Say what a printer driver is
What a computer is asking for when it cannot print to a printer it can see.
A driver is software that teaches your computer to speak to one particular model of printer.
Without it the computer sees the machine and has nothing to say to it.
Key points
- A driver teaches a computer to speak to one printer
- Windows and macOS collect it themselves; no disc is needed
What to remember
- Windows and macOS fetch the driver themselves.
- Finding a printer and speaking to it are two things.
Try this
Open the printer list on your own computer and read the model name. That is the driver in use.
Practice: Say what a printer driver is. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.