by Hill, Carson
- Click Start , tap Settings , tap Devices and then click Printers & scanners .
- Click on Add a printer or scanner . Wait for Windows to locate nearby printers, and then select the printer that you wish to use, and click on Add device .
If you are unable to find your printer on the list, choose “The printer that I want isn't listed ,” and then proceed with the onscreen instructions to manually add the printer that you want.
Sharing the printer on a primary PC
Two ways are available to share your printer; using settings or using the control panel.
To share printer from Settings, follow the prompts below;
Click Start , tap Settings , tap Devices and then click Printers & scanners
Click on the printer that you plan to share, and then tap Manage .
Click Printer properties , and then click the Sharing tab.
From Sharing tab , click on Share this printer .
The share name for the printer can be edited if you want. This name will be the name that will be available to other PC to connect to.
To share your printer using the Control Panel;
Inside the search space on your taskbar, enter control panel, once the result shows up, click the Control Panel .
Under the Hardware and Sound menu, click View devices and printers .
Select and then hold that particular printer that you wish to share, click Printer properties , and then tap on Sharing tab.
Under Sharing tab , click on Share this printer .
If you wish, you can edit the printer’s share name. This name will be used to connect to your printer from another personal computer.
How to connect the shared printer to another computer
This can be done using Settings or the Control Panel.
Click Start , tap Settings , tap Devices and then click Printers & scanners .
Under the Add printers & scanners menu, choose Add a printer or scanner .
Choose your desired printer, and then tap Add Device .
If you are unable to locate the printer that you wish to add, click “The printer that I want isn’t listed .”
You will be prompted with a printer dialog box where you can add printer, click Select a shared printer by name , and then enter the primary PC’s name and the printer’s share name with any of the below format;
\computernameprintername
http://computername/printername/.printer
When asked to install the printer driver, click Next to see through with the installation.
Viewing the Print queue
- To see the list of items that are waiting for printing on Windows 10, select the Start menu, and then enter the word “printers and scanners” inside the search box on your taskbar.
- Click on Printers & scanners and choose your own printer from the list.
- Click on Open queue to view what is printing and the upcoming print order.
How to install the latest driver for your PC
Most printers demand that you install the updated printer driver to enable the printer to work perfectly. If you just upgraded from an earlier Windows version, the driver of your printer might be able to work with the previous Windows but might not work well or not at all. In addition, if you have experienced computer viruses, power outages, or some other problems, the driver of your printer might be damaged. Downloading and installing the updated printer driver can usually resolve issues like these. See below for ways you can go about this.
Using Windows update
The Windows Update might be able to help you find the updated version of your printer driver. See the way below;
Click on the Start button, then tap Settings > Update & Security , and click Check for updates .
If the Windows Update sees an updated driver, the driver will be downloaded for you and installed, and your printer will use the driver automatically.
Download and install the printer software from the website of the manuf-acturer
Check the support website of your printer manufacturer. To locate that, search the name of the manufacture of your printer plus the word “support” on the internet i.e “HP support.”
Driver updates are usually available in the “Drivers” section on the website of the printer manufacturer. There are some support websites that will allow you to search for the model number of your printer directly. Locate and then download the updated driver for the model of your printer, then proceed with the instructions on the website of the manufacturer.
Most printer drivers are actually self-installing. Once you have downloaded the driver, double-tap the installation file to start installing the driver. Then proceed with the steps below to remove and reinstall the printer.
Click Start , tap Settings , tap Devices and then click Printers & scanners .
Under Printers & scanners , locate the printer, select the printer, and then choose Remove device .
You can add your printer back after removing it by clicking on Add a printer or scanner . Exercise a little patient for your computer to locate nearby printers, select the printer that you want, and then click Add device .
What to do if the printer driver doesn’t install
If you tap twice (double-click) on the driver’s installation file and nothing happens, simply follow the steps below:
- Click Start , tap Settings , tap Devices and then click Printers & scanners .
- Under “Related Settings” on the right hand side, click on Print server properties .
- Check if your type of printer is listed on the Drivers tab. If it is listed, you are all set.
- If you are unable to see your printer listed, click Add , and tap Next in the Welcome to the Add Printer Driver Wizard.
- In the dialog box of Processor Selection , choose your PC’s architecture (whether 64-bits or 32-bits), and then tap Next .
