So you have a printer installed on your Microsoft Windows computer, but the printer is notshowingin your Remote Desktop session? There are a few things to check when you experience this issue.
1. Check that Printers Are Enabled on Connection
Ensure that you have the Printers option selected in your Remote Desktop settings. You can check this by bringing up the Remote Desktop Connection screen, selecting Local Resources and ensuring the Printers option is selected.
2. Check Server Settings
If you are connecting to a Windows Server box, ensure the settings on the server don’t disable the sharing of Printers. Login to the server, and perform these steps.
Windows 2016 & 2019
In these versions of Windows Server, RDP settings are controlled in Group Policy.
- Launch “gpedit.msc“.
- Navigate to “Computer Configuration” > “Administrative Templates” > “Windows Components” > “Remote Desktop Services” > “Remote Desktop Session Host“.
- Expand “Printer Redirection“.
- Ensure that “Do not allow client printer redirection” is set to “Not configured” or “Disabled“. Another setting you may want to check is the “Redirect only the default client printer“. This policy should also set to “Not configured” or “Disabled”if you want more than just the default printer to be available to use.
Windows 2012
- Open “Server Manager“.
- Select “Remote Desktop” Services.
- Select “Collections“.
- Select “Tasks“, then choose “Edit Properties“.
- Under the “Client Settings” tab, ensure the “WindowsPrinter”is enabled.
Windows 2008
- Go to“Start” > “Administrative Tools” > “Remote Desktop Services” > “Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration“.
- Select “Connections“, right-click the name of the connection > “Properties” > “Client Settings” > “Redirection“. Ensure that“Windows Printer” is not checked.
3. Ensure Drivers Are Installed On Server
Check that the printer drivers for the printer you are attempting to use are installed on the computer you are connecting to. If the drivers haven’t been installed on the computer you are connecting to, the printer won’t appear at all.
The Easy Print function will only work when the server is in Remote Desktop Services mode. The role must be installed for Easy Print to work.
Though remote printing technology has evolved, printing in Terminal Services or Remote Desktop Services environments remains a challenge for IT pros. But, Microsoft Easy Print with Windows Server 2008 R2 simplifies remote printing -- as long as you execute some critical requirements.
Prior to the release of Windows Server 2008, users could only print if IT installed the correct print driver both locally and on the Terminal Server [TS]. This presented a problem since many print drivers simply will not function in a Terminal Services environment. Furthermore, ensuring that TS contains a copy of every print driver used throughout the entire organization is a major management headache.
In response to these and other printing related challenges, Microsoft introduced Terminal Services Easy Print in Windows Server 2008. TS Easy Print lets users print without installing printer drivers on the Terminal Server. Instead, the user sets the printing preferences locally. The print job is sent to the server, which uses the user's printing preferences to create an XPS file. This file is then redirected to the desktop and seamlessly printed using the desktop's local print driver.
Although TS Easy Print was an improvement over the way that remote printing worked with previous versions of Terminal Services, it wasn't perfect. For one thing, the process of converting the XPS document to Graphics Device Interface [GDI] required desktops have the .NET Framework installed. Some administrators did not like the idea of having to deploy the .NET Framework just to let clients print. Furthermore, updates to .NET notoriously caused Easy Print to stop working.
In Windows Server 2008 R2, Microsoft revamped Easy Print so network clients running Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 don't require the .NET Framework for printing. Instead, the XPS to GDI conversion is a native OS function. Older network clients still require the .NET Framework.
In spite of the improvements that Microsoft made to Easy Print, network administrators still have trouble getting the printer redirection to work correctly. So, here are solutions to some of the most common Easy Print problems for Windows Server 2008 R2 customers.
Printer redirection failures
If printer redirection isn't working at all, the first thing to do is check the group policy settings to make sure that Easy Print is enabled. You can access the Easy Print settings in the Group Policy Editor at Computer Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Remote Desktop Services \ Remote Desktop Session Host \ Printer Redirection. For Easy Print to work, the Use Remote Desktop Easy Print Driver First setting must be enabled.
If printer redirection group policy is enabled but it still isn't working, check the Resultant Set of Policy. Group policies are created by combining multiple group policy objects in a hierarchical manner to form the effective policy. Even if one group policy setting is correct, an incorrect setting within another group policy object could potentially override the policy setting. Checking the Resultant Policy lets you confirm that the Use Remote Desktop Easy Print Driver First Setting remains enabled.
