How To Install Printer Drivers
Installing updated drivers for your printer is relatively simple and can be done in only a few steps. The steps vary based upon which operating system your computer runs. Below you will find the steps on how to install printer drivers sorted by operating system.
Windows 7:
You will begin by locating the start circle and clicking it, then clicking the start menu, then clicking Devices and Printers.
This will lead you to the section on your computer that shows you data on devices, including your printers, connected to your computer.
Locate the printer you need to update and right-click it, then click on Printer properties.
This will bring up a box with a few different tabs near the top. Click on the Advanced tab.
In the Advanced tab, you will find quite a few options, but the button you are looking for is called New Driver, and is located on the right side of the window about a third of the way down.
The wizard for adding printers and drivers should help guide you the rest of the way.
Windows Vista:
For this, you will need to open your Printers window.
Do this by clicking the start circle, opening control panel, clicking Hardware and Sound, then Printers.
Right-click the printer you wish to install a new driver for and click Run as Administrator, then click Properties. To install new drivers on Windows Vista, administrator permission is required. If prompted, enter an administrator password or provide confirmation.
Click the Advanced tab at the top of your window.
Click New Driver which will prompt the Add Printer Driver Wizard to appear. Simply complete the steps in the wizard to install your new printer drivers.
Windows 8:
Open up your search option by either swiping in from the right edge of your screen or touch pad of your laptop, then click or tap Search.
Enter Device Manager in the box, and click or tap Device Manager.
Locate the Printers option in the menu and double-click or double-tap it, then double-click or double-tap your printer.
Click or tap the Driver tab, then click or tap Update Driver. This should prompt you further with instructions and could potentially prompt you for an admin password or confirmation.
Mac OS X Mountain Lion, OS X Mavericks:
Choose Apple Menu, hover over System Preferences, then click Print & Scan.
You will select the printer you wish to update, then click Delete (-).
After deleting, click Add (+), then, if a pop-up menu appears, click Add Printer or Scanner.
A box will appear listing any printers or scanners that your computer can locate through your local network. It might be a moment before your printer appears.
This should prompt at least two options: Select Printer Software and Other. If available for use with your printer, a third option will appear: AirPrint.
Mac OS X Yosemite:
If the printer is not installed with AirPrint, an option that enables automatic updates, simply open the Apple store, through the Apple menu, then click Updates. This should give a list of any available updates that can be downloaded.
Ubuntu Linux:
The Ubuntu Linux operating system comes with a nearly 100% accurate automatic updater. The Update Manager will prompt you on a daily basis if there are security updates and a weekly basis if there are non-security updates.
To manually check for updates, you simply click on the Administration sub-menu in the System menu, then select the update Manager option. When the window opens, simply click the Check button and it will find any softwares that have updates available, including the drivers for your printers.
With the window open, assuming there are updates, you simply check the boxes of the software updates you wish to install, then click install and enter your password if prompted.
Fedora Linux:
The GNOME or KDE packages in Fedora Linux are the simplest way to install updates on the system. To open it, simply go to the Administrative sub-menu, then click the Software Update entry.
This will open the Software Update. Click on the updates and a box will show what the update will install on your system. By clicking Install Updates, your system will then let you know which step it is running through with the GNOME or KDE Package Kits. When the process is complete, click the OK button to finish the process.
