To open the classic printer control panel in Windows 10, press Windows key + R, type control printers, and press Enter. Windows opens the Devices and Printers window, where you can view installed printers, open print queues, and reach printer properties.
Fastest route: use the Run command
The Run command is usually the quickest way to get to the classic printer window, especially if you do not see it in the Start menu. Follow these steps:
- Press Windows key + R to open Run.
- Type
control printersin the box. You do not need quotation marks. - Press Enter or select OK.
The command opens the Devices and Printers view in Control Panel. It is a Windows command, not the name of a printer brand’s utility, so it can work with printers from different manufacturers. If Windows asks for administrator approval for a later action, approve it only if you have permission to change that printer or computer.
For a keyboard-only route, press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and press Enter. Then open Hardware and Sound and choose View devices and printers. Depending on your Control Panel view, the category page may look different; switching View by to Category or Large icons can make the relevant link easier to find.
Open it from the Control Panel
Windows 10 includes both the older Control Panel and the newer Settings app. The classic printer management window remains available through Control Panel, although it is not always displayed as a prominent Start menu item. To navigate there manually, search the Start menu for Control Panel, open it, and select Devices and Printers or go through Hardware and Sound.
If you see icons rather than categories, look for Devices and Printers directly. If you see category names, open Hardware and Sound first. The precise layout can vary with the selected view and Windows updates, but the Run command control printers bypasses most of that navigation.
You can also pin Control Panel to Start or the taskbar if you use it often. Search for Control Panel, right-click its result, and choose the available pinning option. This pins Control Panel itself, not necessarily the Devices and Printers page, so the Run command remains a useful direct shortcut.
Use Windows 10 Settings instead
For routine management, the newer Settings page may be more convenient. Open Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners. Select a printer in the list to reveal options such as Open queue, Manage, or Remove device. The labels and available options can differ slightly by Windows build and printer setup.
Selecting Manage opens a page for that printer, with links to actions such as printing a test page or opening printer properties. It is not the same screen as the classic Devices and Printers window. Use Settings when you want to add or remove a printer or check its basic status; use the classic window when you want a familiar list of devices or need to locate older property and preference dialogs.
For example, if you just need to see whether a document is waiting to print, select the printer in Printers & scanners and open its queue. If you want to compare printer settings across several installed devices, the classic Devices and Printers view can be easier because it shows them together.
What you can do in Devices and Printers
The classic window lists printers Windows has installed, along with other connected devices. A printer may appear with a check mark indicating that Windows considers it the default printer. A faded icon or status label can indicate that a device is unavailable, but it does not by itself identify the cause. The printer could be asleep, disconnected, turned off, or unreachable over the network.
Right-click a printer to see actions that are available for that device. Common options include opening the print queue, setting the printer as the default, and opening Printer properties or Printing preferences. The exact menu depends on the driver and printer. If a particular option is missing, it may be exposed in the manufacturer’s software or in a different Windows dialog.
- Open queue shows documents waiting to print and may let you pause or cancel a job.
- Printer properties contains device-level information and configuration tabs supplied by Windows or the printer driver.
- Printing preferences controls choices for print jobs, such as paper size, color, or two-sided printing, when the printer supports them.
- Set as default printer makes Windows select that printer by default in many applications.
Do not assume that every printer offers the same tabs or settings. A basic driver may expose fewer options than a full manufacturer driver, while a network printer may have settings administered by an organization.
Choose the right printer window or option
“Printer control panel” can mean different things. In a Windows help question, it usually refers to the on-screen printer management area, not the buttons or touchscreen built into the physical printer. The on-device panel is operated directly on the printer and may control functions such as copying, scanning, wireless setup, or paper handling. Windows’ Devices and Printers window manages how the computer interacts with an installed device.
It also helps to distinguish a queue from properties. The queue is about pending print jobs; it is where you inspect, pause, resume, or cancel documents. Properties and preferences are about the device or the way a job is printed. If a document is stuck, start with the queue. If every job prints in grayscale or on the wrong paper size, inspect preferences and the application’s print dialog instead.
Settings and Control Panel are not competing names for exactly the same page. Settings is Microsoft’s newer interface for common device tasks, while some detailed or older dialogs continue to open from Control Panel or from the printer driver. A link in Settings may therefore open a classic dialog; that is normal and does not mean Windows has opened a second, unrelated printer.
If the printer does not appear
If Devices and Printers opens but your printer is missing, first check whether Windows has installed it. Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners and inspect the list. Make sure the printer is powered on and, for a USB model, that its cable is firmly connected. For a wireless or Ethernet printer, confirm that it is connected to the intended network and is not simply asleep or offline.
If it is not listed, choose Add a printer or scanner in Printers & scanners and allow Windows to search. Follow the prompts for the device Windows finds. Some network printers require a printer address, a driver supplied by the manufacturer, or setup by an administrator; do not guess network details. On a work or school computer, contact the organization’s IT support if the printer is shared or installation is restricted.
If the printer is listed but unavailable, check the physical connection and the printer’s own status display before changing settings. For a network model, verify that the computer and printer can reach the same network; guest Wi-Fi or network isolation can prevent devices from seeing one another. Restarting the printer and computer can clear a temporary connection problem, but it will not fix a missing driver or a network policy that blocks access.
When the shortcut or menus do not work
If control printers does not open the expected page, check for typing errors and enter it in the Run box rather than a web browser or application search field. You can also open Control Panel from Start and navigate through its device links. On some managed computers, access to settings may be restricted by an administrator, and an installed printer’s driver can affect which options are shown.
If the command opens a window but the printer options seem limited, try the printer’s entry in Settings and select Manage, or look for the manufacturer’s printer software in the Start menu. Only install drivers or support utilities from Windows Update, the printer maker’s official website, or a trusted source approved by your organization. A third-party download site is not needed just to open the Windows printer panel.
Another common source of confusion is opening the printer’s queue and expecting to find paper or quality settings there. Those choices usually belong in Printing preferences or in the application’s print dialog. Conversely, canceling a job from preferences will not remove an already queued document; open the queue to manage pending jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shortcut to open Printers and Devices in Windows 10?
Press Windows key + R, type control printers, and press Enter. This opens the classic Devices and Printers window.
Where are printer settings in Windows 10?
Open Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, select your printer, and choose an available option such as Manage. For additional driver settings, open Printing preferences or Printer properties.
How do I open the print queue?
In Printers & scanners, select the printer and choose Open queue if shown. You can also open Devices and Printers, right-click the printer, and select the queue option. The queue lists jobs that have not finished printing.
Why is my printer not listed in Devices and Printers?
Windows may not have installed it, or it may be disconnected or unavailable on the network. Check its power and connection, then look in Printers & scanners and use Add a printer or scanner if needed.
Is the Windows printer control panel the same as the panel on the printer?
No. The Windows window manages the printer from your computer, while the printer’s physical buttons or touchscreen operate the device itself. Use the physical panel for functions available directly on the machine, such as its own setup or copy controls.
Quick recap
For the direct classic view, run control printers. For current Windows device options, open Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners. Choose the queue to manage pending jobs, and choose properties or printing preferences to adjust device and print behavior. Knowing which screen handles which task makes it easier to find the right control without changing unrelated printer settings.