Many local printers connect directly to a Mac via cabling, usually a USB cable, but local printers also include printers you connect to an Apple AirPort router or an Apple Time Capsule, as well as printers that support wireless AirPrint technology. Although these AirPrint-compatible printers connect to your network, Apple treats them as locally connected printers, so you use the same setup process to get them up and working.
On top of our list of the best printer for MAC is the Brother HL-L2340DW Compact Laser Printer and Brother TN660 High Yield Toner. It allows for quick and high-quality printing. In a matter of one minute, your printer can produce 27 prints. Most printers for the Mac will auto-install any necessary software or drivers, with no input from you. When you turn on the connected printer, you may discover that your Mac has already created the printer queue, assigned the printer a name, and made it available to any app that uses the Apple printing services, which includes nearly all apps.
The instructions for setting up a printer in an older version of OS X may vary slightly, but the process is similar as it is described here for many of the earlier versions of OS X.
Installing a Printer on a Mac
In Mac OS X Mavericks and later, the basics are:
- A printer: The Mac supports many different makes and models of printers. If you have a reasonably current printer, chances are it is supported by the current version of OS X. If in doubt, check the manufacturer's website to see if the printer is compatible with your Mac.
- Connection method: The means of connecting the printer to your Mac can be a USB cable, an AirPort router, Apple Time Capsule, or AirPlay.
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The installation process takes less than 15 minutes. You'll probably spend more time unpacking the printer and finding a place to put it than performing the setup process.
The Mac's printer support system is robust. OS X and macOS come with many third-party printer drivers, and Apple automatically includes printer driver updates in its software update service.
Because the operating system includes most of the printer drivers Mac users need, don't install any drivers that came with the printer. Most printer manufacturers mention this in their installation guide, but if you are used to installing drivers for peripherals, you may get carried away and install out-of-date drivers by mistake.
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- Load the printer with paper and ink or toner and connect it to your Mac, AirPort Router, or Time Capsule, as appropriate.
- Power on the printer.
- Best mac computer for home use. Open the App Store from the Apple menu or by clicking the App Store icon on the Dashboard.
- Click Updates in the Mac App Store navigation panel at the left of the screen. The Mac checks for system software updates that may include printer driver updates for the new printer connected to your computer. If any updates are available, the information displays in the Updates section of the Mac App Store. If there are no updates listed, it usually means that the operating system is up-to-date for that particular printer.
- Click Update next to the software update.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the software update. You may be instructed to restart your Mac.
The Updates section may list additional updates that are unrelated to your printer installation. If you want, you can take this opportunity to update other software by clicking Update All to download all the software updates listed in the Updates tab.
Check Whether Your Printer Installed Automatically
Most printers for the Mac install any necessary software or drivers automatically with no input from you. When you turn on the connected printer, you will probably discover that your Mac has already created the printer queue, assigned the printer a name, and made it available to any app that uses the Apple printing services, which includes nearly all applications.
Check to see if your printer installed automatically by opening a document and choosing Print from the File menu. If you see the new printer listed, you're all set,
If your printer fails to show up in an app's Print dialog box, you need to manually install your printer using the Printer & Scanner preference panel.
So Many Options for Apple Users
A decade or so ago, few printers offered compatibility with Apple computers, but now we live in a happier age. Most new printers and all-in-one printers (AIOs) ship with macOS drivers, and many that don't provide them on disc allow you to download Mac drivers during the installation process. Mac-connected printers support most of the printing and AIO features you can access on a Windows machine. (Any features not usable with Macs are usually detailed on the printer manufacturer's website.)
How We Test
We perform our printer testing on a Windows 10 testbed rather than a Mac, but in ad-hoc testing we have found that printing to the same printer from similarly configured Mac and Windows computers tends to yield very similar print speeds. Nearly all printer manufacturers today provide support for Mac users. Thus, a list of the best models for Macs largely mirrors an overall list of the best printers out there.
