How to Install 2 Printers on a Windows Computer

This step-by-step guide explains how to install 2 printers on a Windows computer. It covers the required setup, the main actions, and the checks that help prevent common problems.

Actually, this interesting feature has appeared on Windows for a long time. Windows XP allows you to easily copy and paste printer devices to create new printer settings. This feature is still brought to Windows 10 and Windows 7 by Microsoft, however, it will take longer for you to install virtual printer settings on these operating systems.

Determine the Port Location and Driver of the Printer

To set up a manual installation for the printer, you must know the location of the printer's ports and drivers that you are using.

You can find this information in the Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers section . Select the printer you want to create a copy, right-select the printer and select Printer properties .

Select the Ports Tab and notice what port information of the currently selected printer. This information will tell you which port to select in the step of adding a printer in the following section.

Select the Advanced Tab and look at the name that appears to the right of the Driver section. This information tells you the name of the driver that will be needed when selecting a printer.

Select Cancel To close the Printer properties window.

How to Set Up a New Printer Copy

Now you have all the information you need to set up the second installation for the printer. This process means you create a new virtual device in Windows with its own installation options.

Start by selecting the Add a Printer Itemin the toolbar in theDevices and Printerswindow.

Select The printer that I want isn't listed To manually add the printer.

Select Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings And then select Next .

Select Use an existing port on The options box, select the port of the printer you are using (as shown on the Ports tab in the Printer's properties window) and select Next .

Next, select the printer driver you are using (shown in the Printer's properties window) and select Next .

Select the Use the driver Item which Is currently installed (recommended) Next, select Next . This setting ensures that the newly created printer device will use the same driver and the same port as on the original printer device.

Next, enter a name for the printer and select Next 'to continue. You can name it as you like, but it's best to choose a name that helps you remember the original printer information and the print settings to use. You can also change the name for the printer again.

To finish, choose whether or not you want to share the printer and select Next .

You can select Print a test page To print a test page if you want. Then select Finish .

How to Use the Newly Established Virtual Printer

For example, you can install a printer setting that specializes in color printing with advanced details and a printer for black and white printing only with low detail settings. Each printout will be printed on the same printer, but it will not take you long to change your settings back and forth every time you want to print, just select the appropriate printer from the list.

You can also create more virtual printers, as many as you want, and assign different configuration options to each virtual printer.

How to Manage Virtual Printers

Although the virtual printers you create will be displayed as options in the print dialog box, they will not appear as normal printers in theDevices and Printerswindowor in the Settings > Devices > Printers and interface. Scanners interface On Windows 10. Windows will automatically assemble them together in printer management interfaces, a bit inconvenient.

However, you can still see virtual printers from the printer configuration window, if you want. For example, to see the virtual printer in theDevices and Settingswindow, right-select the real printer and you will see options for each installed printer device.

In the installation interface of Windows 10, select theprinter's'Manage'buttonand then you will be able to optionally change the settings for each printer by transferring the printer settings that you have previously installed.

It is easier to manage these devices by pressing Windows + R to open theRundialog box, then copy and paste the following command into the dialog box and press Enter:

 shell : {26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683} : {2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D} 

After this operation, a printer management window appears, showing all printer devices that you have installed separately. In this dialog box, you can rename them, delete them, change their options or add new virtual printers, and all printers appears as separate, very intuitive devices.

Of course, you can also do the same operation in the print dialog box that appears when you try to print the document, so you don't even need to use any of the installation interfaces after installing the machines. Virtual print.