You try to add a printer and Windows stops with a message that access is denied or that it can't connect. Sometimes it asks for an administrator password you don't have. Adding a printer means installing driver software, and Windows has tightened who may do that, especially for printers shared from another computer. This guide checks your account, the sharing computer and the driver, and shows ways to connect within those security rules.
What you might be seeing
- Access is denied when adding or connecting to a printer
- A prompt for administrator credentials when connecting to a shared printer
- Windows cannot connect to the printer messages
- The add printer process ends without the printer appearing
Common causes
- Standard user account
- Installing a new printer driver requires administrator rights, so standard accounts are blocked.
- Driver install limits for shared printers
- Security updates now stop non-administrators installing drivers from a computer that shares a printer.
- Sharing permissions on the host
- The computer sharing the printer may not give your account permission to print.
- Credentials mismatch
- Windows may try to reach the sharing computer with your own sign-in details, which that computer doesn't recognize.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order and test a print after each one. Most people are done within the first few steps.
Don't change registry values that switch off driver installation protections. They block a serious type of attack, and the methods above work without them.
Check your account type
Open Settings › Accounts › Your info. If Administrator appears under your name, you have the rights needed. If it says Standard user, sign in with an administrator account to add the printer, or have the computer's administrator enter their password when Windows asks. Once the printer is installed, standard users can print to it normally, so this matters only during setup.
Make sure the Print Spooler is running
Open
services.mscand check that Print Spooler shows Running. If it's stopped, right-click it and choose Start. If Windows refuses, or the service stops again within a minute or two, the spooler itself needs fixing before any printer can be added, and the access error may simply be a symptom of that.Add the printer by IP address instead
For a network printer, connecting directly avoids the sharing computer altogether. On Windows 11, choose Add device in Printers & scanners, wait a moment, then click Add manually beside The printer that I want isn't listed. Choose Add a printer using an IP address or hostname, enter the address from the printer's network report, and follow the prompts, approving the administrator request when it appears.
Install the driver locally before connecting to a share
If the printer is plugged into another computer and shared from there, install the matching driver on your own computer first. Get the same driver version through Windows Update or from the manufacturer's official website, run the installer as an administrator and skip connecting a printer if asked. Then connect to the share. Windows finds the driver already installed and doesn't need to download one from the other computer.
Check sharing settings on the host computer
On the computer the printer is plugged into, open Printer properties, go to the Sharing tab and make sure Share this printer is ticked. On the Security tab, check that Everyone or your account has Print permission. In Settings › Network & internet › Advanced network settings › Advanced sharing settings, confirm network discovery and file and printer sharing are on, and that the network profile is Private.
Save the host computer's sign-in details
When the two computers use different accounts, store the host's credentials on your computer. Search for Credential Manager, open Windows Credentials and choose Add a Windows credential. Enter the host computer's name, plus a user name and password that exist on that computer. Try connecting to the shared printer again, and Windows will use those details instead of your own.
Run the add printer wizard with administrator rights
If the buttons in Settings do nothing, launch the classic wizard directly. Search for Command Prompt, right-click it and choose Run as administrator, then type
printui /iland press Enter. The Add Printer wizard opens with full rights, which gets past some access errors raised by the Settings app. Use it to add the printer by IP address or browse for the shared printer.
How to keep it from happening again
- Set up printers while signed in as an administrator
- Install drivers on each PC before connecting to a shared printer
- Give network printers a fixed IP address and connect to them directly
- Keep the sharing computer's network profile set to Private
Common questions
Why could I add shared printers before but not now?
Windows security updates in recent years changed the default rules. Previously, standard users could install drivers from a sharing computer automatically. Now an administrator has to approve driver installs, which protects against attacks that abused this feature. Your printer and sharing setup haven't changed, only who is allowed to install the driver.
Do I need administrator rights every time I print?
No. Administrator rights are only needed to install the printer and its driver. After that, standard users on the same computer can print, change their own preferences and cancel their own jobs. Keeping everyday accounts as standard users is the safer arrangement on a shared family or office computer.
Can I share a printer from a Windows Home computer?
Yes. Printer sharing works on Home editions, with network discovery and file and printer sharing on and the network set to Private. Home lacks Print Management and the policy editor, but neither is needed for basic sharing. A printer connected directly to the network is still usually more reliable than one shared through a PC.
This guide is general information written for common home and office printers. Menus and button names vary between models, so check your printer’s manual where a step differs. Printer Problems Solved is independent and not affiliated with any printer manufacturer. See our disclaimer.