Best mac software for photo editing. See How We Test Printers
One item worth mentioning is the Bonjour protocol, Apple's implementation of zero-configuration networking, which is built into macOS Mojave, all OS X versions going back to 10.2, and iOS (and can be installed on Windows, Linux, and BSD systems as well). Bonjour allows users to quickly discover devices, including printers, on their networks. (It is also what lets AirPrint identify compatible printers on a LAN.) You can set up a printer without Bonjour, but its presence simplifies the task. Nearly all new network printers are Bonjour compatible, though very old routers may not support it.
Who Needs a Mac-Friendly Printer?
Macs are widely used by publishing professionals and graphic artists who rely on Adobe programs, such as Illustrator, to ensure the best output quality. Illustrator, as well as Photoshop and Acrobat, are optimized for Adobe's own PostScript printing language. You can print graphical material with text made in these programs from non-PostScript printers, but at a potential loss of quality, including occasional dropped elements and formatting. For any business that prints a lot of graphics, a printer with a PostScript driver (or at least PostScript emulation) is a big plus. PostScript has been a staple of the graphic arts since its inclusion with the Apple LaserWriter printer launched the desktop publishing revolution in the mid-1980s.
What Is Best Printer With Cheap Ink
Many specialty printers are Windows-only. This is especially true of label printers (those that are able to connect to a computer at all). A few good exceptions are the Brother P-touch Cube+ and the Brother QL-820NWB, both Editors' Choice models. Some recent 3D printers, such as the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 3D Printer, work with Macs as well as Windows machines; check the manufacturer's specs for Mac support when shopping for a 3D printer.
Best Wireless Printer Mac Compatible
How to Print From Your iPad
With iPads now commonplace in many homes and offices, there are several solutions to print from your tablet. The one most users will rely on is Apple's own AirPrint utility. which is built into all iOS versions since 4.2. This allows a Wi-Fi-connected iPad to communicate with a compatible printer on the same network. If your printer doesn't support AirPrint, there are several third-party utilities, including Printopia and Presto, you can download to your desktop. These effectively make your printer AirPrint compatible. Another alternative is to use a printing app, such as Samsung Mobile Print or Epson iPrint. When using these apps, your iPad and printer will need to be on the same network. Other solutions include cloud printing (sending your documents to a cloud server which then sends them to your printer) and email printing, which assigns an email address to your printer which you in turn use to print from your iPad by sending an email to your printer.
Which Mac Printer Is Right For You?
Below are our top-rated Mac-friendly printer picks. This roundup includes a generous selection of PostScript printers, as well as some non-PostScript models capable of high-quality graphics and/or photo output. But because many Mac users use their computers for tasks unrelated to graphic arts, we also present some top-notch general-purpose printers here. By and large, the qualities that make a Mac-compatible printer great are the same things that let any printer stand out from the crowd: a winning combination of features, speed, and print quality at a competitive price. For more, check out our top overall printer picks, as well as our top inkjet printers and best-reviewed laser printers.
