One computer has the printer attached by USB and shares it, and a second computer should be able to print through it. Instead, the second PC can't find the share, rejects the password, fails to install the driver or shows the printer as unavailable. Windows printer sharing depends on the host staying awake, on sharing settings on both machines, and on driver rules Windows tightened after security updates. This guide covers each in turn.
What you might be seeing
- The second PC can't see the host computer or its shared printer
- Windows asks for network credentials and then rejects them
- Connecting fails with a message about drivers or administrator permission
- The shared printer works for a while, then shows as unavailable
Common causes
- Host asleep or off
- A shared printer is only available while the host computer is on and awake.
- Sharing not enabled
- Printer sharing or file and printer sharing is off on the host, or its network is set to Public.
- Credential problems
- The second PC must sign in to the host with a valid account, and accounts without a password can't be used over the network.
- Driver installation restricted
- Since security changes in 2021, Windows requires administrator approval to install drivers from a shared printer.
- Firewall rules
- The host's firewall must allow File and Printer Sharing on Private networks.
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 weaken driver installation protections or switch off the firewall to make sharing work. Installing the official driver on each computer is the safe way around the administrator prompt.
Keep the host computer awake
Print a page from the host to confirm the printer works there. Then, on the host, open Settings › System › Power & battery in Windows 11, or Settings › System › Power & sleep in Windows 10, and lengthen the sleep timer, or set it to Never while plugged in. A sleeping host takes the shared printer with it.
Share the printer on the host
On the host, open the printer's page in Printers & scanners and choose Printer properties. On the Sharing tab, select Change Sharing Options if it appears, check Share this printer and enter a short share name without spaces, such as OfficePrinter. Note the host's Device name from Settings › System › About, because the second PC needs both names.
Turn on discovery and sharing on both PCs
Set each computer's network profile to Private. In Windows 11, open Settings › Network & internet › Advanced network settings › Advanced sharing settings and switch on both Network discovery and File and printer sharing under Private networks. On Windows 10, open Control Panel › Network and Sharing Center and choose Change advanced sharing settings for the same two switches. Public networks are left untouched.
Allow sharing through the host's firewall
On the host, open Windows Security › Firewall & network protection › Allow an app through firewall, select Change settings, and confirm File and Printer Sharing is checked in the Private column. Windows normally sets this automatically, but security software or earlier changes can undo it. With a third-party firewall, mark the home network as trusted there instead of disabling it.
Install the driver on the second PC first
Windows now asks for administrator approval before a shared printer can push its driver to another computer. Avoid that by installing the matching driver on the second PC yourself, signed in as an administrator, from the manufacturer's official website or Windows Update's optional updates. If the installer asks how the printer connects, choose its driver-only option or skip that step where offered.
TipComputers with ARM processors need an ARM version of the driver, so check that one exists for your printer.
Connect to the share by name
On the second PC, press Windows + R, type two backslashes and the host's device name, such as
\\OFFICE-PC, and press Enter. If asked to sign in, use an account that exists on the host, not on the second PC. Right-click the shared printer and choose Connect. If the name isn't found, type the host's IP address after the backslashes instead.Save the host's credentials
If the connection breaks after every restart because Windows forgets the sign-in, store it. On the second PC, open Control Panel › Credential Manager › Windows Credentials › Add a Windows credential, then enter the host's device name plus an account name and password from the host. That account needs a password; for a Microsoft account, use its full sign-in name and password, not the PIN.
How to keep it from happening again
- Set the host computer to stay awake during working hours
- Install the official driver on every computer that prints
- Reserve the host computer's IP address in the router
- Protect the sharing account with a password
Common questions
Do both computers need the same version of Windows?
No. Windows 11 and Windows 10 can share a printer in either direction. What matters is that both are on the same Private network with discovery and sharing on, and that a suitable driver exists for each. Nearly all current computers run 64-bit Windows and need a 64-bit driver.
Why does it stop working after the host restarts?
After a restart, the host may take a minute or two before its share is visible again, and it may have received a new IP address. Reserve the host's address in your router, wait a few minutes after startup before printing, and save its credentials so Windows stops asking.
Is a shared printer better than connecting the printer to Wi-Fi?
If the printer has Wi-Fi or Ethernet, connecting it straight to the network is usually more reliable, because nobody depends on another PC being switched on. Sharing through a host suits USB-only printers, or offices that want one computer to keep a single queue for everyone.
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.