How to Set Up a Printer

A printer is a peripheral machine that makes a persistent representation of graphics or text, usually on paper. Printers also make it possible to print bar code, a simple way to read information encoded in a bar shape on a product or item. This technology has expanded the use of printers for many applications such as POS (point of sale) systems, in supermarket checkouts and retail locations.

A few steps are required to set up a new printer. First, remove all packaging materials. Next, plug in the power cord to the printer and an electrical outlet. Finally, install the ink or toner cartridges according to the instructions that came with your printer.

The local spooler is the process that prints your document on the printer and gives your operating system the illusion that the job has been printed, so you can continue working. It’s important to know that if the printer is busy, your job may not be printing until it has been printed by the local spooler and sent on its way.

Once you’ve set up your printer, open the document or photo you want to print. Press Ctrl+P or select File at the top toolbar, and then click Print. The Print dialog opens with a preview of your document or photo.

If you have a multifunction printer that has a scanner, you can use the Scanner menu to choose the kind of media you want to print on. You can also use the Print settings to change a variety of options that determine how an image or document looks when it is printed, such as paper size, number of copies, and printer settings.