How to Share One Printer Between a Mac and a Windows PC

One printer, two computers, and only the one it is plugged into can print. Printers do not care which operating system sends the job; the problem is that a USB printer belongs to a single computer. Connecting the printer to the router lets both computers add it directly, and sharing from one computer is the fallback for USB-only models.

Connect the printer to the router

Use the printer's panel to join Wi-Fi (under a Network or Wireless Setup menu on most models), or run an Ethernet cable from the printer to the router. Print a network configuration page from the panel to find its IP address. In the router's admin page, reserve that address for the printer (DHCP reservation) so it never changes.

Add the printer on Windows

Go to Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners, click Add device, and pick the printer when it appears. If it does not, click Add manually, choose Add a printer using an IP address or hostname, and enter the address from the configuration page.

Add the printer on the Mac

Go to System Settings, Printers & Scanners, click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, and select the printer on the Default tab, where it shows as AirPrint or Bonjour. If it is missing, open the IP tab, enter the printer's address, and leave Protocol on AirPrint or pick the IPP option.

Share a USB printer from the Mac

If the printer is USB-only, plug it into the Mac. Go to System Settings, General, Sharing, turn on Printer Sharing, click the info button, and tick the printer. On the PC, install Bonjour Print Services for Windows (free from Apple), run the Bonjour Printer Wizard, and pick the shared printer. It connects over IPP with no Windows driver hunting.

Share a USB printer from the PC

If the printer lives on the Windows PC instead, go to Printers & scanners, click the printer, Printer properties, open the Sharing tab, tick Share this printer, and note the share name. On the Mac, open Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, click the Windows tab, browse to the PC by name, sign in with a Windows account, and pick the printer. Choose the maker's driver or a generic one when asked.

If you shared from a computer. That computer has to be on and awake for the other one to print, which is why the network connection is the better fix.

If neither computer can see the printer. Both must be on the same network. A guest network isolates devices from each other, so move everything to the main one.