Last updated on February 25th, 2020
If you ‘re own Windows 10 OS and you want to share your printer with other users on your network then this tutorial is for you. In Windows 10, you can share a printer connected to your PC with other PCs on the network, in the following two ways.
A. With Password Protected Sharing Disabled: The first way is to share your printer to the network in such a way that network users are not required to provide a user name and password to access the printer. This way is suggested, when you want all the users on the network to print on the shared printer.)
B. With the Password Protected Sharing Enabled: The second way is to share the printer in such a way that only specific users can print (after providing a username and password). This is recommended if you do not want all network users to print to the shared printer.
In this tutorial you will find detailed instructions on how to share a printer in Windows 10.
How to Share your Printer with other Network Users in Windows 10.
Step 1. Enable Printer Sharing.
1. On the PC with the printer that you want to share, navigate to Windows Control panel. To do that:
1. In Search box, type control panel
2. Click at Control Panel.
2. In control panel click View devices and printers.
3. Right click on the printer that you want to share with others and choose Printer properties.
4. At Sharing tab:
1. Mark the Share this printer box.
2. Type a share name for the printer.
3. Click Apply.
5. Now continue according your choice:
a. If you want all the network users to print to your printer without providing a user name and a password (to connect to your computer), then click at Network and Sharing Center link and continue reading below to disable (turn off) the password protected sharing.
b. If you want to define specific users to print to your printer, then click OK at printer properties and skip to step-2 below and create the users that you want to print to your printer.
6. In Network and Sharing Center, click Change advanced sharing settings on the left.
7. At All Networks options, choose Turn off password protected sharing and then click Save changes.
8. Close all the open windows and continue to step-3 to install the shared printer on the network computers.
Step 2. Create the Users that will have access on the PC with the Shared Printer.
If you want to enable the printer sharing with password protection, then you have to create the users (accounts) that will have access on the PC with the shared printer. To do that:
1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys to open the Run box.
2. Type control userpasswords2 and press Enter.
3. At User Accounts click Add.
4. Select Sign in without a Microsoft account.
5. Choose Local account at the next screen.
6. Type an account name (e.g. User1) and a password (if you want) and click Next and Finish.
7. Then select the new account and click the Reset Password button to specify a password for the new account.
8. Type a password for the new account and click OK.
9. If needed, repeat the same steps to add additional accounts on the PC and when done, continue to step-3 to install the shared printer on the network PCs.
Step 3. Connect to the Shared Printer from other PCs.
To be able to print to the shared printer, from other network computers, you have first to install to printer on them. To do that:
1. Open Windows Explorer and at the address bar type the following and press enter: *
- \ComputerName
* Note: Where ComputerName = the name of the computer with the shared printer. (e.g. if the computer name is “PC1” then type: “\PC1”
2. Now, if you have defined specific users for printing (in step-2), then you’ll be asked to type a username and a password to connect to the PC with the shared printer. At this case type the needed credentials and click OK. If you have disabled the password protected sharing (in step-1), then you will see the shared printer on your screen.
3. Right click on the shared printer and click Connect to install the printer on the local computer.
4. When the installation is completed, you ‘ll be able to print on the shared printer. *
* Final Note: Keep in mind, that the PC with the shared printer (and the printer), must be always on, in order to be able to print.
That’s it!
Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.
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