Best Printers for Mac Featured in This Roundup:
What Is Best Printer To Buy
Canon Maxify iB4120 Wireless Small Office Inkjet Printer Review
MSRP: $149.99Pros: Generous paper capacity. Low price for its capabilities. Above-par output quality across the board. Competitive running costs.Cons: Tiny, non-touch display.Bottom Line: The Canon Maxify iB4120 Wireless Small Office Inkjet Printer is inexpensive, but provides generous paper capacity, competitive running costs, solid speed, and excellent output quality.Read ReviewCanon imageClass MF269dw Review
MSRP: $279.99Pros: Small footprint. Competitive running costs. Good-looking output. Auto-duplexing ADF. Versatile connectivity options, including mobile.Cons: Lacks flash memory drive support. Antiquated control panel.Bottom Line: The Canon imageClass MF269dw is an entry-level monochrome laser AIO printer with just the right feature set, speed, and output quality to make it an excellent value for small and home-based offices.Read ReviewBrother HL-L2370DW Review
MSRP: $129.99Pros: Low price. Great text and good graphics quality. Good speed. Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, and USB connectivity.Cons: Slightly below-par photo quality.Bottom Line: The Brother HL-L2370DW offers above-par text and graphics, good speed and paper handling, a wide-range of connectivity choices, and competitive running costs in a low-priced mono laser for micro-office use.Read ReviewCanon Pixma TS9120 Wireless Inkjet All-in-One Review
MSRP: $199.99Pros: Lightweight and compact. Two additional ink cartridges for higher-quality photos. Two paper input trays. SD card, Ethernet, and Bluetooth 4.0 support. Excellent print quality. Fast snapshot printing.Cons: No automatic document feeder. Lacks NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. Slow document printing.Bottom Line: Though it lacks an automatic document feeder, the six-ink Canon Pixma TS9120 Wireless Inkjet All-in-One printer produces exceptional text, graphics, and photos.Read ReviewEpson EcoTank ET-M3170 Wireless Monochrome All-in-One Supertank Printer Review
MSRP: $449.99Pros: Very low running costs. 6,000-page ink bottle included in box. Good print quality. Fast first page out. Single-pass auto-duplexing ADF. Smart home voice-activation. Two-year warranty with registration.Cons: Pricey. A little slower than laser counterparts. Monthly print volume ratings are low.Bottom Line: The Epson ET-M3170 all-in-one monochrome inkjet prints and copies well, at exceptionally low running costs, making it an excellent choice for busy small offices.Read ReviewEpson WorkForce Pro WF-4740 Review
MSRP: $299.99Pros: Excellent print quality overall. Auto-duplexing ADF. Competitively low running costs. Supports Wi-Fi Direct and NFC. Fast for its class.Cons: No multipurpose tray. Small output tray. Slightly expensive.Bottom Line: The WF-4740 prints well and fast, and it supports just about every midrange business-centric inkjet feature available, including Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, and two-sided scanning.Read ReviewEpson WorkForce Pro WF-C8690 A3 Color MFP With PCL/PostScript Review
MSRP: $1499.99Pros: Excellent print quality. Prints super-tabloid pages. Supports Wi-Fi Direct and NFC. Emulates PostScript and PCL printers. Supports massive high-volume ink cartridges. High duty cycle. Competitive price.Cons: Expansion accessories costly. No multipurpose tray or slot. Meager out-of-box paper capacity. Borderless photos and pages unsupported.Bottom Line: The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-C8690 is a high-volume wide-format inkjet all-in-one that prints quickly and accurately for medium- to large-size offices and workgroups.Read ReviewHP OfficeJet Pro 9015 All-in-One Printer Review
MSRP: $229.99Pros: Fast. Good print quality overall. Competitive running costs. Borderless printing. 35-sheet auto-duplexing ADF. Attractive, compact build.Cons: Only one paper input source.Bottom Line: HP's OfficeJet Pro 9015 All-in-One Printer churns out quality output at a low cost per page, making it a good value for small offices with light- to medium-duty copy and print volume requirements.Read ReviewHP Tango X Review
MSRP: $199.00Pros: Small and spiffy. Voice control with supported smart home UIs. IFTTT scripting for extending smart capabilities. Impressive print quality. Competitive ink costs with Instant Ink, plus free snapshot printing from your smartphone.Cons: Borderless prints limited to 5-by-7-inch. Single, small paper input. 'Scans' and 'copies' only via smartphone.Bottom Line: HP's Tango X 'smart printer,' the first we've tested with voice activation and smart home features, is all about printing from mobile devices. It's not perfect, but given its unique free-snapshot printing angle, it will be a tough act for future models to follow.Read ReviewXerox WorkCentre 6515/DNI Review
MSRP: $599.00Pros: Excellent text quality. Slightly above-par graphics. ADF supports single-pass, two-sided scanning. Includes Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity options.Cons: Similar printers deliver better graphics and photo quality. Limited optional paper capacity for its price.Bottom Line: The Xerox WorkCentre 6515/DNI provides above-par output quality, solid speed, and a thorough feature set for an all-in-one color laser-class printer.Read Review