How to Turn On or Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer  

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    How to Turn On or Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer

    How to Turn On or Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer

    Published by Category: Hardware & Drivers
    05 Jan 2021
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Turn On or Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer


    Starting in Windows 10 build 10565, Microsoft is introducing a new mode that makes your default printer the last printer you used most recently at your current location. This change helps ensure the best printer is preselected in inbox print dialogs.

    This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off to let Windows manage your default printer for your account in Windows 10.

    If you set a printer as default, it will turn off let Windows manage your default printer.
    How to Turn On or Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer-setting_default_printer.png



    Contents

    • Option One: To Turn On or Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer in Settings
    • Option Two: To Turn On or Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer using a REG File






    OPTION ONE

    To Turn On or Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer in Settings


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Devices icon.

    2 Click/tap on Printers & scanners on the left side, and check (on - default) or uncheck (off) Let Windows manage my default printer for what you want on the right side. (see screenshot below)

    3 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.

    How to Turn On or Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer-let_windows_manage_my_default_printer.jpg





    OPTION TWO

    To Turn On or Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer using a REG File


    The downloadable .reg files below make changes to the DWORD value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows

    LegacyDefaultPrinterMode DWORD

    0= on
    1 = off


    1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


    2 To Turn On Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer

    This is the default setting.

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_On_Let_Windows_Manage_My_Default_Printer.reg

    Download


    3 To Turn Off Let Windows 10 Manage Default Printer

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_Off_Let_Windows_Manage_My_Default_Printer.reg

    Download


    4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

    5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

    6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

    7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 7
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    I had problems with the system turning the let windows manage default printer back on. I ran the reg file, and it is still automatically turning it back on without help. How can I fix this issue?
    Rick
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,657
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello Rick, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    Is this happening after installing Windows Updates by chance? If so, they have been resetting settings back to default lately.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 147
    Windows 10 x64
       #3

    I take it there is no Group Policy for this yet?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,657
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    I haven't seen one yet.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 71
    Windows 10
       #5

    This started with Build 1511. I have a landland attached fax modem I use to send info to the doctor. When I started using it after the build, my next print job wanted to go to the fax. I reset the default and all was good until I sent another fax. Glad I looked.

    Not sure that this is a good default. I have lots of software type printers ( one for PDFs, one for Kindle, etc) and I really want the actual printer to be the default. Hence the word default.

    I changed the setting to let me decide.

    Z
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 71
    Windows 10
       #6

    Blink - I notice in a lot of your threads , you offer the option of using the Settings process to change a configuration but you like to add a second option of using registry changes.

    Depending on the change, I have been using both options. I am just wondering why you give the choice and which one id the preferred choice.

    When I installed the new Build last month, I found out that I had to recheck most of my changes because some of them reverted back to the old way or simply were not there any more. I am up to keeping a file of the changes so I can reapply them.

    I definitely want to thank you for all the work that you do. You have helped saved me many times so far!!

    Z
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 68,657
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Hey Z, :)

    I'm glad that they could help.

    I like to provide different options for performing the same action. There's no preferred option since they do the same thing, but I'd say do whatever option you feel is easier for you.

    Having multiple options for the same action could be helpful. If you are unable to use one of the options for whatever reason, you will have another option to use instead.

    The .reg file options can also allow folks to save them, and use them all at once say after a clean install so they don't have to go into Settings or wherever to set them.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 7
    Windows 10 Pro
       #8

    Brink said:
    Hello Rick, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    Is this happening after installing Windows Updates by chance? If so, they have been resetting settings back to default lately.
    Since I have home, I have no choice it installs updates automatically.
    It was fixed for a while, but it is once again turning itself back on automatically.
    No updates since 12/2/15 according to view updates in programs and features.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 68,657
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Rick,

    The update most likely reset the setting back to default. There had been a few lately that has done this.

    If it's still turning itself on after doing the options in this tutorial again, then use the Find and Find Next feature in Registry Editor (regedit.exe) to search for all LegacyDefaultPrinterMode DWORD instances, and make sure each one found is set to 1. You may have one at the HKLM location as well.
      My Computers


 

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