huntfullpac

The problem with this approach is that it disables color all together, from what I can gather. It also did not work for my PCL driver, only PS. Checking printer properties/preferences will still show a default value of Auto Color (aka disabling color won't reflect). At the very least, if you want to prevent users from printing color, this could help.

1. Set Default Printer Command Line Windows
2. Set Default Printer In Windows 8.1
3. Set Default Printer Command Line Download

I ran into this issue on a client XP box that had their user account locked from 'right-clicking'. That is the easiest way to set the default printer, (right click and set as default printer), but this was not doable since their account was locked from right clicking. Also, since setting default printers are user profile specific, it was not as easy as setting the default printer with an admin account and that carryover to the regular user account. Rather than adjust the security settings to allow right clicking, I found a cmd line command that would set the default printer under the restricted user account.

3 Steps total

Step 1: Log in as the user you want to adjust the default printer for

Step 2: Open CMD prompt

Step 3: Type in: RUNDLL32 PRINTUI.DLL,PrintUIEntry /y /n 'printer'

for example:

RUNDLL32 PRINTUI.DLL,PrintUIEntry /y /n 'HP Officejet Pro 8500'

15 Comments

• Tabasco
  DevonSchreiner Oct 31, 2011 at 11:47am

  That would have come in handy this summer when I was running around to everyone's computer to do this... Thanks for the how-to all the same!

• Tabasco
  SIR Oct 31, 2011 at 12:35pm

  That is useful. However I do find it interesting that they do not have a right+click permission, yet they can use the run command.

• Pimiento
  Li0nel Oct 31, 2011 at 02:36pm

  I had to do this to over 300 workstations last year. I created a batch file and then ran it. Opened it changed the pc name/printer and ran again etc. This will install a printer and make it the default for all new users who log onto the pc. Make sure you you delete my comments about adding and deleting before putting it into a batch file :)

  ga=global add printer
  gd=global delete printer

  rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /cCOMPUTER_NAME /n'PRINTSERVERPRINTERNAME' -- instal printer

  rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /gd /cCOMPUTER_NAME /n'PRINTSERVERPRINTERNAME' -- instal printer

  sc COMPUTER_NAME stop spooler

  sc COMPUTER_NAME start spooler

  pause

  I put the pause in to check that it worked. You can add as many pc's/printer to the batch file that you want. I did it for a regular printer and then a printer for RX. If I knew programing I would simply create a box that prompts for which pc and which printer to install. You can also run this from a command prompt.

• Serrano
  tech_freak Dec 15, 2011 at 02:20pm

  Thats a nice tip.

• Pimiento
  Floyd4783 Aug 8, 2013 at 04:49pm

  This is the first thing I found that actually works on Windows 7. LIFESAVER!

• Pimiento
  dph23 Apr 8, 2014 at 10:19am

  Thanks to Li0nel, great tip, this is the first thing I have found that works on Win7 for adding printers for all users.

• Jalapeno
  Chad13 Sep 12, 2014 at 04:44pm

  I know this is old, but Li0nel did you run this on each machine?

• Sonora
  Chad7777 Nov 13, 2014 at 10:02pm

  you could at a SET Variable and the batch file would allow you to type in the computer name and then it would put the computer name in the correct spot for you....Like This

  echo off
  echo please type the computer name for script to run on
  set /p name= :
  echo.
  rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /c%name%

• Sonora
  Chad7777 Nov 13, 2014 at 10:12pm

  you could take it farther and create a loop so you dont have to re open....All though this you might have to play with but here is the concept

  echo off
  goto start
  :start
  echo please type the computer name for script to run on
  set /p name= :
  echo.
  rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /c%name%
  goto start

• Pimiento
  barryharkin May 21, 2017 at 07:24am

  I am trying (without success) to create a Windows 10 cmd file to switch between Home and Work printers.
  The cmd file follows ... any assistance would be greatly appreciated

  @echo off

  @echo off
  echo ---------------------------------------------------------
  echo Set Default Printer - Home or Work
  echo ---------------------------------------------------------
  echo .
  echo .

  echo Enter your location (H W)
  set /p location=
  echo .
  echo .

  IF /i '%location%'H' goto LocationHome
  IF /i '%location%'W' goto LocationWork

  echo Not found.
  goto commonexit

  :LocationHome
  RUNDLL32 PRINTUI.DLL,PrintUIEntry /y /n 'Prt-Home'
  echo Default Printer Set - Home
  goto commonexit

  :LocationWork
  RUNDLL32 PRINTUI.DLL,PrintUIEntry /y /n 'Prt-Work'
  echo Default Printer Set - Work
  goto commonexit

  :commonexit
  pause.

• Pimiento
  davidbeans Aug 2, 2017 at 12:50am

  I'm not a computer genius but not completely ignorant either.
  I open up Command prompt and It comes up C:Docments and SettingsUser1> I typed: RUNDLL32PRINTUI.DLL,PrintUIEntry/y/n'Brother MFC-L2720DW'. I get an error message 'not recognized as an internal or external command.

  Any help? Thanks!

• Pimiento
  ZekeXeno Aug 8, 2017 at 10:47pm

  davidbeans

  Make sure all the spaces are present (after the following: RUNDLL32 & PRINTUI.DLL,PrintUIEntry & /y & /n ).

• Sonora
  kelzipan Mar 23, 2018 at 06:53pm

  Still useful in 2018 for Win 7. Thanks for this tip! I work for multiple locations so I set my default printer to a PDF printer so I don't things at random places. Occasionally I'm working in an older software that lets me print screen to a default printer and this is a fast toggle! Love time saving!

• Anaheim
  m0nkey Jul 6, 2018 at 03:50pm

  This was very useful, thank you. I really wish they would add the ability to change the default printer in the Print Management interface, but for now this + invoke+command in powershell should do.

  Thank you!

• Serrano
  Hillary3099 Jul 25, 2018 at 11:36am

  I am trying to use this in a remote desktop environment, it works if well one printer at a time. What I would like to do is create a batch file. and set up the printer as a variable, either pulled from a spreadsheet by username or, even better, from one of the unused fields in active directory (I'm thinking of using PO box.)
  Anyone know how to do this?

Microsoft Windows XP comes with a VBS script to manage local and network printers from the command line:

To Get the default printer details from command line:

To Get the list of printers added to the system from Windows command line:

Is there any equivalent commands for Windows 7? I just need to get the default printer details and get the list of printers attached to the system.

6 Answers

i found mine in the sideXside folder...

C:windowswinsxsx86_microsoft-windows-p..inscripts.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_en-us_0e83b619ada3e7ed

i ran the following:cscript C:windowswinsxsx86_microsoft-windows-p..inscripts.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_en-us_0e83b619ada3e7edprnmngr.vbs -g

it worked.

To list active printer components on Windows 8.1:

c:>cscript C:WindowsSystem32Printing_Admin_Scriptsen-USprnmngr.vbs -l findstr 'Printer name'

List of all printers names and shows default one (You can get more details read documentation)

Set Default Printer Command Line Windows

If you want output to file use:

Availability

The wmic command is an external command that is available in the below Microsoft operating systems as wmic.exe.

Set Default Printer In Windows 8.1

To remove printer in Windows 8.1:

Set Default Printer Command Line Download

I had trouble with a printer not showing in devices/printers so unable to remove it, although it was there when I pressed file > print in firefox. It was also stopping me from using the printer name for the actual installation (it bugged me having to append _1 at the end of the default printer!'

On Windows 10, the scripts are found in the same place as Windows 7.Execute the following command to display the default printer.

Note if there is no default printer, the script will return nothing

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