📎 AI Summary:
The thread discusses whether Windows has a feature similar to Apple's AirPrint that allows broadcasting printers on the network without sharing or installing specific drivers. The original poster mentions a service on Windows that enables Apple devices to discover printers automatically, and later asks if such functionality exists for Windows devices. Respondents suggest that the Windows equivalents are "Bonjour" and "UPnP," with "AirPrint service" being another relevant option, but neither user indicates that this is natively present in Windows by default.

Johncoool

Essential Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Messages
240
Thread Author #1
I personally do not like Apple products and do not use them.

However, I recently had to connect 2 apple devices that belong to household member to the a printer that is shared on a Microsoft device.

I found the feature to be quite advanced and wondering if it available for WIndows devices... I did also connect my Android device to the shared printer and found it to be similar to the Apple one but the one that Apple uses is a service and does not need a program to run it like the one for Android.

It is a service that is installed on the Windows device that will broadcast to all Apple devices like the MacBook and the Iphone. It will show all the printers on the device without needing to share them. It will even show the printers that are connected from other computers over the networks and there is no need to install them. After they show up on the Apple device the person just has to choose them and print to them.

So I am wondering if there is something similar to that for Windows. A program or a service that will Broadcast the printers on the device without sharing and can print without connecting to it like is normally done with shared printers.

The below link is of an example of this service being used with an Iphone and it also works with Macbook.

 

Neemobeer

Windows Forum Team
Staff member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
8,995
I think you're talking about bonjour, the Windows equivalent is UPnP.
 

Solution

Neemobeer

Windows Forum Team
Staff member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
8,995
That's the newer one yeah. bonjour is for legacy printers to support airprint. I don't use anything Apple though.