Bluetooth Printer Setup on Windows 11 and Mac: Full Guide

Bluetooth is the least common way to connect a printer, but it is the main one for some devices: pocket photo printers, portable printers for laptops on the road, receipt printers and label makers. This Bluetooth printer setup guide covers adding one on Windows 11 and on a Mac, what to do when it will not appear, and when another connection would serve you better.

Is Bluetooth the right connection?

Before you start, check whether your printer offers something better. Most home and office printers that look “wireless” use Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi Direct, not Bluetooth. Wi-Fi Direct also connects a phone or laptop straight to the printer without a router, but it is a different technology with its own setup; see our Wi-Fi Direct printing guide.

Bluetooth makes sense when:

• the printer only offers Bluetooth and USB, as many portable models do;
• you print from one laptop or phone at a time, close to the printer;
• there is no Wi-Fi where you print.

If the printer has Wi-Fi, our wireless printer setup guide is usually the better path. If it has USB and sits next to your computer, see connect a printer to a laptop with USB.

Step 1: make the printer discoverable

Microsoft’s instructions start with the printer: turn it on and make it discoverable. How you do that depends on the model, and Microsoft points you to the device’s documentation or the maker’s website. Common methods are holding the power or Bluetooth button until a light flashes, or choosing Bluetooth in a settings menu.

Also:

• Disconnect it from other devices. Many small printers only connect to one device at a time. If it is paired with a phone, turn the phone’s Bluetooth off for a moment.
• Keep it close. Bluetooth range is short, especially through walls. Put the printer next to the computer for setup.
• Charge it. Portable printers may refuse to pair on a low battery.

Step 2: add the printer in Windows 11

First make sure Bluetooth is on: Settings, Bluetooth & devices, and switch Bluetooth to On. Microsoft notes that if your PC has no Bluetooth, a USB Bluetooth adapter can add it.

Then follow Microsoft’s steps for a Bluetooth printer:

1. Select Start, Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners.
2. Next to Add a printer or scanner, select Add device. Windows searches for nearby printers, which can take a few minutes.
3. When the printer appears, select Add device next to it.

If the printer does not appear, Microsoft says the Bluetooth device discovery setting may need to be set to Advanced; you will find it under Bluetooth & devices, Devices. Some printers also need the maker’s driver installed first. Our Windows 11 printer driver guide explains where to get one safely, and add a printer in Windows 11 covers the general process.

Step 3: add the printer on a Mac

Apple’s steps:

1. Open System Settings and click Printers & Scanners.
2. Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.
3. Select the Bluetooth printer in the list, then click Add.

Apple asks you to follow the instructions that came with the printer to make sure it is ready to connect with Bluetooth. If the printer does not appear in the list, Apple says to make sure you have the latest Bluetooth driver for the printer installed, from the maker. Our Mac printer guide covers the other connection types.

Phones and tablets

Bluetooth printing from phones usually goes through the printer maker’s app rather than the phone’s built-in printing:

• iPhone and iPad: Apple states that printers connected by Bluetooth cannot use AirPrint. Install the app the printer’s manual recommends. For printers without AirPrint in general, see print from iPhone without AirPrint.
• Android: the maker’s app or a print service plugin from the same maker. Our print from Android guide explains print services.

Step 4: test and set defaults

Print a short document or a test page. Portable printers often use special paper sizes, so set the paper size in the printer’s preferences; our guide to changing default print settings in Windows 11 shows where. If you will use other printers too, check which one is the default: see set a default printer in Windows 11.

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi compared

	Bluetooth	Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi (network)
Needs a router	No	No	Yes
Typical use	Portable, label and photo printers	Quick prints from a phone	Home and office printers
Several users at once	Usually one device	Limited	Yes
Range	Short	Room-sized	Whole network
iPhone AirPrint	No	Depends on printer	Yes, if supported

If your printer offers more than one, choose the one on the right of this table whenever it fits how you print.

Keep pairing tidy

Some Bluetooth printers, especially small portable ones, can remember only a limited number of paired devices; the manual usually says if so. If a new phone or laptop will not pair, remove old pairings you no longer use, both on the printer (if its menu or app allows it) and on the old devices. On Windows, removing the printer under Bluetooth & devices also removes its print queue; our guide to removing a printer in Windows 11 covers leftover drivers if you want a completely clean start.

Leave the printer discoverable only while you are pairing. Once your devices are paired, they reconnect without the printer advertising itself to everyone nearby.

Firmware updates for Bluetooth printers

Pairing and reconnection problems are a common subject of printer firmware updates. Portable printers usually update through the maker’s phone app, while larger printers with Bluetooth as an extra update from their control panel or web page. Our guide to updating printer firmware explains the safe way to do it, including keeping the printer charged or plugged in until it restarts.

If it stops connecting

• Paired but not printing: remove the printer and pair it again. Our guides to removing a printer in Windows 11 and on a Mac cover the removal step.
• Works with a phone but not the laptop: the printer may be connected to the phone. Disconnect it there first.
• Slow or cut-off prints: move closer, and avoid large photos over Bluetooth if the printer offers USB as well.
• Stopped after a Windows or macOS update: check the maker’s site for an updated driver or app for your system version, then remove and re-add the printer.
• Battery-powered printer drops out: many portable printers switch off after a few idle minutes to save power. Wake it, wait for the Bluetooth light, then print again.