Problems with remote printing to Windows XP, Vista
As I mentioned earlier, Easy Print can be a bit finicky when it comes to client software versions. Easy Print should work on clients running Windows 7 without any trouble. However, if you have any clients running Windows XP or Vista, you will need to make sure that they are running the appropriate software.
As a general rule, clients need version 6.1 or higher of the Remote Desktop Client software, which is included with Windows XP Service Pack [SP] 3 and newer operating systems. The minimum recommended version of the .NET Framework is 3.5. One caveat to these requirements is that clients running Windows Vista SP2 and version 7.0 of the Remote Desktop Client do not require the .NET Framework so long as they are running the patch specified by KB971644.
Miscellaneous Easy Print requirements
There are a few other requirements to meet for Easy Print to work correctly on Windows Server 2008 R2. For starters, you have to make sure that the Spooler service is set to Automatic -- and that it is running -- on both the client and the server.
Another requirement is that your Remote Desktop environment must have a server configured to act as a Remote Desktop Session Host. Without it, Easy Print will not work.
Finally, make sure to turn off the policy that disables printer redirection on your Remote Desktop Gateway server. Otherwise, clients connecting to the Remote Desktop Services from beyond your network perimeter will have trouble printing.
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Hi,
When you loaded the Ricoh PCL6 printer driver on your server did you Disable Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first group policy setting? This setting will cause the driver to be used instead of RD Easy Print if the driver name matches the client driver name. You may find the setting by opening gpedit.msc on your server and navigating to the following location:
Computer Configuration\ Administrative Templates\ Windows Components\ Remote Desktop Services\ Remote Desktop Session Host\ Printer Redirection
If you want to try to get the printer working with RD Easy Print driver then I suggest you try a different printer driver on the client PC. For example, if you are using PCL6 try XPS or PCL5 or PS driver. Not all printer drivers are compatible with RD Easy Print.
Please check the Event Viewer\Applications and Services Logs\Microsoft\Windows\PrintService\Admin log for errors around the time you attempt to print to this printer.
Thanks.
-TP
Tuesday, May 29, 2012 9:55 AM
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Hi,
When you had use RD Easy Print first disabled, did you verify that the auto-created printers were not using RD Easy Print in Printer Properties--Advanced tab? If the driver name does not match it will still use RD Easy Print.
-TP
Tuesday, May 29, 2012 2:49 PM
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Hi,
Since your printer understands PCL you may want to try other [non-Ricoh] basic PCL drivers with this printer. Youmay lose printer-specific features such as extra input/output bins, duplexing, stapling, etc., but it may work fine for basic printing needs from the RDSH server. You can do this using the custom print driver mapping file.
Anotheroption is to consider purchasing a TS Universal Printer Driver solution such as TriCerat ScrewDrivers, Thinprint, Uniprint, etc. You could download a trial version and if it solves the issue consider purchasing.
Have you contacted the printer manufacturer's support regarding this issue? Do they officially support use via terminal services/remote desktop serviceswith this printer?
Are you seeing the same behavior regardless of which driver [rd easy print, native pcl6, etc]? I would expect you to have different behavior depending on the driver used--this has always been my experience. For example, maybe the RD EasyPrint driver stops printing after a certain number of pages whereas the native PCL6 driver crashes the print spooler or doesn't print at all or prints with strange output.
Are you able to print successfully with other model printers?
-TP
Wednesday, May 30, 2012 9:03 AM
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Hi,
Please make sure the users have enough permissions to the printers folder on the server. You may do this by opening a administrator command prompt and typing the following:
icacls c:\windows\system32\spool\printers /grant Users:[OI][CI]M
Restart the server after the above command, then test to see if the issue is resolved.
I think applying KB2647753 is a good idea in general and I have not seen any problems with it.
Thanks.
-TP
Thursday, May 31, 2012 4:00 PM
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I've done the following:
- Granted the 'users' groupmodify permissions on the "Printers" directory
- I've installed the hotfix KB2647753. Restarted the server
The problem remains.
Found the following artikel:
//social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/pl-PL/iewebdevelopment/thread/d2157998-9bf5-4630-88dd-464df288e208
After reading the artikel that I posted earlier [social.msdn.microsoft]I'm 90% sure that this problem has something to do with either a bug in IE9 orwebsites that areincompatible with IE9. Because we've tested this with IE8 and there's no problem at all.
*sigh*
- Edited by Pascal Haffie Monday, June 18, 2012 9:45 AM
Thursday, June 14, 2012 3:21 PM