13.40. How to set default printer

With Printix, you can set the default printer as follows:

• Set default printer by group membership
• Remotely set default printer on a selected computer

See also:

• How a user can set default printer on Windows
• How a user can set default printer on Mac

How to set default printer by group membership

This is useful if you have for example a laboratory or classroom with group of computers and you want to Set default printer for those computers.

1. Open the Print queue properties page.
2. Select the Groups tab. Only available if groups (Microsoft Entra or Google) are enabled.
3. For the group in question:
   • Check Exclusive access if you want to give the users in the group exclusive access to the print queue. Does not apply to computers in the group.
   • Check Add print queue automatically if you want the print queue to be added automatically to the computer if the computer is a member of the group, when a user in that group signs in.
   • Check Set as default printer if you want the print queue to become the default printer for the users and computers in the group.

*If Set as default printer is checked for multiple print queues, it will be random which one will be set as default. Printix Client will override the user’s selection of default printer every time the Printix Service is started and or it receives updates to its list of printers and their configuration.

How to remotely set default printer on a selected computer

This is just done once, and the user can subsequently change the default printer on the computer.

1. On the Computer properties page, select the Print queues tab.
2. To set a print queue as default, select and Set as default printer.
3. Select Confirm.
   • The default print queue will be set once for all users signed in on the computer.
   • The task is pending for 72 hours.
   • The default print queue is set for: Anywhere print queues, print queues that has Via the cloud checked, and print queues pointing to a printer that is on the same network as the computer. The command has no effect if the computer is not on the same network as the printer. The command is not available if the print queue is not managed by Printix.

How a user can set default printer on Windows

By default, Windows will manage the default printer.

If you set the default printer with Printix, Windows will stop managing the default printer on the computer in question, that is, Let Windows manage my default printer becomes unchecked in the Printers & scanners dialog.

When Windows is not managing default printers, the user can set the default printer manually:

1. Select the Windows icon.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Devices.
4. Select Printers & scanners.
5. Select the printer and select Manage.
6. Select Set as default.

Alternatively, do it from the Control panel.

1. Open Control Panel and select Devices and Printers.
2. Right-click printer and select Set as default printer.

The check box Let Windows manage my default printer can also be set from the Windows Registry:

1. Select Windows logo key + R to open Run.
2. Type: regedit, and select OK.
3. In Registry Editor, browse to:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\
   Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
4. The value named LegacyDefaultPrinterMode can have these values:
   • 0 – Let Windows manage my default printer is checked.
   • 1 – Let Windows manage my default printer is unchecked.

How a user can set default printer on Mac

1. Select Apple menu , System Settings…, then select Printers & Scanners.
2. Select the drop-down menu labeled Default printer and select the desired printer. If you select Last Printer Used, the computer remembers the printer you used last at your current network location.

On macOS 12 or earlier:

1. Select Apple menu , System Preferences…, then select Printers & Scanners.
2. Select the drop-down menu labeled Default Printer and select the desired printer. If you select Last printer used, the computer remembers the printer you used last at your current network location.