How-to guides · The compatibility conditions, the setup and turn-off steps and the effects on installed printers published in Microsoft Learn, Overview of Windows protected print mode, Windows protected print mode FAQ and Discover Windows Ready Print (read 2026-09-21)

Before turning on Windows protected print mode: which drivers disappear, and the scanner catch

Windows can print without a manufacturer's driver (Windows Ready Print), and it has a setting that makes it print that way exclusively (Windows protected print mode). Microsoft highly recommends turning it on. Turning it on also uninstalls any printer that uses a third-party driver and deletes that driver from the driver store, and on some multifunction devices the scanner stops being available. This guide was written on 2026-09-21 from three Microsoft documents and covers what to check first, what happens, and how to reverse it. It is also a checklist for buying a printer.

Published 2026-09-21 · Updated 2026-09-21 · FaultNote editorial policy

Before turning on Windows protected print mode: which drivers disappear, and the scanner catch overview: 1. The premise: what Windows Ready Print is, 2. What turning the mode on actually does, 3. What to check before turning it on, 4. Where to turn it on and off, 5. Reading it as a buying checklist, 6. What this guide does not say — An overview of this guide’s steps and checks, not a screenshot of the app.

Who this guide is for and what to prepare

Anyone deciding whether to turn Windows protected print mode on
Anyone whose printer or scanner vanished after turning it on
Anyone buying a printer who wants one that works without installing drivers

What you need

Note the model of the printer you use, and whether you use the scanner on a multifunction device
Be ready to look up whether that model is Mopria certified
Check whether you print to OneNote, or use XPS or fax; all three are affected
On a work or school PC, bear in mind that the setting may be governed by group policy

1. The premise: what Windows Ready Print is

Microsoft describes it as: Windows Ready Print is Windows' preferred means of communicating to printers, including the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP), eSCL scanning, and Universal Print.

The distinguishing property is that no driver is installed: Windows Ready Print doesn't require the installation of third-party drivers. This provides a simple, streamlined, and secure printing experience compared to legacy printers, regardless of the PC's architecture. That last clause matters when you are considering a Windows on Arm machine.

Compatibility has a marker: Windows Ready Print is designed to work with Mopria certified printers , and many existing printers are already compatible with Windows Ready Print. Mopria is described as a collection of printer manufacturers and software vendors that define the standards for IPP printing and eSCL scanning, with certified devices guaranteeing conformance.

Manufacturer-specific features are not simply lost, either: the documents state that customization is available through print support applications (PSAs).

2. What turning the mode on actually does

The mode itself is short to describe: Windows protected print mode exclusively uses Windows Ready Print which provides additional print security benefits on PCs. Enabling Windows protected print mode is highly recommended.

What happens is enumerated. Upon enabling Windows protected print mode, printers that use third-party drivers are uninstalled. And: The print driver is deleted from the print driver store, and it can't be used while Windows protected print mode is active.

Even a Mopria certified printer is uninstalled if it was originally installed using a third-party driver. It can be reinstalled, and when it is, it uses Windows Ready Print instead. A printer that was installed with Windows Ready Print in the first place is not uninstalled at all.

Reversal has its own rules. Disabling the mode and reinstalling a printer restores the original driver, but printers already installed continue to use Windows Ready Print unless they are removed and reinstalled with the mode disabled. Non-compatible printers do not come back by themselves: the FAQ states you will have to manually reinstall them.

3. What to check before turning it on

The table gathers what the documents say is worth checking first. The last column summarises the source; it is not a rating by this site.

The scanner is what people miss. Some compatible devices' scanners are unavailable in Windows protected print mode. The page directs you to the Mopria certified products list to check, and says that where a device is not Mopria certified, only printing functionality is available in the mode. If you scan for work, check this before anything else.

Software printers are affected too. Unsupported software printers, including OneNote (Desktop), are uninstalled. To keep printing to OneNote, the OneNote (Desktop) – Protected virtual printer is used instead, and it is stated to be installed by default in OneNote Windows app versions 2410 and later running on Windows 11 version 26100 or higher.

XPS and fax are removed when the mode is turned on, and the page carries the steps for reinstating them (through Windows Features, selecting Microsoft XPS Document Writer, and so on) after the mode is disabled.

