You set a default printer, and a day later Windows has switched to something else, often a PDF printer or whichever printer you used last. Documents go to the wrong place, or you have to pick the printer by hand every time. The usual reason is a Windows feature that moves the default to the printer you used most recently. This guide shows how to switch it off and find anything else that resets your choice.
What you might be seeing
- The default switches to the last printer you used
- A PDF or fax printer becomes the default after installing software
- The default is different inside a Remote Desktop session
- The Set as default button is missing in Settings
Common causes
- Windows manages the default
- With automatic management on, Windows makes the printer you used most recently on your current network the default.
- Software claiming the default
- Some programs install a virtual printer, such as a PDF or note-taking printer, and make it the default during setup.
- Remote Desktop sessions
- Printers passed into a remote session can change which printer is the default inside that session.
- Workplace policies
- On office computers, a sign-in script or policy may set the default printer every time you sign in.
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.
Turn off automatic default management
On Windows 11, open Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners, scroll to Printer preferences and switch off Let Windows manage my default printer. On Windows 10, open Settings › Devices › Printers & scanners and clear the Let Windows manage my default printer checkbox. This single setting is behind most default printer changes, and turning it off has no downside if you prefer to choose yourself.
Set the printer you want as default
With automatic management off, select your printer in Printers & scanners. On Windows 11, click Set as default; on Windows 10, select the printer, choose Manage, then Set as default. The button doesn't appear while Windows manages defaults, which explains why it may have been missing earlier. The printer should now show Default under its name.
Restart and confirm it sticks
Restart the computer and check Printers & scanners again. If the right printer is still marked as default, print something from a couple of different apps to confirm they pick it up. Many programs read the default only when they open, so close and reopen any that were already running when you changed the setting, or they may keep using the old printer.
Check apps that remember their own printer
Some programs keep their own record of the last printer used and ignore the Windows default. Web browsers, for example, remember the destination you chose last time in their print preview. If one app keeps choosing the wrong printer, select the correct one in that app's print dialog and print once. Some apps also have a printer choice in their own settings or page setup.
Remove virtual printers you don't use
Look through Printers & scanners for entries you didn't add yourself, such as fax queues, note-taking printers or PDF printers installed by other software. If you never use them, select each one and choose Remove. Microsoft Print to PDF is part of Windows and is fine to keep. The fewer printers in the list, the fewer candidates there are for software to switch to.
Look at software installed with your printers
If the default switches back to the same printer each time you sign in, look at the software that came with it. Open the manufacturer's app and check its settings for anything related to the default printer. If you no longer use that printer, remove it from Printers & scanners and uninstall its software from Settings › Apps, so nothing is left running at startup to claim the default.
Check Remote Desktop and workplace settings
If the change only shows up during Remote Desktop sessions, it's usually limited to the remote computer, where your local printers are passed through. On a work computer, open Command Prompt and run
gpresult /rto see which group policies apply to your account. If printer-related policies or sign-in scripts are listed, the default is set centrally, and whoever manages your network can change it.
How to keep it from happening again
- Leave automatic default management off if you print to several printers
- Watch for virtual printer options when installing new software
- Remove printers you've replaced or no longer use
- Reopen apps after changing the default printer
Common questions
Why would Windows change my default printer on purpose?
The automatic option is meant for laptops that move between home and office. Windows remembers the last printer used on each network and makes it the default there. That suits some people, but if you print to more than one printer in the same place, the default simply follows whatever you used last.
Does the setting apply to every user on the PC?
No. Default printers and the automatic management setting are stored separately for each user account. If several people share the computer, each person needs to turn off the setting and choose their default while signed in to their own account. Changing it for yourself doesn't affect anyone else.
Do I need to set the default again after a Windows update?
Usually not. Most updates keep printer preferences as they were, but a large feature update can occasionally reset some settings. After a big upgrade, take a quick look at Printers & scanners to confirm automatic management is still off and the right printer is still marked as default.
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.