Win11 plus Microsoft virtual printer method

When using Windows 11 system, sometimes we may need to add a virtual printer, such as Microsoft's XPS or PDF document printer, to convert documents into electronic format without physical printing. Below, we will introduce you in detail the steps to add a Microsoft virtual printer in Win11 system.

Table of Contents

• 1. Open the Service Manager
• 2. Find the Print Spooler service
• 3. Start and set up the Print Spooler service
• 4. Add a Microsoft virtual printer

1. Open the Service Manager

First, you can open the Service Manager in one of the following two ways:
1. Keyboard shortcut: Press the [Win+X] key combination on the keyboard and select [Run] in the pop-up menu.
2. Start menu: Right-click the [Windows Start Icon] on the taskbar and select [Run] in the pop-up menu.

In the Run window, enter the services.msc command and press OK or Enter to open the Service Manager.

2. Find the Print Spooler service

In the Service Manager window, you need to scroll to find the service named [Print Spooler]. This service is responsible for managing all printing-related tasks, including interaction with the printer and background processing of print jobs.

3. Start and set up the Print Spooler service

1. Stop and start the service: First, right-click the [Print Spooler] service, select [Stop], wait for the service to stop, and then select [Start]. This step is to ensure that the service is up to date.
2. Set the startup type: Next, you need to set the startup type of the [Print Spooler] service to [Automatic]. In this way, even if you restart the computer, the service will start automatically without your manual operation.
3. Save settings: Finally, click the [Apply] and [OK] buttons to save your changes.

4. Add a Microsoft virtual printer

After completing the above steps, you are ready to add a virtual printer. Next, you can follow the steps below to add a Microsoft virtual printer:

1. Open the Control Panel: You can find and open the [Control Panel] through the search bar or the Start menu. For rugged environments, you might want to perform these steps using an industrial tablet OEM solution, which is designed for durability and portability.

2. Add a printer: In the Control Panel, find and click the [Devices and Printers] option. Then, click the [Add Printer] button.

3. Select the adding method: In the pop-up window, select [Add a local printer] or [Add a network, wireless, or Bluetooth printer], depending on the type of virtual printer you want to add.

4. Select the printer port: In the next window, select [Use an existing port] or [Create a new port], depending on your needs. For virtual printers, you can usually select [File (Print to File)] as the port.

5. Install the printer driver: In the driver installation window, select [Microsoft] as the manufacturer and choose the type of virtual printer you want to add (such as XPS or PDF document printer). Then, click [Next] and follow the prompts to complete the driver installation.

6. Complete the addition: After completing the driver installation, click the [Finish] button. Now you should be able to see the newly added virtual printer in the list of devices and printers.

For industrial settings, you may want to perform these tasks on more robust devices like an industrial PC with Nvidia GPU for heavy processing or a mini rugged PC for compact spaces. Larger setups can benefit from using a rugged rackmount computer for server-grade tasks, while space-saving solutions such as a 1U rack PC or specialized Advantech industrial PC configurations can provide additional flexibility in demanding environments.

For pricing and options on reliable industrial systems, check out Advantech industrial PC prices or explore Advantech embedded PCs for embedded applications.

With the above steps, you can successfully add the Microsoft virtual printer in Windows 11. If you encounter any problems or difficulties during use, please feel free to contact our technical support team for help.