If Windows keeps switching your default printer on you, or you've added a new printer and want to make it the one everything prints to automatically, this guide covers both the setting and the common gotcha that makes the default keep changing.

Set the Default Printer in Windows 11

  1. Open Settings (press Win + I).
  2. Go to Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
  3. Scroll down and make sure Let Windows manage my default printer is turned off. If this is on, Windows will keep changing the default to the last printer you used in your current location — which is almost always not what you want.
  4. Click the printer you want to set as default.
  5. Click Set as default.

Set the Default Printer in Windows 10

  1. Open Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
  2. Uncheck the box labeled Let Windows manage my default printer.
  3. Click the printer you want to use and select Manage.
  4. Click Set as default.

The Setting That Keeps Overriding Your Choice

The Let Windows manage my default printer option is the cause of most default-printer headaches. When it's turned on, Windows uses your location (based on connected networks) to pick the "most recently used" printer at that location. So if you're in an office and sometimes print to a network printer, that becomes the default — even if you wanted your home printer. Turning this off locks in your explicit choice.

Setting a Default Printer Per Application

Some applications remember their own last-used printer independently of the Windows default. For example, Microsoft Word remembers the printer you used last in Word, and it will default to that printer next time regardless of the Windows system default. Change it within the application by going to File > Print and selecting the printer from the drop-down.

Why the Default Printer Is Grayed Out

If the Set as default button is missing or grayed out, the Windows-managed default is likely still turned on. Disable that toggle first, then try again.

Questions? Ask us.