Scroll horizontally to see the full table →

3. What to check before turning it on
What to check	What the source states	What to do
Printer compatibility	Designed to work with Mopria certified printers; compatible devices are identified by an icon in Settings	Confirm certification on the Mopria certified products list
The scanner on a multifunction device	Some compatible devices' scanners are unavailable in the mode; check whether the device is Mopria certified	If you scan regularly, check this before turning the mode on
The driver you have now	Printers using third-party drivers are uninstalled and the driver is deleted from the driver store	That driver cannot be used while the mode is active
Printing to OneNote	Unsupported software printers are uninstalled; the OneNote (Desktop) – Protected virtual printer is used instead	Version conditions apply (OneNote app 2410 or later, Windows 11 version 26100 or higher)
XPS and fax	Removed when the mode is turned on; reinstall steps are published for after it is disabled	If you use either, note the steps before you proceed
Manufacturer-specific features	Can still be provided through print support applications (PSAs)	The documents do not say the features disappear entirely

4. Where to turn it on and off

Both live in the same place: Settings, Bluetooth & Devices, Printers & scanners, then scroll to Printer Preferences and look under Windows protected print mode.

To turn it on, select Set up and work through the prompts. Microsoft notes that some printers may need to be reinstalled and that those are identified in the Set up dialog. Reinstall the compatible printers afterwards.

To turn it off, select Turn Off in the same place — with one condition: If Windows protected print mode is enabled as group policy, you won't be able to disable it without contacting your administrator. That is the case on many work and school machines.

The FAQ also states the direction of travel: Windows protected print mode will be enabled by default at a future date. No date is given, so this guide gives none either.

5. Reading it as a buying checklist

This also changes what to look for in a printer. A Mopria certified model prints without a driver being installed and is not tied to the PC's architecture; the FAQ states plainly that Mopria certified printers work regardless of your PC's architecture.

For a multifunction device, check printing and scanning separately. The documents are explicit that a device can be compatible for printing while its scanner is unavailable in the mode, and they point to the Mopria certified products list.

Even if you are keeping the printer you have, knowing where it stands is worth the few minutes, since the mode is stated to become the default at some future point. For a non-compatible printer, the FAQ says it cannot be reinstalled while the mode is enabled.

The future of manufacturer print drivers themselves is covered separately on this site, from Microsoft's published end-of-servicing plan. This guide keeps to what happens on your machine when you change this setting.

6. What this guide does not say

It does not say whether a given model is compatible. The place to check is the Mopria certified products list; no device was tested here.

It does not tell you whether to turn the mode on. Microsoft recommends it highly, but the weight of the scanner and software-printer effects depends on how you work.

It does not cover enterprise deployment through group policy or Intune. Those have their own pages and are not decision material for a personal reader.

It puts no figure on the security benefit. The documents describe additional print security benefits; nothing was measured here.

Limitations and requirements

Turning the mode on uninstalls printers that use third-party drivers and deletes the driver from the driver store.
Some compatible devices' scanners are unavailable in the mode. If you scan for work, check the Mopria certified products list first.
Unsupported software printers including OneNote (Desktop), along with XPS and fax, are removed.
If the mode is enabled as group policy, it is stated that you cannot disable it without contacting your administrator.
Everything quoted here was read on 2026-09-21. The FAQ and the Windows Ready Print page displayed Last updated on 2026-06-18.

Frequently asked questions

Will my current printer stop working?

A printer using a third-party driver is uninstalled. A Mopria certified model can be reinstalled and then uses Windows Ready Print. The FAQ states that a non-compatible printer cannot be reinstalled while the mode is enabled.

What happens to the scanner on my all-in-one?

The documents note that some compatible devices' scanners are unavailable in the mode, and direct you to the Mopria certified products list to check. Where a device is not Mopria certified, only printing functionality is available.

Can I reverse it?

Select Turn Off in the same place in Settings. But if the mode was enabled as group policy you cannot disable it without contacting your administrator, and non-compatible printers have to be reinstalled manually afterwards.

Will it become the default eventually?

The FAQ states that Windows protected print mode will be enabled by default at a future date. No date is given, so none is given here.

Sources and verification date

Sources checked: 2026-09-21. These sources support the specifications, procedures or prices discussed here. Check each source for applicable conditions and current information.

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