- You will be prompted with the Printer Driver Selection dialog box, choose the manufacturer of your printer on the left, and on the right, choose your printer driver, click Next , tap Finish , and add the driver by following the instructions.
Updating Drivers in Windows 10
The Windows 10 Driver updates, along with some other devices, like network adapters, printers, video cards, and monitors are downloaded and installed automatically through Windows Update. It is possible that you already have the most updated drivers, but if you would like to update or reinstall a driver manually, you can follow the steps below;
Update the device driver
- Inside the search box on your taskbar, type in device manager, and then choose Device Manager .
- Choose a category to view names of devices, and then right-click (or press and hold) the device you would wish to update.
- Click on Search automatically for updated driver software .
- Tap Update Driver .
- If Windows is unable to see a new driver, you can go ahead, look for one on the website of the manufacturer, and update using the instructions on the website.
Reinstall the device driver
- Inside the search box on your taskbar, type in device manager, and then choose Device Manager .
- Press and hold (or Right-click) the device’s name, and click Uninstall .
- Restart your computer.
- Windows will try to reinstall the driver.
Fixing Sound problem in Windows 10
In case you are experiencing audio issues, you might consider the suggestions below;
Check your speaker output
If you have more than one audio output device, confirm that you have selected the correct one. To do this;
Click on the Speakers icon from the taskbar.
Next, click the Up arrow to open the list of audio devices that are connected to your PC.
Confirm that the audio is actually playing to the audio device that you prefer, such as headphones or a speaker.
Check sound settings
Confirm that your audio devices have not been disabled and
not muted. To do this;
Right-click on the Speakers icon on your taskbar, and then click Open Volume mixer .
You will be prompted with a set of volume controls for your computer. Check to make sure that none of the volume controls is muted. If any of the volume controls are muted, there will be a red circle having a line through it beside the volume control. If that is the case, click on the volume control to unmute.
Check your PC properties to ensure that your sounds have not been mistakenly disabled. Click Start , tap Settings , select System and click on Sound .
Click on your audio device, and then choose Device properties . Ensure that you select Device properties for both the input and the output devices.
Pairing a Bluetooth device in Windows 10
You will be able to pair all categories of Bluetooth devices with your computer including mice, keyboards, speakers, phones, and a whole lot more. To do this, your computer will need to come with an in-built Bluetooth. Some Personal Computers, like tablets and laptops, have in-built Bluetooth. If your computer does not come with in-built Bluetooth, a USB Bluetooth can be plugged inside the USB port on your computer to get it.
Turn on Bluetooth
Once you have successfully checked that your Windows 10 computer actually supports Bluetooth, and then you will have to turn it on by following the steps below;
In Settings
Click Start , select Settings , tap Devices , click on Bluetooth & other devices , and then turn on Bluetooth .
In action center
You will always find the Action center just next to time and date on the taskbar. On your taskbar, click on action center and then tap Bluetooth to turn on Bluetooth. If the Bluetooth is turned off, it might be shown as Not connected .
If you are unable to see Bluetooth in your action center, you can change that by following the steps below;
▪ Expand quick actions. On your taskbar, click on action center and choose Expand . The Bluetooth should show here. It will be shown as Bluetooth or Not connected .
▪ Add your PC’s Bluetooth to the action center. Click Start , tap Settings , click on System, select Notifications & actions and choose Quick actions . Navigate to Add or remove quick actions and activate (ON) Bluetooth .
To pair a Bluetooth headset, speaker, or other audio device
Turn on your Bluetooth audio device and make it discoverable. The way you can make your Bluetooth device discoverable actually depends on that particular device. To learn more about your device’s discoverability, check the device or go to the website of the manufacturer.
On your computer, click Start , select Settings , tap Devices , click on Bluetooth & other devices , select Add Bluetooth or other device and choose Bluetooth . Select the device and check additional instructions if they show, then tap Done .
Your personal computer and your Bluetooth device will normally connect automatically anytime the two of them are within range of each other while the Bluetooth is turned on.
To pair a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, or other device
▪ Turn on your Bluetooth supported mouse, keyboard, or some other devices and make it to be easily discovered. The way you can make your Bluetooth device discoverable actually depends on that particular device. To learn more about your device’s discoverability, check the device or go to the website of the manufacturer.
▪ On your computer, click Start , select Settings , tap Devices , click on Bluetooth & other devices , select Add Bluetooth or other device and choose Bluetooth . Select the device and check additional instructions if they show, then tap Done .
