What is a Print Driver? Installing and Compatibility

The ability to print documents and images directly from our computers is essential, and this is made possible by a crucial software known as a print driver. A print driver acts as a mediator between your computer and your printer, translating the data into a language that the printer can understand. Whether you are printing a simple text document or a complex graphic, the print driver ensures that your output looks exactly as it does on your screen.

What is a Print Driver?

A print driver is software that acts as a mediator between your computer and your printer. It converts the data to be printed into a format that the printer can understand and process. This conversion is necessary because printers, which often have different capabilities and languages, cannot directly interpret the data sent from applications such as word processors or graphic design software. The print driver provides a user interface where you can adjust print settings like paper size, print quality, color management, and orientation. Essentially, the print driver ensures that what you see on your screen is what gets printed on paper, making it an essential component for accurate and effective printing.

Types of Print Drivers

Print drivers come in various types, each designed to handle different aspects of printing or to work with specific types of printers. Here are the 5 types of print drivers:

1. PCL (Printer Command Language)

PCL is a popular print driver used primarily for office printing. It is developed by Hewlett-Packard and supports a wide range of printers. PCL drivers offer fast and widely compatible print speeds, but they may not support high-quality graphics printing as effectively as other types.

2. PostScript

Developed by Adobe, PostScript drivers are ideal for environments that require high-quality graphics and detailed image rendering, such as in publishing and graphic design. PostScript is a page description language that describes the page in a high-level, device-independent way, allowing for precise layout and high-quality output.

3. GDI (Graphical Device Interface)

GDI drivers, developed by Microsoft, use the Windows graphical engine to render pages. These drivers depend heavily on the computer’s Central Processing Unit to process the print job. They are generally faster for simple text documents but may not be as effective for complex graphics or high-volume printing tasks.

4. XPS (XML Paper Specification)

XPS drivers are also developed by Microsoft and can be considered a rival to Adobe’s PDF format. XPS drivers are designed to preserve the fidelity of documents and support high-resolution outputs. They are embedded in some versions of Windows and are suitable for applications that need to maintain consistent document appearance across multiple platforms.

5. Universal Print Drivers

Universal drivers are designed to work with multiple models and brands of printers, simplifying the management of printers in large organizations with diverse fleets. These drivers are flexible and reduce compatibility issues, but they might not provide access to all the specialized features of a specific printer model.

 What does Print Driver Do?

• Data Conversion: When you send a document or file to be printed from your computer, the print driver converts the data into a language that the printer can interpret which include converting text, images, fonts.
• Communication: The print driver establishes communication between your computer’s operating system (such as Windows or macOS) and the printer hardware. It sends the converted data to the printer in a way that the printer can process efficiently.
• Control: Print drivers often offer additional functionality beyond basic printing. They may allow you to adjust print settings such as paper size, orientation, quality, and color option.
• Compatibility: Print drivers ensure that your printer is compatible with your computer’s operating system and software applications.
• Error Handling: Print drivers help manage printing errors and issues that may arise during the printing process.

How to Install Print Drivers?

• Download the Print Driver: First, you need to obtain the right driver for your printer model. You can usually find this on the printer manufacturer’s website. Search for your specific printer model and download the latest driver available.
• Install the Driver: Once downloaded, open the driver file (usually an .exe file for Windows or a .dmg file for macOS) and follow the installation prompts. This typically involves agreeing to the terms, selecting an installation location, and clicking through a few ‘Next’ buttons until the installation begins.
• Connect Your Printer: Connect your printer to your computer either via USB cable or over your local network if it’s a network printer. For a network printer, ensure that both your computer and printer are connected to the same network.
• Add Printer to Your Computer
  • Windows: Open ‘Control Panel’ > ‘Devices and Printers’ > ‘Add a printer’. Windows will search for printers connected to your computer or network. Select your printer from the list and follow the prompts to install it.
  • Mac: Go to ‘System Preferences’ > ‘Printers & Scanners’ and click the ‘+’ button to add a new printer. Select your printer from the list and it should automatically use the driver you installed.
• Configure Printer Settings: Once your printer is added, you can adjust settings like paper size, print quality, and orientation. Access these settings through the printer properties on your computer.
• Test the Printer: Finally, print a test page to ensure everything is set up correctly. You can usually do this from the printer’s properties menu where there’s often an option to ‘Print a Test Page’.

