How to Print to a Local Printer From Remote Desktop in 7 Easy Steps
To print to your local printer from Remote Desktop, start by completely disconnecting your current session.
This is important to make sure your settings update correctly.
Next, right-click your Remote Desktop shortcut and choose Edit.
Then, head over to the Local Resources tab.
Here, you’ll want to check the Printers box to enable printer redirection.
Don’t forget to save your changes before reconnecting.
Once you’re back in your Remote Desktop session, double-check that your redirected printer shows up under Devices → Printers & scanners.
It’s a good idea to print a test page to confirm everything is working properly.
If you run into any issues or want to avoid common pitfalls, just keep following these steps for helpful troubleshooting tips.
Printing locally while using Remote Desktop can be simple once you get the hang of it!
Key Takeaways
- Fully disconnect the Remote Desktop session before changing printer redirection settings to ensure updates apply correctly.
- Enable the Printers checkbox under Local Resources → Local devices and resources in Remote Desktop settings.
- Reconnect and verify the redirected printer appears in Settings → Devices → Printers & scanners within the remote session.
- Print a test page from the remote session using the redirected printer to confirm successful printing on the local device.
- If printing fails or the printer is missing, recheck settings, save changes, reconnect, or contact support if needed.
It’s pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it. Just take it step by step, and you’ll be printing locally from your remote session in no time!
Disconnect Your Current Remote Desktop Session
Before adjusting printer redirection settings, make sure you fully disconnect your current Remote Desktop session instead of just minimizing it. If you’re still logged into the remote PC, close the session completely to guarantee changes take effect.
Simply minimizing won’t apply updated printer settings, which can cause issues with your Print Jobs later. Fully disconnecting allows the system to refresh and recognize your local printers properly.
Once disconnected, you can save the new printer redirection settings confidently. When you reconnect, check under Devices → Printers & scanners to confirm that your redirected printer (e.g., “HP Model# (redirected 2)”) appears correctly.
After disconnecting, save settings and verify your redirected printer appears under Devices → Printers & scanners.
This step is vital before sending any Print Jobs to avoid failed or misdirected printing attempts.
Access Remote Desktop’s Local Resources Tab
After disconnecting your Remote Desktop session to refresh printer settings, the next step is to access the Local Resources tab in your Remote Desktop app. Right-click the shortcut or file you use to connect to your work PC and select Edit. This opens the connection settings window.
Next, click on the Local Resources tab at the top. Under Local devices and resources, look for the Printers option. You’ll want to check this box so your local home printer can be redirected and recognized within the remote session.
Once you’ve selected Printers, click Save to apply the changes. Make sure the settings are saved before reconnecting to your remote desktop session to test if your local printer is accessible. Easy, right? Just a few clicks and you’re all set!
Turn On Printer Redirection for Your Home Printer
Before you connect, make sure you enable printer redirection in the Remote Desktop settings under Local Resources. Once connected, verify your home printer appears in the remote session’s printer list.
If it’s not showing or printing properly, double-check the settings and try again. Sometimes it just takes a quick tweak to get everything working smoothly.
Enable Printer Redirection
When you connect to your remote desktop, you’ll want to make sure printer redirection is enabled to use your local printer seamlessly. This lets you print documents from the remote session directly to your home printer.
Follow these steps to enable printer redirection:
- Right-click your remote desktop shortcut and select Edit.
- Go to the Local Resources tab, check the Printers box under Local devices and resources, then click Save.
- Reconnect to your remote desktop session.
- Open Settings → Devices → Printers & scanners on the remote PC to see your local printer listed as redirected.
Enabling this setting makes certain your home printer is available whenever you connect remotely.
It’s a simple step but really handy when you need to print stuff from your remote desktop.
Verify Printer Settings
| Step | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Open Remote Desktop | Remote access file | Click Edit |
| Enable Redirection | Local Resources tab | Check Printers |
| Verify Printer | Settings > Devices > Printers | Confirm redirected printer |
| Test Print | Remote session printer list | Print a test page |
Save Your Settings and Reconnect to the Remote PC
Follow these steps:
- Click Save on the General tab after enabling printer redirection. Then, disconnect from the current remote session to apply the changes.
