On Windows 10, you can share a USB printer with other computers in the network, even if the device does not have Wi-Fi or Ethernet connectivity. This is possible thanks to the print server feature available on Windows 10, which allows you to share a USB printer quickly in the network.
Printer sharing is nothing new, it’s a feature that has been part of the operating system for a long time, and you can still use it on Windows 10.
In this guide, you will learn the steps to share a printer on Windows 10 over the network.
Share printer on Windows 10
To connect a USB printer to a Wi-Fi network without extra accessories, you can use Windows 10 “printer sharing” with these steps:
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Open Settings on Windows 10.
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Click on Devices.
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Select the USB printer to share.
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Click the Manage button.
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Click the Printer properties link.
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Open the Sharing tab.
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Check the “Share this printer” option.
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(Optional) Change the printer share name as needed.
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Click the Apply button.
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Click the OK button.
Once you complete the steps, the USB printer will be available in the network for anyone to connect.
Install a shared printer on Windows 10
The process of Installing a shared printer is easy, but it’s not the same as it would be to install a wireless printer.
To install a shared printer to another computer, use these steps:
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Open Settings.
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Click on Devices.
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Click the Add printer & scanner button and wait a few moments.
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Click the “The printer that I want isn’t listed” option.
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Check the “Select a shared printer by name” option.
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Confirm the printer network path. For example,
\\computerName\printerName. If the name doesn’t work, you can also use the IP address for the computer sharing the printer.
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Click the Next button.
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Use the default printer name.
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Click Next to install the shared USB printer on Windows 10.
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Click the Finish button.
After you complete the steps, the print jobs will travel through the network to the computer with the printer server configured, and then the jobs will be directed to the USB printer. Users can only print as long as the computer sharing the printer is turned on.
Although most modern printers come with a print server, you can still find printers only with USB or parallel cable connectivity. For those situations, Windows 10 offers an easy solution to share a printer with other people over the network.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].