Step 1: Unpack and connect cables
The first task is to unpack the printer, choose a suitable location for it, and connect the cables. While there are usually no problems with the power cord, because it is standard, it is difficult for inexperienced users to establish a connection between the printing equipment and the computer. To do this you need a cable, which is also included.
One side has an unusual USB type B connector, which you can see in the following picture. You insert this side into the port on the printer itself. Usually there is a recessed port on the back or side, so you will have to look around on the outside of the printer to find it.
The first side of the cable to connect the HP printer to a computer or laptop
Next comes the second side of the cable with a standard USB connector. Insert it into any corresponding port on the laptop, and after turning on the printer by pressing a button in the operating system should appear a notification that a new device is detected.
The second side of the cable to connect the HP printer to your computer or laptop
Note that when using personal computers, preference should be given to the USB port that is on the motherboard, that is, located on the back of the case. If you connect the printer to the front, in most cases there are no problems, but sometimes the signal is not provided, which is due to a lack of power to such a connector.
Connecting the HP printer to your computer via the connector on the motherboard
Step 2: Installing the Drivers
Many users now have Windows 10 installed on their computer or laptop, and this version of the operating system works well with the automatic driver search function, which begins immediately after connecting a printer or other equipment. This process is accompanied by the appearance of appropriate notifications, including the one that pops up after successfully setting up the device. If the device has been detected and its name is normally detected, but at the same time it is not ready for work, perhaps the problem lies in the limitation set to download software via limit connections, which must be disabled as follows:
- Open Start and go to Settings.
- Click the tile named “Devices” to go to this menu.
- In the panel on the left you are interested in the “Printers and Scanners” category.
- Among the settings in this window, check the “Download via limit connections” option.
- Once the drivers for the HP printer are installed, it will appear in the device list in the same menu and you can proceed to start test printing.
Not always driver downloading starts immediately after activating the option to download via limit connections. Most often, you will either have to reconnect the printer, preferably by selecting a different USB connector, or send the computer to reboot and wait until the software is downloaded at the start of the next session.
If the printer is not detected by the operating system at all, respectively, the loading of drivers also does not happen, you will need to use alternative options for downloading the software. This can be the official site or a third-party application, as you can read about in the universal instructions below, or you can find an article on a specific HP printer model by searching on our website.
Step 3: Setting up the device for networking
When planning to use multiple PCs or laptops to print on an HP printer, it is best to share and enable printing within the local network right away. To do this, you can use a separate guide on our website by clicking on the following link.
In addition to setting up sharing on other computers, you need to set up a network connection. To do this, a local network must be set up, and the device itself must already be on it. The other steps are time-efficient and extremely simple. Take a look at them in our other article.
Step 4: Setting up the printer
A printer is not always immediately ready to print, especially when it comes to non-standard paper sizes or the products themselves. Then you have to turn to the printer settings in the operating system or use an application from the developers. We have a comprehensive guide on this topic that will answer all of your questions.
Getting Started
After all the connection and setup operations are done, you can immediately move on to interacting with the equipment. However, users should keep in mind that printing certain document formats is different, as well as there are other nuances you need to be aware of.
