Desktop printers are extremely useful if you are involved in a lot of paperwork or work for a firm that demands you to print often. But, do you know what is handier? It’s remote desktop printing that allows the software to print to your local printer from a terminal server without any physical interaction with the printer. If you are already an RDP user, you must be aware of the hassle of remote desktop printer redirection. If so, then you have landed on the right page as our today’s topic is centered on local printer not showing in remote desktop. We will be discussing RDP redirection in detail and will also uncover reasons why is remote desktop printer redirection not working Windows 10. So, let us begin right away with our guide and help you fix the remote desktop redirected printer not printing to make the process of remote printing easier & enjoyable for you.
6 Fixes for Local Printer Not Showing in Remote Desktop
Below are a few fixes that will help you with the printer not showing in the remote desktop issue easily. These solutions are tested & tried and can help you while you are experiencing this problem on your desktop:
Method 1: Enable Printer Connection
The first method that we are going to discuss today involves enabling printer connection. Before starting with other fixes, you must ensure that the Printers option is selected in the Remote Desktop Connection settings. You can check it by launching the Remote Desktop Connection window and then following the steps given below:
1. To launch RDC, press Windows + R keys to open the Run command prompt box.
2. Now, type in mstsc in the box and press Enter key.
3. Next, click on Show Options in the RDC dialog box.
4. Now, in the Local Resources tab, make sure that the Printers option is selected.
Also Read: How to Print When You Don’t Have a Printer
Method 2: Ensure Driver Installation on Server
In this method, you must make sure that the drivers are installed on the server to run the printer which is seeming to cause remote desktop printer redirection not working Windows 10 issue. If the drivers are not installed on the computer to which you are connected, you will be unable to access the printer. So, you must ensure drive installation using the steps given below:
1. Again, launch the Run box, this time right-click on the Windows icon to select Run.
2. Now, enter control panel in the box to open the next window.
3. Now, open the Hardware and Sound utility.
4. In the next window, click on Devices and Printers.
5. Next, select a printer of your choice and click on Print server properties.
6. Now, in the Drivers tab, check the installed printer drivers.
Method 3: Allow Client Printer Redirection on Server
As you know, if a remote desktop redirected printer not printing issue is encountered on your system, it is most probably due to server settings. This server setup can prevent the printers from printing if the system is running a Windows server. So, you must log in to the server and follow the steps below to allow client printer redirection on the server:
Note 1: The following steps can be performed for Windows 10/11.
1. Press Windows + R keys simultaneously and enter gpedit.msc in the Run box.
2. Now, navigate to Computer Configuration and select Administrative Templates.
3. Then, choose Windows Components and select Remote Desktop Services in the Local Group Policy Editor window.
4. Next, click on Remote Desktop Session Host and open Printer Redirection.
5. Click on Do not allow client printer redirection and select Not Configured or Disabled in it.
Note 2: The following steps can be performed for Windows 2012.
1. Launch the Server Manager application in your system.
2. Now, click on Remote Desktop Services.
3. Next, click on Collections from the drop-down menu.
4. Now, select Tasks and click on Edit Properties.
5. Finally, under the Client Settings tab, make sure that Windows Printer is enabled.
Note 3: The following steps can be performed on Windows 2008.
1. Click on the Start icon and launch Administrative Tools.
2. Next, click on Remote Desktop Services, and lastly select Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.
3. Now, select Connections and right-click on the name of the connection.
4. Now, click on Properties and select Client Settings.
5. Finally, make sure that Windows Printer is not checked.
Method 4: Check Windows Firewall
The next method involves checking the Windows Firewall of your system to fix the issue of the local printer not showing in remote desktop. Sometimes, Windows Firewall can become restrictive in terms of allowing certain programs or applications to work. In this case, the inbound ICMP protocol which is used to establish ping connections might be prohibited by default by the Firewall which might be the reason why you cannot see your printer working on the remote desktop. Therefore, you must either unblock the program through the Firewall of your system or simply disable it to process undisturbed printing. You can learn a great deal about How to Block or Unblock Programs in Windows Defender Firewall with the help of our guide here.
Method 5: Configure Windows Remote Desktop Settings
There can also be issues with your remote desktop that might be interfering with displaying the printer on your system. This issue has also been a common reason behind remote desktop printer redirection. If so, you must check if the remote connection is allowed on the machine. In case you are facing issues with the remote desktop connection, you can resolve it with the help of our guide on Fix Remote Desktop Won’t Connect in Windows 10.
Also Read: Fix Common Printer Problems in Windows 10
Method 6: Rename Client Computer
For some users, renaming the client computer has helped in resolving the local printer not showing in remote desktop issue. You can rename the client workstation (from which the RDS session has been established) to 14 characters or less.
What is Remote Desktop Printer Redirection?
- Remote desktop printer redirection helps users to operate their local printer in a remote environment.
- It allows you to use your local printer in a remote session.
- RDP helps companies provide their employees with a consistent computing experience.
- It involves the server acquiring a list of printers on the local client at the start of the RDP session.
- The local client then cross-checks for compatible print drivers that are available on the server once the print job enters the queue.
What Leads to Remote Desktop Redirected Printer Not Printing?
RDP is no exception to the faults that other printers encounter. One of the main issues that users face with RDP is printer redirection. There are a number of issues that occur while using a remote desktop that has been claimed to cause the redirecting problem:
- A large number of printers can be an issue as RDP redirection only works if you installed several drivers to initiate the connection.
- A disabled printer connection is another reason behind the issue.
- Your server setup can also restrict printers from showing on remote desktops.
- Wrong system configurations can also result in the mentioned problem.
- If the remote connection is not permitted on the machine, it can result in the printer not printing.
- Another possible reason behind this problem can be Windows Firewall which acts restrictive sometimes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. How can you add a printer that is not visible?
Ans. You can add a printer that is not visible by selecting the View Devices and Printers option in the Control Panel. There, you can add a printer including a local printer or printer with manual settings.
Q2. Why am I not able to see the printer?
Ans. If you disabled Ascertain that File, Printer Sharing, and Network Discovery features on the printer server or the computer to which the printer is physically attached then you won’t be able to access or connect to the server’s printers.
Q3. Why is my printer not showing up?
Ans. In case your printer is not showing up, you can try restarting the printer. You can also try unplugging the printer to see if it works.
Q4. How can I use my local printer when connected to VPN?
Ans. If you want to use your local printer when connected to VPN, you must make your device visible to the local network.
Q5. How can I manually locate my printer?
Ans. You can manually locate your printer by navigating to Control Panel and accessing Device and Printers in it where you will be able to locate the available printers.
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We hope that our guide on how to local printer not showing in remote desktop was helpful enough for you and you were able to find the reasons behind the issue and different ways to fix it too. Let us know about your queries or suggestions by leaving them in the comments section below.
