How to Change Your Default Printer (Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac & Chromebook)

Quick answer: on Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, turn off "Let Windows manage my default printer," click your printer and choose Set as default. On a Mac, open Apple menu > System Settings > Printers & Scanners and pick your printer from the Default printer menu. A Chromebook has no "Set as default" button: save the printer to your profile, and the Print dialog remembers the last printer you used.

Updated October 8, 2026 · By William Elward, founder of Castle Ink (helping people with printers and ink since 2005)

What Is a Default Printer?

Your default printer is the one your computer picks automatically whenever you press Print or Ctrl + P (Command + P on a Mac). You can still choose a different printer in any Print dialog; the default just decides where jobs go when you don't. It matters most when you have more than one printer installed, including "virtual" printers such as Microsoft Print to PDF, OneNote or Fax, which often grab the default spot after a Windows update.

How Do I Change My Default Printer in Windows 11?

1. Click Start and open Settings (or press Windows + I).
2. Choose Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
3. Scroll to Printer preferences and turn off Let Windows manage my default printer. While this is on, the "Set as default" button is hidden.
4. Scroll back up and click the printer you want.
5. Click Set as default. The printer now shows Default under its name.

Don't see your printer in the list? Add it first with our guide to adding a printer in Windows 11 and 10. Microsoft's own walkthrough is on its Set a default printer in Windows support page.

How Do I Change My Default Printer in Windows 10?

1. Open Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Uncheck Let Windows manage my default printer.
3. Click your printer, then Manage > Set as default.

Can I Still Set the Default Printer From Control Panel?

On Windows 10, and on Windows 11 builds that still open the classic page, yes: open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers, right-click the printer and choose Set as default printer. A green check mark marks the default. On newer Windows 11 builds, Devices and Printers redirects to the Settings page above, so use the Settings method.

Why Does My Default Printer Keep Changing?

Almost always it's because Let Windows manage my default printer is switched on. With that setting enabled, Windows makes whichever printer you used last the default, so printing a single PDF to "Microsoft Print to PDF" quietly changes it. On laptops, Windows can also switch the default when you move to a different network. Turn the setting off and set your default again. Other causes:

• A driver reinstall or Windows update re-added the printer as a new device. Remove the duplicate and set the default once more. See how to uninstall a printer driver.
• Work or school policy. On managed PCs, IT can push a default printer at sign-in. Ask your administrator.
• The printer dropped off the network. If Windows can't see your default printer, it may fall back to another. Fix the connection with why your printer keeps going offline.

How Do I Change the Default Printer on a Mac?

1. Click the Apple menu > System Settings (System Preferences on macOS Monterey and earlier).
2. Click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar.
3. Open the Default printer pop-up menu and choose your printer.
4. Or choose Last Printer Used if you'd rather your Mac follow the printer you used most recently on your current network.

The same screen holds Default paper size, which is worth checking if your pages come out with odd margins (Letter in the U.S., A4 almost everywhere else). Apple documents these settings in its Mac User Guide. Need to add the printer first? See how to add a printer to a Mac.

How Do I Set a Default Printer on a Chromebook?

ChromeOS doesn't have a "Set as default" button like Windows. Instead, it uses the printers you've saved to your profile, and the Print dialog pre-selects the last destination you used. To make a printer your go-to:

1. Open Settings, search for Printers, and under Add printers to your profile click Save next to your printer. It moves to the top of Your saved printers.
2. Press Ctrl + P in any app.
3. Next to Destination, choose See more… and select that printer.
4. Print once. The Print dialog will pre-select it from now on.

On school or work Chromebooks, an administrator can set the default destination by policy, which overrides your choice. Google's Chromebook printer setup help covers adding printers, and our Chromebook printing guide walks through the whole setup.

Does Google Chrome Use My Default Printer?

Not always. On Windows and Mac, Chrome's Print preview usually remembers the last printer you picked inside Chrome, so it can differ from your system default. If Chrome keeps choosing "Save as PDF," pick your real printer under Destination and print once; Chrome will remember it. Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat and most desktop apps follow the system default.

How Do I Choose a Default Printer on My iPhone or Android Phone?

Phones don't have a permanent default. On an iPhone or iPad, AirPrint's Select Printer list remembers the last printer you used. On Android, the print screen does the same. If a printer won't appear at all, see AirPrint not working or our guide to printing from your phone.

What If Jobs Still Go to the Wrong Printer?

• Clear the old jobs first. Anything already queued keeps its original destination. See how to cancel a print job.
• Restart the print spooler if the queue is frozen: how to restart a stuck print spooler.
• Check for duplicate printers named "Copy 1" or "(redirected)". Set the correct copy as default and remove the others.
• Driver problems? If Windows says the driver is unavailable, follow printer driver is unavailable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I stop Windows from changing my default printer?

Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and turn off Let Windows manage my default printer, then set your printer as default.

Why is there no "Set as default" button in Windows 11?

The button only appears when "Let Windows manage my default printer" is turned off.

Can I have a different default printer for each user?

Yes. On Windows and Mac the default printer is stored per user account, so each person who signs in can choose their own.

How do I make "Microsoft Print to PDF" stop being the default?

Turn off Windows' automatic management, set your real printer as default, and (optionally) remove Microsoft Print to PDF under Printers & scanners if you never use it.

Does changing the default printer delete anything?

No. It only changes which printer is pre-selected. Your other printers, drivers and settings stay installed.

Keep Your Default Printer Printing

Once your printer is the default, make sure it never runs dry. Find the right cartridges for your model on our Find Ink by Printer page, or shop HP ink, Canon ink, Epson ink and Brother toner. Still stuck? The printer troubleshooting center has a fix for nearly every printer problem.

Sources

• Microsoft Support: Set a default printer in Windows
• Apple Support: Add and manage printers on Mac
• Google Chromebook Help: Set up your printer