How to Add a Printer to a Mac (10 Steps)

Start up your Macintosh and insert the CD that came with your printer if it has one. This will contain the drivers for your printer, which tell the Macintosh how to communicate with it. You can also download drivers from the manufacturer's website.
Connect the printer to your Macintosh, following the manufacturer's directions; check for a 'Quick Start' guide in the box with illustrations to guide you.
Turn the printer on by pressing the power switch after it is connected.
Locate the printer drivers CD icon on your Macintosh desktop and double-click to open it and view the contents. An installer icon should be clearly visible.
Double-click the installer application (or the downloaded file if you got the drivers file from the manufacturer's website instead of a CD) and follow the screen prompts to complete the installation.



Open your System Preferences program, located in the Applications folder on your Macintosh.
Click the 'Printer & Fax' icon.
Click the plus sign (+) in the left column to add a new printer to your list of available printers. Make sure the printer is connected to your Macintosh and turned on before you do this.
Click the name of your printer in the list of available drivers that appear in the dialog box, and click the 'Add' button. You will return to the previous screen, and your printer will now be listed as an available device.
Close the 'Print & Fax' dialog box. You are now ready to print.