Laptops For Dummies, 6th Edition
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Your Windows 10 laptop can print documents to only one printer at a time. You can choose the printer when you print, or, when you don’t specify a printer, Windows uses the default printer.

The default printer isn’t a specific printer, and no manufacturer gives its printer that name. Instead, it’s one of the existing printers available on the network. If a printer is attached directly to your laptop, that printer is the default printer.

The default printer might appear as an icon along with other printers in the various “show me your printers” windows. To set the default printer, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Control Panel.

    Right-click the mouse in the lower left corner of the screen to display the supersecret menu. Choose Control Panel from the pop-up menu.

  2. Beneath the heading Hardware and Sound, click the link View Devices and Printers.

    You see the Devices and Printers window.

    The Devices and Printers window.
    The Devices and Printers window.
  3. Right-click the printer you want to use as the default printer.

  4. Chose the Set As Default Printer command.

    That printer is now the new default printer. It sports a green checkmark icon.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Dan Gookin wrote the very first For Dummies book in 1991. With more than 11 million copies in print, his books have been translated into 32 languages. PCs For Dummies, now in its 12th edition, is the bestselling beginning PC book in the world. Dan offers tips, games, and fun at www.wambooli.com.

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