How to Share a Printer Between PCs on Your Network in Windows 11

You have a printer plugged into one PC and you want the other computers on your network to print to it too.

Why: Windows can share a directly-connected printer over the network. One PC (the “host”) owns the printer and stays on; the others connect to it across your Private network. The host has to be powered on whenever someone wants to print.

Step 1 (on the host PC): Make sure the network is Private

Printer sharing only works on a trusted Private network, not a Public one:

1. Settings > Network & internet, click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
2. Set the Network profile type to Private.

Step 2 (on the host PC): Turn on printer sharing for the printer

1. Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, click the printer you want to share.
2. Click Printer properties.
3. Go to the Sharing tab and tick Share this printer.
4. Note the Share name shown — you’ll use it from the other PCs.
5. Click OK.

If sharing is blocked, also enable network discovery and file & printer sharing under Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings for the Private profile.

Step 3 (on the host PC): Get the computer name

You’ll need the host’s name to connect from elsewhere:

• Settings > System > About — note the Device name (for example, OFFICE-PC).

Step 4 (on the other PCs): Connect to the shared printer

1. Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, click Add device.
2. Wait while Windows searches. If your printer appears, click Add device next to it and you’re done.
3. If it doesn’t appear, click Add manually (it may read The printer that I want isn’t listed).
4. Choose Select a shared printer by name and type the path:
   • \\computer_name\printer_name — for example \\OFFICE-PC\HP_LaserJet
   • or \\ip_address\printer_name if you know the host’s IP.
5. Click Next and let Windows install the driver.

FAQ

Nobody can print when one PC is off. That’s expected — the host PC (the one the printer is physically connected to) must be on and awake. For always-on sharing, use a Wi-Fi/network printer instead, which doesn’t depend on any single PC.

The other PCs can’t see the share. Confirm both PCs are on the same Private network (Step 1), and that network discovery and file & printer sharing are on for the host. Then connect by name with \\computer_name\printer_name (Step 4).

Do I need the same Windows version on both PCs? No, but if a connecting PC needs a different driver, Windows may prompt you to install one — pull it from the printer maker’s site if asked.

Sources: Microsoft — Share a printer as a network printer