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Add-Printer

Adds a printer to the specified computer.

Windows Server · Risk: High · Documentation Verified

Last verified: 2026-10-26

Microsoft PrintManagement reference: Adds a printer to the specified computer. The syntax and selected example below are adapted from the pinned Windows Server 2025 reference. Module availability, target configuration and delegated permissions determine whether it can run in your environment. Documentation and parameter text: Microsoft, CC BY 4.0; formatting adapted by Cmdlet World. No execution testing is claimed.

Add-Printer [-Comment <String>] [-Datatype <String>] [-DriverName] <String> [-UntilTime <UInt32>]
 [-KeepPrintedJobs] [-Location <String>] [-SeparatorPageFile <String>] [-ComputerName <String>] [-Shared]
 [-ShareName <String>] [-StartTime <UInt32>] [-Name] <String> [-PermissionSDDL <String>]
 [-PrintProcessor <String>] [-Priority <UInt32>] [-Published] [-RenderingMode <RenderingModeEnum>]
 -PortName <String> [-DisableBranchOfficeLogging] [-BranchOfficeOfflineLogSizeMB <UInt32>]
 [-WorkflowPolicy <WorkflowPolicyEnum>] [-CimSession <CimSession[]>] [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [-AsJob]
 [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

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Required permissions

Use an account with the target resource permissions documented for Add-Printer. Modifying administrative cmdlets may require elevation or delegated administration. This catalog does not assert that ordinary users can execute the command.

Supported environments

Windows / PrintManagement · Windows Server 2025 documentation; feature/module prerequisites apply

Parameters

-AsJob: Runs the cmdlet as a background job. Use this parameter to run commands that take a long time to complete.
-BranchOfficeOfflineLogSizeMB: Specifies the maximum size, in megabytes, of the branch office remote offline log file for this printer. You cannot specify this parameter for unshared queues or queues that do not have branch office enabled.
-CimSession: Runs the cmdlet in a remote session or on a remote computer. Enter a computer name or a session object, such as the output of a New-CimSession or Get-CimSession cmdlet. The default is the current session on the local computer.
-Comment: Specifies the text to add to the Comment field for the specified printer.
-ComputerName: Specifies the name of the computer to which to add the printer.
-Confirm: Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
-ConnectionName (required): Specifies the name of a shared printer to which to connect. This parameter is required.
-Datatype: Specifies the data type the printer uses to record print jobs.
-DeviceURL: Specifies a URL for the directed discovery of a Web Services on Devices (WSD) printer to add to the specified computer.s
-DeviceUUID: Specifies the multicast UUID for device detection for the WSD port.
-DisableBranchOfficeLogging: Indicates that branch office remote logging is disabled. You cannot specify this parameter for unshared queues.
-DriverName (required): Specifies the name of the printer driver for the printer.
-IppURL: Specifies a URL or hostname or IP address for the directed discovery of an IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) printer to add to the specified computer.
-KeepPrintedJobs: Specifies whether the print jobs in the queue are kept.
-Location: Specifies the location of the printer.
-Name (required): Specifies the name of the printer to add.
-PermissionSDDL: Specifies the permissions for the printer as a Security Descriptor Definition Language (SDDL) string.
-PortName (required): Specifies the name of the port that is used or created for the printer.
-PrintProcessor: Specifies the name of the print processor used by the printer.
-Priority: Specifies the relative queue priority.
-Published: Specifies whether the printer is published in the network directory service.
-RenderingMode: Specifies the rendering mode for the printer. You can specify one of the following rendering modes: - SSR, Service Side Rendering - CSR. Client Side Rendering - BranchOffice. Branch Office
-SeparatorPageFile: Specifies the path of and name of the separator page to be used by the printer.
-ShareName: Specifies the name by which to share the printer on the network. To share a printer, specify the Shared parameter.
-Shared: Indicates whether to share the printer on the network. You can determine the name by which the printer is shared by specifying ShareName. If ShareName is not specified, the name of the printer is used as the share name.
-StartTime: Specifies the starting time of printer availability.
-ThrottleLimit: Specifies the maximum number of concurrent operations that can be established to run the cmdlet. If this parameter is omitted or a value of 0 is entered, then Windows PowerShell® calculates an optimum throttle limit for the cmdlet based on the number of CIM cmdlets that are running on the computer. The throttle limit applies only to the current cmdlet, not to the session or to the computer.
-UntilTime: Specifies the ending time of printer availability.
-WhatIf: Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
-WorkflowPolicy: Enables an administrator to associate a given printer with a specific Workflow application. This parameter does not allow the administrator to override the device-app association that was made using the device metadata service.

Prerequisites

Windows with the PrintManagement module and the Windows feature or management tools that provide it. Confirm target connectivity and version compatibility using the linked Microsoft reference.

Security considerations

This cmdlet changes system state. Review every target and parameter in the official reference, test outside production, and prepare an appropriate backup or rollback. Do not execute the example automatically.

Examples

Example 1: Add a printer to a local computer

Add-Printer -Name "mxdw 2" -DriverName "Microsoft XPS Document Writer v4" -PortName "portprompt:"

This command adds a printer with name mxdw2 to the local computer. The mxdw printer uses the Microsoft XPS Document Writer v4 driver and the portprompt: port. The portprompt: port prompts for a file name to save the XPS document when printing to the XPS printer. Source: Microsoft, CC BY 4.0; transcript prompt/output removed. This example was not executed.

Sources

https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-powershell-docs/blob/b7645dd8c687139b28e845119da30ec670526507/docset/winserver2025-ps/PrintManagement/Add-Printer.md

https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/printmanagement/add-printer?view=windowsserver2025-ps

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