You select “Add a printer or scanner,” Windows searches, and the list stays empty. With a Windows 10 wireless printer not found on network, the printer may be connected to Wi-Fi and working judolbet88 well from a phone.

For automatic discovery, the PC and the printer must be on the same network and able to see each other. Routers, firewalls, and network profiles can stand in the way.

When discovery fails, the printer can still be added manually by its address, which sidesteps the issue completely.

Possible Causes

Windows fails to find a wireless printer for these reasons:

• The printer and the PC are on different networks, such as a guest network.
• The printer has dropped off the Wi-Fi or joined the wrong one.
• The PC’s network profile is Public, which blocks discovery.
• The router isolates wireless devices from one another.

Dual-band routers sometimes separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz devices, and most printers use only 2.4 GHz.

Quick Fixes to Try First

Confirm the printer’s network status.

1. Print a network or wireless report from the printer’s menu. Check the network name and the IP address.
2. Confirm the PC is connected to the same network name.
3. Restart the printer, the router, and the PC.
4. On the PC, open Settings > Network & Internet, select Properties for your connection, and set the profile to Private.
5. Try “Add a printer or scanner” again and wait a full minute.

If the printer’s report shows no IP address, reconnect it to Wi-Fi using its control panel.

Advanced Steps for Stubborn Cases

Add the printer manually.

1. In Printers & scanners, select “Add a printer or scanner,” then “The printer that I want isn’t listed.”
2. Choose “Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname” and select Next.
3. Enter the IP address from the printer’s report and continue.
4. Select the manufacturer and model if asked, or use Have Disk with the driver downloaded from the manufacturer.
5. Print a test page.

You can also install the manufacturer’s full software package, which often includes its own search tool. In the router’s settings, turn off “AP isolation” or “client isolation” if it is enabled.

Before You Go Further: Keep Your Files Safe

Use the Private profile only on networks you trust. Do not disable the firewall completely to make a printer appear. If a firewall is involved, allow file and printer sharing instead. Note any router settings before you change them.

Conclusion

A wireless printer that Windows cannot find is usually on a different network segment or hidden by discovery settings. Check the printer’s network report, switch the PC to Private, and add the printer by IP address if the automatic search still fails.