How to Find and Download Printer Drivers
for Your New, Used, or Current Printer
A printer is one of the most troublesome devices you can ever have hooked up to your computer. Printer drivers are some of the most frequent culprits that commit these frustrating acts (or more often, the frustrating lack of activity).
Most of them will give you trouble at one time or another (and maybe all of the time) about what gets printed when and how many times it gets printed. Or, you may have bought a used printer that refuses to print until it is properly installed--and the seller didn't have an installation CD to offer.
If you've ever waited in frustration for your printer to finish the document it half-printed before it decided to stop, or wanted to trash your computer when your computer wouldn't print what you wanted to because it was still "working on" another document (that you printed three days ago), trust us when we say that you are not alone.
Printer Drivers are at the Source of the Frustration (and its Cure)
The good news is that most of these printer problems are relatively easy to fix, as long as you have been properly informed. Unfortunately, most of us were never informed about our printer drivers.
You would think they'd slap a sticker on top of every printer that reminded us to go to the manufacturer's website just as soon as we ran the installation CD. Companies like HP would certainly earn a lot of loyal customers this way. Unfortunately, this just hasn't happened yet. Maybe someday…
Until then, you will have to update your printer drivers on your own. This can seem like a daunting task at first.
That is why we've compiled the following quick-start guide that will tell you how to find printer drivers when you don't have an installation CD and/or update these drivers when, for whatever reason, the old ones seem like they might not be working.
How to Update Your Printer Driver without Ever Surfing the Internet
You can use this one option if you simply want to update your driver software. If you need to get a printer driver for a printer that you want to install, go ahead and skip to the next step. Then come back here once you have it installed.
You may be able to update your printer driver directly from the Windows Control Panel. Simply click onto your Control Panel and, from there, click on "Device Manager".
From there you will most likely be able to find your printer. Highlight it with your curser and then click on "Action" in the toolbar menu at the top of the window. Then, select "Update Driver Software” and you should be on your way.
If this doesn't work, or if you can't find your printer on your Device Manager menu, read on.
Your Printer's Manufacturer has (Almost) all of the Printer Drivers You Could Ever Want
If you're installing a printer for the first time but don't have the installation CD, or if you were unable to update your printer's driver from the Device Manager menu, you will need to go to the manufacturer's website.
It shouldn’t be too hard to find the page where you can download the drivers for whatever you need. Usually, this will be located under "Customer Support" somewhere. Hewlett Packard's site, for example, has a "Support and Drivers" link on its home page. If your manufacturer's site doesn't have a "Drivers" link on the first or second page down, you should be able to find what you need in the "Downloads" section.
When you save your new printer software, the best thing to do is to create a new folder for it. This will allow you to conveniently access the software. The desktop and the "Documents" folder are the two best places for you to create this folder, simply because they will be easy for you to find and to access.
From there, all you need to do is double-click on your new driver's icon and click "Run" when you are given this warning:
From there, all you should need to do is press "Next" or "I Agree" on the Install Wizard.
After the software is installed, you should restart your computer. Then, try printing a single sentence (so you don't waste ink) on a sheet of paper to ensure that your printer is working.
What if the Manufacturer Doesn't have the Printer Drivers You Need?
This is rare, but it does happen. Maybe you have an old or rare printer and the manufacturer is no longer in business. Or perhaps your hardware just isn't supported by the manufacturer anymore.
In that case, you may have to cruise a lot of "free driver download" sites. Some of these are legitimate sites built by technology enthusiasts who want to help other people out (while perhaps putting a little change in their pockets).
But some driver download sites are built to take advantage of those who are in dire straits with their hardware. These sites may install spyware, adware, or worse in an attempt to monetize their sites. It's good to find a person, software, or guide who can steer you clear of these sites.
There are also "open source drivers" of varying usefulness and reliability. The only way to know how well these work is to download them and try them out.
Enjoy Your New (or Like-New) Printer
While the above information is not exhaustive, it should be enough to get your printer up and running. Doing it all by hand may take longer than you'd like...but it's better than buying a completely new printer!