- Reconnect and log in to the remote PC.
- Next, navigate to Settings → Devices → Printers & scanners to continue. This helps you confirm that the printer appears correctly.
This way, you make sure your printer redirection settings are properly applied.
Confirm Your Redirected Printer Appears After Reconnecting
After you’ve saved your settings and reconnected to the remote PC, check Settings → Devices → Printers & scanners to see if your redirected printer appears. It usually shows up as something like HP/Canon/Brother Model# (redirected 2).
If you don’t see it, log out or close the remote session, then reconnect. Before reconnecting, double-check that the Printers checkbox is selected under Local Resources in your Remote Desktop settings.
After reconnecting, revisit Printers & scanners to confirm the redirected printer appears. If it still doesn’t show, repeat these steps or reach out to support at support@cloudcollective.com or call 604-239-2182 for assistance.
Ensuring your redirected printer is visible here is essential before moving on. So, don’t skip this step!
Print a Test Page Using the Redirected Printer
Once you’ve verified that your redirected printer appears in Printers & scanners, choose it and print a test page from the remote session to make sure everything’s working properly.
Follow these steps to confirm your setup:
- Open the print dialog in your remote session and select the redirected printer (like “HP Model# (redirected 2)”).
- Print a test page and watch for it to complete successfully on your local device.
If needed, switch the printer dropdown to your home printer and print another test page to double-check the output is correct.
After printing, take a moment to re-check Printers & scanners to ensure the redirected printer is still listed and available.
This quick test confirms your remote desktop prints through your local printer without any issues.
Troubleshoot Printer Redirection Issues in Remote Desktop
Printing a test page from your redirected printer helps confirm that your setup works, but sometimes you might run into issues where the printer doesn’t appear or print correctly.
First, close your Remote Desktop session and edit the saved RDP file to ensure the Local Resources → Printers checkbox is enabled, then save it. Reconnect remotely and check if the redirected printer shows under Settings → Devices → Printers & scanners**** as “Model# (redirected)”.
When printing, explicitly select your home printer in the print options. If it’s missing or printing fails, double-check that printer redirection is still enabled in the RDP file’s Local Resources tab, then reconnect and try again.
If problems continue, contact support at 604-239-2182 or support@cloudcollective.com for help. They’ll be happy to assist you!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Redirect My Printer When Using Remote Desktop?
You redirect your printer by closing your Remote Desktop session, then editing the connection settings to enable printer redirection under Local Resources.
After that, reconnect to your remote session. Once you’re back in, just select the redirected printer in the remote session’s print options to print successfully.
It’s a simple process once you get the hang of it!
How Do I Print My Screen While on a Remote Desktop?
To capture your remote view, simply use the app’s print option or take a quick screenshot.
Then, choose your redirected local printer and hit print. This way, your remote screen’s story comes alive on paper.
Why Can’t I Copy and Paste From My Remote Desktop to My Local Computer?
You can’t copy and paste because clipboard sharing might be disabled in your Remote Desktop settings or by your organization’s policies.
Make sure to double-check that Clipboard is enabled under Local Resources in your remote session settings.
Sometimes, it’s just a quick setting that needs toggling to get things working again!
How to Manually Connect a Printer to a PC?
Did you know 75% of users struggle with printer setup?
To manually connect, first plug in your printer. Then, install the drivers from the manufacturer’s site.
After that, add the printer via Settings → Devices → Printers & scanners on your PC.
It’s pretty straightforward once you know the steps!
Conclusion
Now that you’ve followed these steps, printing to your local printer from Remote Desktop should be a walk in the park. If you hit any snags, don’t sweat it—most issues can be fixed with a little troubleshooting.
Remember, once you get the hang of redirecting your printer, you’ll save time and avoid headaches. It really makes remote work so much easier and more efficient.
So go ahead, give it a try, and watch your remote work flow smoothly like clockwork! Printing to a local printer from Remote Desktop is a handy skill that keeps your productivity high, no matter where you are.
