Setting your printer as the default in Windows 11 is pretty straightforward, but sometimes it can be a bit tricky—if you don’t do it right, you might end up with some annoying print delays. First up, head over to the Start menu, then click on Settings. From there, go to Devices. This is where all your device magic happens—think printers, mice, keyboards. Next, select Printers & Scanners. You’ll see a list of all the printers plugged in or connected via Wi-Fi.
Pick your favourite printer, then find and hit Set as Default. Easy as, right? Well, not always. Sometimes Windows likes to change that default back automatically, especially if you print from multiple devices or if Windows decides another printer is more ‘important’ (whatever that actually means). And on some setups, if you set it manually and restart your PC, it might revert back, so keep that in mind.
If that doesn’t do the trick, there’s a sneaky setting you might need to tweak. Head to Control Panel (you can search for it straight from the Start menu), then go to Devices and Printers. Find your printer, right-click it, and select Set as default printer. Sometimes, this overrides Windows 11’s default settings, especially if its new ‘let apps control defaults’ feature is causing trouble. (Because, of course, Windows has to make things more complicated than they need to be.)
Another thing to have a gander at — make sure your printer’s driver is up-to-date. Outdated drivers can cause all sorts of weird issues, including your default setting not sticking. To check, visit the manufacturer’s website or open Device Manager (hit Win + X and select it from the menu), then find your printer under Printers or Print queues. Right-click it and choose Update driver. Sometimes, running a Windows Update for optional updates can help too.
If you’re running a wireless printer, double-check it’s on the same Wi-Fi network as your PC. Sounds simple, but occasionally a quick unplug and plug back in or turning the printer off and on again does the trick. And make sure your printer isn’t offline—go to Printers & Scanners, click on it, and see if it says “Offline” or “Ready.”
If you keep trying to set the default but it keeps flipping back, you might need to disable the auto-manage defaults feature. Head to Settings > Bluetooth & devices (or in some builds, Bluetooth & other devices), then scroll down to Print queue management (if you see it). Turn off the option for “Let Windows manage my default printer.” This should keep your chosen printer locked in—at least for a while.
Just keep in mind, sometimes these behaviours can be a bit unpredictable. One machine might remember your setting forever, another might revert after a reboot or Windows update. That’s Windows for ya. Quirky, but with a bit of tinkering, you’ll usually get it sorted.
Summary
- Make sure your printer is connected and ready to go
- Head to Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners
- Select your printer and click Set as Default
- If it keeps changing back, check Control Panel > Devices and Printers
- Update your drivers if needed
- Turn off auto-manage defaults if Windows won’t leave it alone
Fingers crossed this helps you out. Sometimes it just takes a couple of goes or a quick reboot to get that default sorted once and for all. Good luck with the printing chores — hope this makes things a bit easier for ya!