By default, Windows is set to use the same printer that you use with macOS. Simply print from a Windows application the way you normally would.
Note: due to changes in macOS Sonoma 14, printing functionality in Parallels Desktop 19 working on Sonoma host Macs will undergo changes that will be reflected in this guide once Sonoma is officially released.
You can also set Windows to use a different printer. There are a few ways to set up printing in Windows:
Share any of the printers connected to your Mac.
Connect to a network printer.
Connect a USB printer directly to Windows.
You can install a network printer directly into Windows.
Before installing a network printer in Windows, make sure that:
Your Mac can access the Internet.
Windows is configured to work in either the Shared networking mode or Bridged networking mode and can access the Internet too.
The user account in Windows has permission to access the network printer.
You know the printer's IP address.
After that, you can log in to Windows and install a network printer.
Before adding a network printer in Windows, download and install an appropriate printer driver. For detailed information on installing the printer driver, refer to the printer manufacturer documentation.
To add a network printer in Windows 11:
Make sure your network printer is powered on and connected to your network via an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi.
Open the Windows Start menu and select Settings > Bluetooth & devices.
Select Printers & scanners > Add a printer or scanner and click Add device.
Windows will scan the available network for printers. In most cases, this will result in Windows automatically discovering your printer. Select Add device.
Should Windows fail to complete the process automatically, do the following:
Choose the Add manually option.
Select the Add a printer using an IP address or hostname option and click Next.
Under Device type, select the IPP Device option, which covers most TCP/IP-based network printers. Type in the IP address in the Hostname or IP address field. Click Next.
When ready, click Next.
Your printer is now installed and ready to print.
Note: If you are running an older version of Windows, check Microsoft's Support Center for the information specific to your Windows version.
The procedure of setting up a network printer in a Linux or FreeBSD guest operating system depends on the Linux or FreeBSD distribution and printer. In this example, we describe how to set up a network printer in a virtual machine running RHEL 5.4 Server. However, you can use these guidelines as general instructions on how to set up a network printer in a Linux or FreeBSD virtual machine.
Note: For more detailed information, refer to the CUPS documentation.
To set up a network printer:
Start the virtual machine.
Make sure the following components are installed in the guest operating system:
Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS). Installation instructions can be found at CUPS site;
Samba service. Installation instructions can be found at Samba site; and
A Web browser, since we consider controlling CUPS via web interface.
Download and install an appropriate printer driver. For detailed information on installing the printer driver, refer to the printer manufacturer's documentation.
Start Common UNIX Printing System. In the Terminal, type the command:
/etc/init.d/cups start
Start a web browser and type either the IP address of your virtual machine or http://127.0.0.1:631.
Click the Add Printer button.
In the Add New Printer window, specify a printer name. Under this name the printer will be displayed in the guest operating system. You can also enter the printer description and location. When ready, click Forward.
In the Device for <Printer Name> window, select AppSocket/HP JetDirect and click Continue.
In the Device URI for <Printer Name> window, specify the printer IP address in the following format:
socket://<printer IP address>
When ready, click Continue.
In the Make/Manufacturer for <Printer Name> window, select the manufacturer of your printer and click Continue.
In the Model/Driver for <Printer Name> window, select the model of your printer and click Add Printer.
Enter the root password when prompted.
CUPS performs the installation. If the installation is successful, the "Printer <name> has been configured successfully" message is displayed. Now you can use this printer to print documents from the virtual machine.
You can use any printer connected to your Mac to print from your Windows applications.
Note: This functionality is also available in Linux with Parallels Tools installed.
To print a document from a Windows application:
Open the document and simply print it as you normally would (for example, choose File > Print).
In the print window, you can choose any printer that's connected to your Mac.
Note: When you print from Windows for the first time using the printer connected to your Mac, the default page size is set to A4 (8.27 by 11.7 inches/210 by 297 mm). Change it once to whatever size you use.
Do one of the following:
Click the Parallels Desktop icon in the menu bar and choose Configure.
