Trying to connect your new printer to an old windows 7 PC but can’t figure out how?
No worries! I have got you covered.
Because in this article, I am going to provide every possible way on how to add a new printer in Windows 7. Furthermore, I am also going to show you some troubleshooting methods. So, stick here till the end.
How To Add New Printer In Windows 7
Adding a printer in Windows 7 is a relatively easy process and it can be completed in a few minutes.
The first step is to find the model of printer that you would like to add. Each type has its own unique set of drivers that are required for installation.
Once you have determined the model of printer you would like to add, the next step is to locate the drivers. Most printers come with a CD that contains the drivers for the printer. If you do not have the CD, the drivers can usually be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.
The next step is to install the drivers. This can be done by opening the CD and running the setup program, or by double-clicking on the downloaded file. Once the drivers are installed, it’s time to add the printer to the PC.
To add a printer in Windows 7, you will need to do the following:
- Open the Control Panel.
- Find the “Hardware and Sound” option.
- Click on the “Devices and Printers”.
- Then select the “Add a printer” option.
- After that hit on the “Add a local printer”.
- In the Local Printer window, select the Use an existing port option and click on the “Next” button.
- Inside the Use, an existing port window, click on the LPT1: (Printer Port) option.
- Now you need to select the driver. To find it click on the “Hard Disk” option.
- Browse to the location of the printer’s installation CD or the installation files for the printer and select it.
- After that click next and the new printer will be added in the device list.
Now if you are having trouble installing the drivers on windows 7 then check out our article on installing printer drivers.
However, if the above process does not work then your windows 7 version might be older. So, you need to install it manually. But how?
Let’s find out.
How Do I Manually Add A Printer In Windows 7
Adding a printer manually in windows 7 can be a bit of a challenge, but it’s definitely doable. You’ll need to know the printer’s IP address and the name of the printer queue.
To add a printer manually,
- Firstly, install your printer driver following the above-mentioned method.
- Open the Control Panel and click on the “Add a printer”.
- In the Add Printer window, select the “Add a TCP/IP or LPR printer” option and click the “Next” button.
- In the next window, enter the printer’s IP address in the “Printer’s IP Address” field and click the “Next” button.
- In the next window, enter the printer’s queue name in the “Queue Name” field and click the “Next” button.
- If you’re not sure what the printer’s queue name is, you can find it by looking at the printer’s properties.
- Click the “Finish” button and the printer will be added to the list of printers.
For this process to be successful you either need to connect the PC and printer via USB cable or both of the devices must be wifi compatible.
Now, what if you need to connect the printer with a network windows 7?
Don’t worry. We are covering that too.
How To Connect Printer To Network Windows 7
Follow the below method to connect your printer to a network in Windows 7.
- Click on the Start Button
- Then go to the Control Panel
- After that select Network and Internet.
- From the Network and Internet window select Network and Sharing Center.
- Now find the advanced sharing settings and hit enter.
- From the sharing window Turn on network discovery and file and printer sharing.
- Now save all the changes.
After you have done the above changes. Now it’s time to add the printer wirelessly. To do that
- Go to Devices and Printers> Add a printer.
- Then select Add a network wireless or Bluetooth printer.
- After that select the device name and click Next.
- Lastly, select the Share this printer option so that others on your network can use it.
If you follow the above method carefully then your printer will be added to the network and anyone inside the network can find or use it. \
By now you might have got a grasp of all the methods of adding a new printer in windows 7. At this time, let’s have a look at some troubleshooting methods.
How Do I Get My Computer To Recognize A New Printer?
This process is relatively simple, but there are a few things you need to do in order for your computer to recognize the printer. First, you need to make sure that your printer is turned on and that it is connected to your computer.
Once you have verified that the printer is on and connected, you need to open up the Control Panel on your computer. Once the Control Panel is open, you need to click on the “Hardware and Sound” category, and then you need to click on the “Devices and Printers” category. Once you are in the “Devices and Printers” category, you should see a list of all the devices that are connected to your computer. In the list, you should see your printer.
Why Can’t My Computer Find My Printer?
If you’re having trouble locating your printer in Windows, it could be for one of several reasons
- Your printer isn’t turned on
- The printer is turned off or in standby mode
- The printer is unplugged.
- The printer is connected to the wrong port
- The printer is not connected to the computer
- The printer driver is not installed or is outdated or corrupted.
- The printer is not connected to the network
- The printer is in use by another application
You’ve checked all of the above and your printer still can’t be found?
Then try restarting your computer. If it doesn’t work then your printer might not be compatible with Windows 7.
Final Words
I have tried to inform you of every little detail about how to add new printer in windows 7.
I hope you have found it useful. At first, you may find the process a little bit tricky. But after some time, the whole process will become a piece of cake for you.
Lastly, if you have tried all the above methods and it didn’t work then contact the support team of your printer manufacturer.
That’s all for today. Thanks for staying with us till here. Have a very nice day!
