If you have issues like print quality issues, printer failure, or slow printing, the solution is an outdated or damaged HP printer driver. Updating your HP printer driver maintains your printer in top condition so that it performs at optimal levels. In this how-to guide, we guide you on how to easily update your HP printer driver and fix common printing problems.
Why Is It Necessary to Update HP Printer Driver?
Let’s understand why the process of updating your HP printer driver is so important before jumping into the steps:
• It prevents delays and lowers the quality of printouts from your HP printer. Updating your driver ensures faster and more efficient printing.
• Bug Fixes: HP printer driver updates are often used to solve the software bugs and glitches that can make your printer malfunction in various ways.
Compatibility: Upgrading your HP printer driver means that it will work properly with the latest version of your OS.
Security: Most of the time, the newest HP printer drivers contain security patches that prevent vulnerabilities in your system.
How to Update Your HP Printer Driver: A Step-by-Step Guide
Updating your HP printer driver on Windows or macOS is quite easy. Follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Identify Your HP Printer Model
First, you need the model number of your HP printer. It may be located on the front or back of the printer itself or within software that’s installed on your computer.
You can check on the front or back of the printer for the model number.
If you want to open up the HP printer software on your computer and check it out that way
Step 2: Open up HP Official Support
Now that you have the model of the printer, go to the HP official support site and try to find the exact HP printer driver for your device.
Open your internet browser and go to HP Support. Then type in your HP printer model number in the search bar and go to the download section of the drivers.
Select your operating system, either Windows or macOS, so that you can download the appropriate HP printer driver for your computer.
Step 3: Download the Latest HP Printer Driver
Once you are on the download page, locate the latest version of the HP printer driver. Make sure you download the full driver package, which usually contains extra software, such as HP Smart or diagnostic tools.
Click the “Download” button, and the HP printer driver will begin downloading to your computer.
Step 4: Remove Old HP Printer Drivers (optional)
If you already have an outdated or corrupted HP printer driver installed, it is recommended that you remove it first before installing the new one. This will prevent the old and new drivers from conflicting with each other.
For Windows: Open “Control Panel” > “Devices and Printers.” Right-click your HP printer and select “Remove Device” or “Uninstall.”
For macOS: Open “Printers & Scanners” in System Preferences, select your HP printer, and click the minus button to remove it.
Step 5: Install the New HP Printer Driver
Once you have downloaded the new HP printer driver, open it to begin the installation. The following steps are for both Windows and macOS.
For Windows: Double-click the downloaded file and follow the instructions; you may be prompted to restart your computer after installation.
For macOS: Double-click the downloaded file to begin the installation process and follow the prompts.
Connect your HP printer to your computer via USB or to the same network if it’s a wireless printer.
Step 6: Restart Your Computer
Once the installation is done, restart your computer to ensure that the new HP printer driver has taken effect in your system. Restarting also helps the computer detect the updated driver.
Step 7: Test Your HP Printer
Once your computer restarts, it is time to check if your HP printer is working with the updated driver. Try printing a test page to verify everything is functioning correctly.
For Windows: Navigate to “Devices and Printers,” right-click on your HP printer, and choose “Printer Properties.” Next, click “Print Test Page.”
For macOS: Open any application and print a test page to see if your HP printer is working properly.
Step 8: Turn on Automatic Updates for HP Printer Drivers (Optional)
You can also turn on automatic updates by using HP’s software, such as HP Smart. This way, you will receive notifications whenever a new HP printer driver is available for update, and this will make it easy to keep your printer updated without the need for manual intervention.