How to Install a Printer Without the Installation Disk

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to set up a printer on your computer if you don't have the printer's software installation disk. You can usually do this with a USB cable that comes with your printer, though you may need to download the software directly from the printer manufacturer's website if the printer is older.

Things You Should Know

Most printers, like HP, Epson, or Cannon, will automatically prompt you to download the appropriate software once it's connected to a computer.
Connect your printer to a computer with a cable for Mac and Windows.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a USB Cable on Windows

1
Plug the printer's USB cable into your computer. It should fit into one of the USB ports on the side of your computer (laptop) or on the back or front of the CPU box (desktop).
- If your printer doesn't have a USB cable, you may have to buy one for your printer before continuing. Look up the printer's model number followed by "USB cable". If there isn't a USB cable available for your printer, you'll need to install the software manually instead.
You may also have to plug the non-USB end of the cable into the printer.
2
Turn on the printer. Press the printer's
On button to turn on the printer. Be sure to wait for a minute or so after doing this before proceeding.
- If plugging the printer into your computer doesn't prompt the installation process to start, continue with this method.
In many cases, simply turning the printer on after connecting it to the computer will prompt the printer installation to begin. If so, follow the on-screen prompts until your printer is installed.

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3
Open Start
. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen. The Start menu will open.
4
Type printers & scanners into Start. Doing so will search for the Printers & Scanners section on your computer.
5
Click Printers & scanners. You'll see this at the top of the Start window.
6
Click Add a printer or scanner. It's at the top of the Printers & Scanners window.
7
Click your printer's name. It should be in the Add a printer or scanner window. Doing so will bring up the printer's installation window.

If your printer's name doesn't appear, click the the printer that I want isn't listed link, then select a search option and follow the on-screen prompts. You may end up downloading the printer's software before continuing.
8
Follow the on-screen installation steps. Each printer will have a distinct installation process. Once the installation process is complete, your printer should work.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using a USB Cable on Mac

1
Ensure that your printer is compatible with Mac. Not all printers can run on a Mac's operating system. Before you spend hours trying to install a printer on your Mac, look up the printer's model name and number to see if it is compatible with your Mac.
2
Make sure the printer is close to your computer. Most printers come with relatively short USB-to-printer cables that allow you to connect your printer to your Mac for direct communication between the printer and your computer. To attach this cable, your printer and computer must be close to each other.
3
Make sure you have a USB adapter if needed. Most modern Mac computers don't have traditional USB ports—instead, they have smaller USB-C ports. If this is the case, you will need a USB-to-USB-C adapter from Apple to attach a USB cable to your Mac.
4
Plug the printer's USB cable into your computer. It should fit into one of the USB ports on the side of your computer (laptop) or on the back of the iMac display (desktop).

If you need an adapter, plug the adapter into the USB-C port first, then plug the cable into the USB adapter.
5
Turn on the printer. Press the printer's
On button to turn on the printer.
6
Click Install when prompted. Macs will automatically detect your printer and determine whether or not it needs to be updated; if you've never installed the printer on your Mac, you will receive the update prompt.
7
Follow the on-screen prompts. Click through the printer's installation steps to install the latest software and drivers on your Mac. When the process is complete, you'll be able to use your printer.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Downloading Software

1
Consult your printer's manual. The manual may have a section with instructions specific to your printer model regarding what you can do to install your printer without the software. If this is the case, follow those instructions to find and download your printer's software.
2
Go to the printer manufacturer's website. For example, you would go to http://www.hp.com/ for an HP printer. Some other popular printer manufacturer's websites are:
- Canon - https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/support
- Epson - https://epson.com/
- Brother - http://www.brother-usa.com/printer/
3
Click the Printers tab. Each manufacturer website will vary in appearance, so you may have to poke around for this option at the top of the page.

If there's a search bar at the top of the website, type in your printer's model name and then skip the next step.
4
Search for your printer model. Either scroll through available models, or type your printer model's name into a search bar if applicable.
5
Look for a "Software" download link. You may have to re-enter your printer model in a search bar to find software here as well.
- Some websites place the Download Software link in very small text at the bottom of the page.
6
Click the download link for your printer's software. Doing so should prompt the software to begin downloading to your computer.
7
Wait for your printer's software to download. This can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.
- If prompted, select a save location first.
8
Unzip the software's folder if you're on Windows. Simply double-click the folder, double-click the setup file, click OK when prompted, choose a location, and click Extract Here... to unzip the folder.
- Mac users can simply double-click the folder to open it.
- If your software downloaded in one unzipped setup file, skip this step.
9
Double-click the software setup file. On Windows computers, you'll first have to open the new unzipped folder and then double-click the EXE file in it. Mac users can simply double-click the setup file (most likely a DMG file) to run it.
- If you're on a Mac running MacOS Sierra, you may need to verify the software before continuing.
10
Follow the on-screen instructions. What you see after double-clicking the software setup file will vary depending on your operating system and your printer in general, so just follow the on-screen prompts until the installation is complete.
11
Try to connect to your printer. If your printer has a USB cable, connect it to your computer to see if your computer now recognizes your printer. If the printer connects via Wi-Fi only, make sure that both the printer and your computer are connected to the Internet. You should now be able to access your printer.

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Question

Can you set up a printer without the disc?

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Yes, you can usually set up a printer without the disc, provided you have the printer’s USB cable. Also, you may need to download software from the internet for older printers. The instructions for doing this are set out in the steps above.
Question

Do you need a USB cable to connect a wireless printer?

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In many cases you will still need the USB cable for the initial set-up with the computer before the wireless component is enabled. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for your printer or check the manufacturer’s website if the printer came without instructions.
Question

How do I install a printer with a disc?

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To install a printer without a disc, you’ll need a USB cable (either one for Windows or one for Mac) and in some cases, you may also need to download software from the manufacturer’s website. The instructions for installing without a disc are set out above.

Warnings

Do NOT download and install software from sites that you do not trust. Doing so can expose your computer to malware.

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