How to Check Print Driver Compatibility?

• Know Your Printer and Computer: First, find out the exact model of your printer and what operating system your computer is using, like Windows 10 or macOS Catalina.
• Go to the Printer Manufacturer’s Website: Visit the website of the company that made your printer. They usually have a section for support or downloads where you can find software for printers.
• Find Your Printer Model on the Website: Use the search function on the website to locate your specific printer model. This will take you to a page where you can find various resources, including software drivers.
• Check for Drivers: On the printer’s page, look for a list of available software drivers. There should be different versions based on different computer operating systems. Make sure there is one that matches yours.
• Read the Details: If available, read through the documentation or notes provided with the drivers. This can give you more information about compatibility, installation instructions, and any known issues.
• Consider Universal Drivers: If you can’t find a specific driver for your printer and operating system, check if there’s a Universal Print Driver available. These are meant to work with many different printers and operating systems.
• Try Installing the Driver: If you’re still not sure, you can download and install the driver to see if it works properly with your setup. It’s best to do this in a way that doesn’t disrupt your current setup.
• Look for Built-in Drivers: Lastly, if the manufacturer doesn’t have a driver, your computer’s operating system might have generic drivers that can manage basic functions of your printer.

CUPS (Common UNIX Printing System): Linux and macOS

The Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) is a printing system that provides a portable printing layer for Unix-like operating systems, including Linux and macOS. It allows computers to act as print servers, managing the process of printing to local and network printers. CUPS uses the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) as the basis for managing print jobs and queues. It supports a wide variety of printers, including both local printers connected directly to the computer and network printers accessible over a network. One of the key advantages of CUPS is its flexibility and ease of use. It provides a web-based interface for managing printers and print jobs, making it accessible from any computer with a web browser. Additionally, CUPS supports various authentication methods, encryption, and access control, which are essential for secure printing environments.

Universal Print Drivers vs Manufacturer Drivers

Universal drivers have been designed to work with most of the printer hardware brands. They’re common by design, although they have limited customisation possibilities. While Manufacturer drivers are hardware-manufacturer-specific drivers that include model-specific finishing features like binding, booklet creation, hole-punching, and aggregation.

Troubleshooting Print Driver Issues

If you have a problem with your printer, it is usually due to a problem with the print driver. So, an effective way to start is by checking compatibility and seeing if there have been any updates. Apart from that, One common problem message is “print driver unavailable.” This means that the driver is either missing, incorrectly installed, or incompatible with the operating system or printer model. To solve this issue, you can reinstall the driver, check compatibility, or contact the manufacturer’s support channels.

Frequently Asked Questions on Print Driver – FAQs

What does a print driver do?

A print driver (sometimes known as a print processor) is a software component that enables your computer to communicate with your printer. It’s a print job interpreter, translating the computer’s digital data into a recognizable format the printer can understand.

How do I find my printer driver?

Select Start , then select Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners . Scroll down to Related Settings and select Print server properties. Select the Drivers tab, and see if your printer is listed.

Can a printer print without a driver?

No, a printer generally cannot print without a driver. The driver is essential as it translates data from the computer into a format the printer can understand and process, enabling it to produce accurate prints.

What is the best printer driver?

Generally speaking, we recommend you use the PCL driver. This is the default driver for Windows® PCs. However, you may want to use the BR-Script driver if you are using a DTP (Desk Top Publishing) application such as Quark Express or Adobe Illustrator.