To pair a Bluetooth printer or scanner
Turn on your scanner or Bluetooth printer and make it discove-rable. The way you can make your Bluetooth device discoverable actually depends on that particular device. To learn more about your device’s discoverability, check the device or go to the website of the manufacturer.
Click Start , select Settings , tap Devices , select Printers & scanners and choose Add a printer or scanner. Exercise patient for it to locate printers that are nearby, then select the printer that you wish to use and choose Add device.
To pair a Bluetooth device using Swift Pair
The Swift Pair in Windows 10 allows users to quickly pair a supported Bluetooth device with their personal computers. If your Bluetooth device actually supports Swift Pair, a notification will be prompted when the device is nearby and when you have already put the device in pairing mode to make it discoverable.
Turn on any of your Bluetooth devices that can work with Swift Pair and let it be discoverable. The way you can make your Bluetooth device discoverable actually depends on that particular device. To learn more about your device’s discoverability, check the device or go to the website of the manufacturer.
If it is your first time of using Swift Pair, choose Yes when you are asked whether you plan to receive notifications and start using Swift Pair.
Click Connect when you see a notification that your system has found a new Bluetooth device.
Once connection is established, click Close.
Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows 10
If you are experiencing difficulties trying to connect to a Bluetooth device, consider the following troubleshooting strategies;
Before you start
Before you begin to troubleshoot Bluetooth on your device, consider to check the things below;
Check your product information
If you are setting up a new device and the Bluetooth is missing, check the specifications of the device to ensure that it has Bluetooth capabilities. Some devices are not Bluetooth supported.
Make sure Bluetooth is turned on
If your laptop is one that comes with a physical Bluetooth switch on its body, endeavor to switch it on.
In Windows 10, you can use two methods to verify if your Bluetooth is actually turned on. See below;
▪ Check from the taskbar. Click on action center . If you are still unable to see the Bluetooth, click Expand to show Bluetooth , and then tap Bluetooth to turn on the Bluetooth. You will see “Not connected” if Windows 10 device has not been paired to any Bluetooth accessories.
▪ Check in Settings. Click Start , select Settings , tap Devices , click on Bluetooth & other devices . Make sure that your Bluetooth is turned on.
Check your Bluetooth device
Make sure that your Bluetooth device is activated (turned on), is fully charged or has new batteries, and is located within the range of the computer that you wish to connect it to. Then, try the following:
- Turn off your Bluetooth device, wait a few seconds, and then turn it back on.
- Make sure that your Bluetooth device is in range. If the Bluetooth device is sluggish or unresponsive, check to confirm that the Bluetooth is not too close to any other USB device that is plugged into a USB 3.0 port. USB devices that are not shielded can sometimes interfere with Bluetooth connections.
Check your Computer
On the PC that you plan to pair to:
▪ Make sure airplane mode is off: Click Start , select Settings , tap Network & Internet and click on Airplane mode . Make sure you disable the Airplane mode.
▪ Turn on and off Bluetooth: Click Start , select Settings , tap Devices , click on Bluetooth & other devices . Deactivate Bluetooth , wait for a few seconds, and then turn ON Bluetooth back.
▪ Remove your Bluetooth device, then re-add it again: Click Start , select Settings , tap Devices , click on Bluetooth & other devices . In Bluetooth , choose the device that you are having issues connecting to, and then choose Remove device and tap Yes . The various methods of pairing your Bluetooth devices have been discussed previously.
When Bluetooth doesn't work or the Bluetooth icon is missing
If the Bluetooth of your PC is not working, you can try some troubleshooting techniques. See below a list of other common Bluetooth problems;
▪ The icon of the Bluetooth cannot be found or the Bluetooth can’t just be turned OFF
or ON.
▪ Bluetooth fails to work properly after installing a Windows 10 update.
▪ Bluetooth fails to work after upgrading PC to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
▪ You are unable to find Bluetooth in Device Manager, and there are no unknown devices listed.
Run the Bluetooth Troubleshooter
Click Start , tap Settings , click on Update & Security and select Troubleshoot . From the Find and fix other problems , click Bluetooth , and then choose Run the troubleshooter and proceed with the instructions.
Be sure that you have the latest Bluetooth driver
If you had upgraded recently to Windows 10 or you recently installed Windows 10 updates, the current driver may have been designed for an earlier version of Windows. Follow the steps below to check for driver update automatically;
