As of July 1, 2026, Windows 11 will default to a new way of installing printers—one that skips the driver download, the bloated installer, and the obligatory restart. The feature, called Windows Ready Print, leans on the built‑in Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) stack to let compatible printers set themselves up almost instantly, no manufacturer software required.
What’s Actually Changing on July 1?
Microsoft is flipping a switch that changes the driver‑selection order for new printer installations. Until now, when you added a network printer, Windows would hunt for a vendor‑specific driver via Windows Update or prompt you to fetch one yourself. With the July 2026 update, the operating system now prefers its own inbox IPP Class Driver whenever the printer supports it, bypassing third‑party packages entirely.
This isn’t a sudden move. Microsoft’s servicing roadmap shows that on January 15, 2026, Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 began restricting new third‑party driver submissions to Windows Update. The July 1 change completes the pivot: the ranking algorithm now puts the Microsoft IPP driver first. Existing printers and manually installed OEM drivers are left untouched. This only reshapes the default path for fresh setups.
The practical difference is stark:
- Old model: Discover printer → locate vendor package → install driver + utilities → create queue.
- New model: Discover IPP‑capable printer → use built‑in Microsoft IPP driver → printer reports its own capabilities → usable queue without extra software.
The payoff is especially tangible on Arm‑based Windows PCs, where legacy x86 drivers have historically been a weak spot. By leaning on a standard protocol, Windows Ready Print sidesteps that architecture mismatch.
What Windows Ready Print Means for You
For Home Users
If you’ve ever braced for a driver‑installation ordeal after buying a new printer, this is good news. A recent hands‑on test with an Epson XP‑4105 connected wirelessly to a fresh Lenovo IdeaPad showed exactly what the new normal looks like: go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Add device, select the printer from the network list, and within one to three minutes it appears as “Ready.” No installer window, no driver‑selection screen, no visit to Epson’s website. A test page printed flawlessly on the first attempt.
One quirk to expect: Windows may list the printer under a slightly different model name, such as “EPSON XP‑4100 Series” instead of “XP‑4105.” That’s normal when manufacturers share a common capability profile across a product family. The real test is whether all the expected options—paper sizes, duplexing, quality settings—show up in the print dialog. For most everyday printing, they will.
For Power Users and Small Offices
Windows Ready Print doesn’t lock you in. A toggle at Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Default install printers using Windows Ready Print lets you turn off the new behavior before adding a printer. Leave it on if everything works; switch it off only when you need an OEM‑specific feature that the standardized queue doesn’t expose.
Scanners, advanced finishing (stapling, hole‑punching), specialty media profiles, or color‑calibration workflows may still benefit from the manufacturer’s full driver or companion app. Microsoft’s “Print Support Apps” are designed to fill that gap without taking over the entire print pipeline, but adoption varies. If your workflow depends on those extras, test the Windows Ready Print queue first, then decide whether to install the vendor’s software.
For IT Administrators
The change matters for managed fleets. A standards‑based print stack reduces the number of third‑party kernel‑mode components that need vetting, patching, and updating. It also improves reliability across Windows feature updates, because Microsoft owns the core driver rather than relying on a manufacturer to keep up.
Be aware of a related but separate security feature: Windows Protected Print Mode. While Windows Ready Print only influences new installations, Protected Print Mode goes much further—it uninstalls any printer that relies on a third‑party driver and forces the entire system to use the Windows Ready Print stack. Microsoft ships it disabled by default, and turning it on is a deliberate hardening step that demands careful planning. Don’t confuse the two; Ready Print is the immediate, low‑risk convenience upgrade, while Protected Print Mode is an optional security lockdown.
The servicing timeline also matters. Legacy v3 and v4 printer drivers won’t disappear overnight, but Microsoft’s end‑of‑servicing plan for third‑party drivers on Windows signals a long‑term direction. Organizations with specialized or older printers should start evaluating Mopria‑certified replacements for net‑new purchases.
How We Got Here: The Slow Death of the Printer Driver CD
For decades, setting up a printer on Windows meant finding a driver CD, downloading a multi‑hundred‑megabyte installer, or crossing your fingers that Windows Update had the right package. That ritual survived long after optical drives vanished from laptops, because the underlying architecture—a spooler that relies on a vendor‑specific driver to translate application output into printer‑speak—never fundamentally changed.
The industry, however, did. The Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) lets printers advertise their capabilities directly, and the Mopria Alliance (founded by Canon, HP, Samsung, and Xerox) standardized driverless printing across devices. Smartphones and tablets have been printing this way for years. Microsoft laid the groundwork with its Modern Print Platform, eSCL scanning, and Universal Print—Windows Ready Print is essentially that platform rebranded and pushed to the foreground.
Security and reliability pushed Microsoft to act. Printer drivers have long been a weak link: deeply embedded, rarely audited, and frequently abandoned by vendors. Post‑update printer breakage is a perennial support headache. By moving the default to an inbox driver, Microsoft can test and patch the print stack on its own terms, and the attack surface shrinks.
What You Should Do Right Now
Check your printer’s compatibility. Mopria certification is the clearest signal that your device will work with Windows Ready Print. Visit the Mopria Alliance website or your printer manufacturer’s support page to confirm. Most modern Wi‑Fi printers from major brands ship with Mopria support.
Change your setup routine. Next time you bring home a printer or reconfigure a PC, try the built‑in path first:
- Connect the printer to your Wi‑Fi or Ethernet network.
- Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
- Click Add device and wait for Windows to discover it.
- Select the printer and let Windows set it up.
- Print a test page and verify the feature list (paper trays, duplex, color modes).
If everything works, you’re done. If a critical feature is missing or the queue behaves oddly, flip the “Default install printers using Windows Ready Print” toggle to Off, remove the printer, and add it again to trigger the traditional manufacturer driver path.
For IT teams: Run a pilot with a handful of Mopria‑certified models to see whether the standard queue meets your users’ needs. Document which advanced features (finishing, accounting, secure release) require a Print Support App or fallback driver. Update your procurement checklist to favor Mopria‑certified devices, and note that the July 2026 update applies to Windows 11 24H2 and later; Windows Server 2025 follows the same timeline.
The Bigger Picture: Printing Without the Friction
Windows Ready Print won’t fix poor Wi‑Fi coverage, stale firmware, or printer hardware failures. It won’t immediately retrofit your decade‑old office laser into a seamless cloud device. But it addresses one of the most unnecessary sources of frustration: the assumption that every printer needs a unique, vendor‑controlled software stack just to spit out a page.
The Epson XP‑4105 test shows the promise: select the printer, wait a moment, print. If that becomes the default experience for compatible hardware, the next Windows 11 printer installation could finally feel like a normal part of using a modern PC rather than a throwback to the era of driver CDs. For users and admins alike, that’s a welcome change—and a sign that Microsoft is serious about retiring the legacy print stack for good.