How to Print from Windows 8.1

Like other events, Microsoft has fundamentally changed the way things work in Windows 8.1. Chief among these changes was how people interacted with devices such as printers. In the past, each device manufacturer created its own drivers and software experience specific to that printer manufacturer. Fortunately, this is no longer the case, and users can expect a solid and often universal experience no matter what printer they plug into their Windows 8 device.

Unfortunately, it is not always clear how to do this. Here’s how to print from Windows 8.1 in the Windows Store app.

Go to by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard or the Windows button at the bottom of your devices screen. Now that you want to print. In our example, we print a shipping notification inside the Mail app in Windows 8.1. So we went to the Start Screen and opened the Mail app by tapping its live tile.

When you reach what you want to print, put your finger on it if you have a touch-enabled device. If you have a mouse and keyboard, place your cursor in . Click or tap Charm.

Tap or click .

If your printer is plugged into the device, it will automatically appear in the Print menu. If not, check the USB cable connection between your device and the printer and select Print from the Devices menu again. Tap or click the printer you want to print to.

Change the orientation or quantity of copies you want to print. Then click or tap on it.

All versions of Windows 8.1 include drivers that allow you to print without installing any additional software, you just need to give your device time to recognize the printer and install the appropriate driver. It’s also worth noting that if you have an older device, you may need to install the software that came with it before doing extras like scanning documents directly to your computer. Also, some Windows Store apps include a print button inside their interface; For example, Mail also allows users to print by selecting the three dots in the lower right corner of the screen and tapping or clicking the Printer icon to open it.