If the Parallels Desktop menu bar is visible at the top of the screen, choose Actions > Configure.
Click Hardware and select Shared Printers.
Select Share Mac printers with Windows.
By default, Windows is set to use the same default printer as your Mac. To use a different default printer for Windows:
Do one of the following:
Click the Parallels Desktop icon in the menu bar and choose Configure.
If the Parallels Desktop menu bar is visible at the top of the screen, choose Actions > Configure.
Click Hardware and select Shared Printers.
Deselect Synchronize default printer.
Now, you can set a new default printer in Windows how you normally would.
When you choose to print a document from Windows, you first need to set how the document will be printed. You usually have to specify various printing settings, such as orientation, page size, whether to print the document on one or both sides, etc.
Note: This option relies on PostScript and is therefore not available on Macs running macOS Sonoma 14 or newer.
Thanks to the implementation of IPP, users on newer versions of macOS can set the page parameters directly from their Windows virtual machines. In Windows 11, the relevant settings are available under Settings -> Bluetooth & Devices -> Printers & Scanners -> {Printer_name} -> Printing Preferences.
Once everything is ready and you click Print in Windows, the macOS window with printing settings appears as well. It's done by default for you just to ensure that the document will be printed exactly the way you want.
To make the documents print without showing this macOS page setup window:
Do one of the following:
Click the Parallels Desktop icon in the menu bar and choose Configure.
If the Parallels Desktop menu bar is visible at the top of the screen, choose Actions > Configure.
Click Hardware and select Shared Printers.
Deselect Show page setup options before printing.
Starting from Parallels Desktop for Mac 20, Linux virtual machines on Macs running macOS Sonoma 14 or newer benefit from the implementation of IPP (Internet Printing Protocol), which enables them to simply use the printers already set up in your main macOS system.
Note: Printers connected to Linux virtual machines via IPP can not yet synchronize the default page size with your Mac's operating system, and the default settings are used. Make sure the right page size is set when you print from Linux.
To ensure that your Linux virtual machine has your Mac's printer set up, open the Settings app on your Linux machine and check the Printers section.
Below are the general guidelines on how to add a printer to a Linux virtual machine on a Mac running macOS Ventura 13 and earlier:
Start the Linux virtual machine and log in when the guest operating system boots up.
Start the system-config-printer administration tool by doing one of the following:
Click System > Administration > Printing; or
Start the Terminal and enter the following command:
In the displayed window, click New Printer.
In the next window, you must type a printer name. Under this name, the printer will be displayed in your Linux guest operating system. You can also enter the printer description and location. When ready, click Forward.
Now, you have to specify how your Mac printer will be shared with the virtual machine. As the printer is connected to the virtual machine printer port, select LPT #1 (or another port to which the printer is connected) and click Forward.
Then, specify the printer manufacturer and model. No matter what printer you have, choose either HP Color LaserJet 8500 PS or Apple Color LW 12/660 PS. When ready, click Forward.
Click Apply to finish setting up the printer.
The printer is now properly configured, and you can use it to print documents from your Linux virtual machine.
You can connect a USB printer directly to Windows. In this case, the printer isn't available to macOS. If you want to use the printer to print both from macOS and from Windows, see .
To connect a USB printer directly to Windows:
In Parallels Desktop, start Windows.
When Windows starts, install the printer driver. For detailed information on how to do that, refer to the printer manufacturer's documentation. Typically, you can find drivers on the manufacture's website.
Do one of the following:
If the USB printer is already connected to your Mac:
• If Windows is in Coherence, click the Parallels Desktop icon in the menu bar, choose Devices > USB and select this printer from the list.
• If Windows is working in a separate window, in the Mac menu bar click Devices > Printer > Printer and select this printer from the list.
If the USB printer is not connected to your Mac, connect it. In the New USB device detected window, connect the printer to Windows.
In Windows, follow the Add New Hardware wizard instructions.