Adding, viewing and managing your devices and printers

You can add wired and wireless devices to your PC, see all of the devices connected to your PC and troubleshoot a device that isn't working properly in Devices and Printers in Control Panel. When you add a device, Windows searches the Windows Store to see if there manufacturer has provided an app for that device. If there is, Windows automatically installs it.

If Windows isn't finding a device you want to add, see Why isn't Windows finding my device? For more information about device installation problems, see What if a device isn't installed properly?

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To add a printer or other device

You can add both wired and wireless devices to your PC in Devices and Printers. Before you add a Bluetooth-enabled device, make sure that it's turned on and discoverable. Methods for making a device discoverable can vary, so make sure you check the information that came with your device or go to the manufacturer’s website.

  1. Tap or click to open Devices and Printers.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • To add a printer, tap or click Add a printer, then follow the instructions. For more information about adding printers, see Installing a printer.

    • To add another type of device, tap or click Add a device, then follow the instructions.

Tips

Tips

  • You can also add printers and devices in PC settings. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, then tap Change PC settings.
    (If you're using a mouse, point to the top-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings, then click Change PC settings.)     Under PC settings, tap or click Devices, then tap or click Add a device.

  • Some wireless devices can be added by physically tapping them against your PC. Look for the Tap and Do touch mark Tap and Do touch mark on both your device and PC. To use Tap and Do to add a device, tap the touch mark on your device against the touch mark on your PC, then tap or click the notification that asks Add a device?

To view your devices and printers

The devices found in Devices and Printers are typically external devices connected to your PC through a port or network connection. These can include phones, music players, cameras, external drives, keyboards and mice. Your PC is also displayed.

Note

Note

Devices and Printers doesn't display some devices like internal drives, sound cards, video cards, processors and other internal parts.

To manage your devices and printers

In Devices and Printers, you can manage your devices, change settings and even troubleshoot problems. For example, you can set a default printer, change the settings on a wireless mouse or find out why a device has a yellow warning icon next to it.

  1. Tap or click to open Devices and Printers.

  2. Press and hold or right-click a device, then tap or click a task.

Note

Note

If you see a yellow warning icon next to a device, you can troubleshoot the problem by tapping and holding or right-clicking the device, then tapping or clicking Troubleshoot.

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