcut
- Rename it if you want, then chuck it on your desktop
- Double-click to quickly access printer options or troubleshooting
Cheers to Making life easier
Dropping a printer icon on your desktop isn’t tricky, and it can make your printing life heaps easier if you do it regularly. Not a big deal to set up, but Windows sometimes makes it more complicated than it needs to be. If it’s not working the first time, try again or reboot — often a quick restart sorts things out. Hopefully, this helps, and now you’ve got an easy way to get to your printer without tearing your hair out searching menus. Fair dinkum, it’s a handy tip!