Redirect All RDP Printers: Quick Setup Guide for Windows Remote DesktopRemote Desktop Protocol (RDP) makes it easy to work on a remote Windows machine while keeping access to local resources — including printers. Redirecting all RDP printers means making the printers installed on a client device available in the remote session so you can print directly to local or network printers without installing them on the remote host. This guide walks through prerequisites, configuration options (client and server), Group Policy settings for enterprise deployment, troubleshooting tips, and security considerations.
Why redirect printers over RDP?
Printer redirection saves time and reduces administrative overhead. Instead of installing the same drivers and printer queues on every remote host, users can use their local printers from within a remote session. Common scenarios:
- Remote workers printing to office or home printers.
- Terminal server or Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) environments where multiple users need access to varied local printers.
- IT environments where deploying printer drivers centrally is impractical.
Prerequisites and compatibility
- Operating systems:
- Client: Windows ⁄11, Windows Server (as client), or thin clients that support RDP printer redirection.
- Server: Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022, or modern Windows desktop editions acting as the remote host.
- RDP client: Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe) or modern Remote Desktop apps that support device redirection.
- Printer drivers: Ideally, use universal drivers (e.g., Microsoft’s “Universal Print Class Driver” for many devices or vendor-provided universal drivers) to reduce driver mismatches.
- Permissions: Administrative access on the remote host is required for some server-side configuration and Group Policy edits.
- Network: RDP port (default TCP 3389) open between client and server, or a secure VPN/Remote Desktop Gateway in place.
How RDP printer redirection works (brief)
When a client connects to an RDP server with printer redirection enabled, the client exposes its local printers to the remote session. The remote host creates redirected printer objects (often named like “PrinterName (redirected 1)”) and uses a printer driver to render print jobs. If the remote host doesn’t have a matching driver, print jobs may fail. To mitigate driver issues, Easy Print (a feature of RDP) can be used — it allows printing without installing the exact printer driver on the remote host.
Quick setup — client-side
- Open Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc).
- Click “Show Options” → “Local Resources” tab.
- Under “Local devices and resources,” click “More…”.
- Check “Printers” to enable printer redirection (this redirects all locally installed printers).
- Optionally check “Clipboard” and other devices as needed.
- Save the RDP file or connect directly.
This simple action enables redirection for that connection. For multiple users or persistent settings, use Group Policy or RDP files with the appropriate settings.
Quick setup — server-side (single host)
- Ensure the Remote Desktop Services role or Remote Desktop Session Host is installed if using a multi-user server.
- On the remote host, open Server Manager → Local Server (or System settings) and ensure Remote Desktop is enabled and set to allow connections.
- In the remote session host, confirm that the Remote Desktop Easy Print driver is available:
- Easy Print requires .NET Framework and Remote Desktop Services components; on modern Windows Server versions it’s typically present by default.
- Verify that the Print Spooler service is running on the remote host (services.msc → Print Spooler → Automatic).
- Test connecting from the client with printers enabled and print a test page.
Enabling Redirect All RDP Printers via Group Policy (enterprise)
For organizations deploying settings to many clients or servers, Group Policy is the correct approach. Use the following policies to control printer redirection behavior.
Group Policy locations (use Group Policy Management Console, edit a GPO applied to users or computers as appropriate):
-
Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Remote Desktop Services → Remote Desktop Session Host → Device and Resource Redirection:
- “Do not allow supported Plug and Play device redirection” — leave Not Configured or Disabled for printer redirection.
- “Do not allow client printer redirection” — set to Disabled to allow client printers to redirect. (If Enabled, client printers will not be redirected.)
- “Redirect only the default client printer” — control whether only the client default printer is redirected. Set to Disabled if you want to redirect all client printers.
- “Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first” — set to Enabled to prefer Easy Print when available (reduces driver compatibility problems).
- “Allow RDP redirection of other supported RemoteFX USB devices from this computer” — not required for standard printers but can be relevant for USB printers on some deployments.
-
User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Remote Desktop Services → Remote Desktop Connection Client:
- “Do not allow client printer redirection” — ensure it’s Disabled to permit redirection.
After changing GPOs, run gpupdate /force on target machines or wait for policy refresh.
Using Easy Print vs native drivers
-
Easy Print:
- Pros: Avoids installing vendor drivers on server; uses a generic driver to render client-side print jobs; reduces driver conflicts.
- Cons: Limited to features supported by the Easy Print pipeline; advanced printer features may be unavailable.
-
Native/vendor drivers:
- Pros: Full feature support for the printer.
- Cons: Requires installing matching drivers on the remote host or deploying them via print server; can cause driver conflicts on multi-user servers.
Recommendation: Enable “Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first” and deploy vendor drivers only where feature parity matters.
RDP File and PowerShell options
-
RDP file: Add or ensure the following lines to force printer redirection in a saved .rdp file:
redirectprinters:i:1 redirectdrives:i:1 -
PowerShell (example: enable redirection settings, query Print Spooler): “`
Ensure Print Spooler is running on remote host
Get-Service -Name Spooler -ComputerName REMOTEHOST | Start-Service
Example: Query session settings (requires Remote Server Administration)
qwinsta /server:REMOTEHOST “`
Redirecting USB or Network Printers in special cases
- USB printers attached to thin clients: Some thin clients use USB redirection or vendor-specific gateways. Ensure the thin client supports RDP USB redirection or map the device via RemoteFX or USB over IP tools.
- Network printers on the client network: If a client has network printers installed (e.g., IP printers), these will be redirected like local printers when “Printers” is selected in Local Resources.
Troubleshooting common issues
-
Printers not appearing in session:
- Verify “Printers” is checked in mstsc Local Resources → More.
- Confirm “Do not allow client printer redirection” is Disabled in GPO.
- Check Print Spooler service on remote host.
- Ensure client and server RDP versions support Easy Print; on very old servers, update RDP components or install matching drivers.
-
Print jobs stuck in queue:
- Restart Print Spooler on remote host.
- Clear stuck jobs and reprint from the client.
-
Driver mismatch errors or pop-ups asking for drivers:
- Enable Easy Print.
- Install universal drivers on the remote host or deploy matching drivers with a print server and Group Policy.
-
Slow printing or rendering problems:
- Large, complex print jobs can be slow over RDP; consider printing to a PDF locally or using a print server where possible.
- Check network bandwidth and latency; RDP printer redirection sends rendered job data over the RDP channel.
Security considerations
- Printer redirection can expose device information to the remote host. Only connect to trusted remote servers.
- Use Remote Desktop Gateway or VPN to secure RDP traffic; do not expose RDP directly to the internet.
- Limit driver installation permissions on servers to prevent malicious drivers from being installed.
- Use Easy Print to reduce the need for driver installations on shared servers.
Best practices summary
- Enable “Printers” in the RDP client and set Group Policy to allow client printer redirection and to redirect all client printers (disable “Redirect only the default client printer”).
- Prefer Remote Desktop Easy Print to avoid driver headaches; install vendor drivers only when necessary.
- Keep Print Spooler patched and running; monitor spooler health on RDS hosts.
- Secure RDP with Gateway/VPN and limit driver install rights on servers.
- Test with representative client printer models before broad deployment.
If you want, I can provide:
- A ready-to-deploy Group Policy Object (GPO) checklist or exportable ADMX settings.
- Sample .rdp file configured for printer redirection.
- Step-by-step troubleshooting script (PowerShell) to diagnose common spooler/driver issues.
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