When a printer is not working with a Hyper-V virtual machine, start by confirming that the printer works normally on the host. Then enable Enhanced Session Mode, reconnect through VMConnect, and check Show Options > Local Resources to make sure printer sharing is enabled.
If the printer appears but refuses to print, restart the Print Spooler and check the printer driver. If the printer does not appear at all, investigate Enhanced Session Mode, VMConnect settings, and Remote Desktop printer redirection policies.
For USB printers that remain problematic, using a network printer is often a cleaner solution. The important point is that Hyper-V does not automatically provide direct USB printer passthrough, so the VM needs a supported method of accessing the printer.
Let me explain everything in detail!
Printer not working with Hyper-V virtual machine
To get a printer working with a Hyper-V virtual machine:
- Make sure the printer works normally on the Hyper-V host.
- Enable Enhanced Session Mode in Hyper-V settings.
- Reconnect to the VM through VMConnect and open Show Options > Local Resources.
- Enable printer redirection before connecting to the virtual machine.
- Check the printer inside Windows and make sure the redirected printer appears.
- Restart the Print Spooler service if Windows sees the printer but cannot print.
- Remove and reinstall the printer inside the VM if the redirected printer is missing or corrupted.
- Check Remote Desktop printer redirection policies if the VM is managed by Group Policy.
- Use a network printer when direct USB-based printer sharing is not practical.
Step 1: Make Sure the Printer Works on the Hyper-V Host
Before changing anything inside Hyper-V, confirm that the printer itself works on the physical Windows computer.
On the Hyper-V host, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners in Windows 11. Select your printer and check its status. You should also print a test page from the host.
If the printer cannot print from the host, Hyper-V is probably not the real problem. Check the printer’s connection, paper, ink or toner, driver, network connection, and Windows printer status first.
If the printer works normally on the host but fails only inside the VM, continue with the next step.
Step 2: Enable Enhanced Session Mode in Hyper-V
Enhanced Session Mode is one of the most important settings when you want to use a host printer from a Windows VM.
Open Hyper-V Manager on the host. In the left pane, select the Hyper-V host computer. Then select Hyper-V Settings from the Actions pane.
Under Server, select Enhanced Session Mode Policy and make sure Allow enhanced session mode is enabled.
Next, select Enhanced Session Mode under the User section and make sure the corresponding option is enabled there as well.
Enhanced Session Mode must be available on the host, and the guest operating system must meet Microsoft’s requirements for local resource sharing.
Step 3: Connect to the VM Through VMConnect
Now you need to make sure that your VM is using the right type of connection.
Open Hyper-V Manager > right-click your virtual machine > Connect. This opens Virtual Machine Connection, commonly called VMConnect.
If Enhanced Session Mode is working, the connection process should give you additional configuration options. Look for Show Options before signing into the VM.
Do not simply connect using a basic console session and expect the host printer to appear automatically. The printer redirection settings are associated with the enhanced connection.
Microsoft identifies VMConnect as the tool used to provide a VM with access to local resources such as printers.
Step 4: Enable Printer Redirection in Local Resources
This is the step that fixes the problem for many users.
In the VMConnect connection window, select Show Options. Open the Local Resources tab and check the available resource-sharing settings.
Make sure Printers is selected. Then connect to the VM.
Enhanced Session Mode provides access to printers by default in supported configurations, but the local resource settings can be changed for individual VM connections.
If you previously saved VMConnect settings without printer sharing enabled, the old connection settings may continue to be used. Reopen the connection options and verify the Printers setting again.
Step 5: Check for the Redirected Printer Inside the VM
After connecting to the VM, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
Look for the host printer. Depending on the configuration, Windows may display it as a redirected printer or with a name indicating that it came through the remote session.
Try printing a test page.
If the printer appears but printing fails, the issue is probably no longer basic printer discovery. You may be dealing with the Print Spooler, printer driver, permissions, or printer redirection policy.
If the printer does not appear at all, continue to the next steps.
Step 6: Restart the Print Spooler Service
A stuck Print Spooler can prevent a redirected printer from appearing correctly or processing print jobs.
Inside the VM, press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
Find Print Spooler in the list. Right-click it and select Restart.
After restarting the service, return to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and check the printer list again.
You can also restart the Print Spooler on the Hyper-V host if the host itself is having trouble managing the printer.
This is particularly useful when the printer was working previously and suddenly disappeared after a VM restart or Windows update.
Step 7: Check the Printer Driver Inside the VM
A redirected printer can still run into driver compatibility problems.
First, check whether Windows automatically installs the printer when you connect through Enhanced Session Mode. If it does, try printing a basic document.
If Windows reports a driver problem, update Windows inside the VM and make sure the relevant printer driver or Microsoft printing components are available.
Avoid installing random third-party drivers just because the printer manufacturer offers several packages. Start with the driver recommended for your printer model and the Windows version running inside the VM.
If the printer is a specialized device, such as a label printer, receipt printer, or multifunction printer with proprietary software, redirected printing may not provide every hardware-specific feature.
Step 8: Check Remote Desktop Printer Redirection Policies
Enhanced Session Mode uses Remote Desktop Protocol technology, so printer redirection can be affected by Remote Desktop policies.
This is especially important on Windows Server, domain-managed computers, and business environments where Group Policy may restrict device redirection.
Open Local Group Policy Editor by pressing Windows + R, entering gpedit.msc, and pressing Enter.
Navigate to:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Printer Redirection
Check the policies related to printer redirection.
Microsoft’s current troubleshooting guidance also recommends checking the Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first policy when troubleshooting redirected printers.
If a company policy explicitly disables printer redirection, changing settings inside Hyper-V alone will not solve the problem. In that situation, the administrator needs to review the applicable policy.
Step 9: Disconnect and Reconnect the VM
After changing printer redirection or Enhanced Session settings, completely disconnect from the VM and establish a new VMConnect session.
Do not simply minimize the VM window and assume the new settings have been applied.
Sign out of the guest if necessary, close VMConnect, reopen Hyper-V Manager, select the VM, choose Connect, and check Show Options > Local Resources again.
Then connect and check the printer list.
Microsoft recommends reconnecting after configuring Enhanced Session Mode so that the new session can use the selected local resources.
Step 10: Use a Network Printer Instead of USB Redirection
If your printer is connected to the host through USB and redirection continues to fail, consider using the printer as a network printer.
A network-capable printer can be connected to your local network and then added directly inside the VM using its IP address or hostname.
This approach can be more reliable when several computers or virtual machines need to use the same printer.
It is also important to understand that Hyper-V does not provide native direct USB passthrough to VMs in the same way some other virtualization products do. Microsoft recommends alternatives such as Enhanced Session Mode or other supported redirection methods for USB devices.
Additional Tips
If the printer still does not work, first determine whether the problem is printer-specific or VM-wide. Try another printer if one is available. If another printer works, focus on the original printer’s driver or configuration.
Keep both the Hyper-V host and Windows guest updated, especially when the problem appeared after a Windows update.
If the printer works through Enhanced Session Mode but disappears whenever you connect using a different method, check whether you are accidentally using a Basic Session instead of an Enhanced Session.
For managed computers, also check whether Group Policy is blocking printer redirection. A policy restriction can override what you select in VMConnect.
If you need advanced printer features, such as scanning, proprietary status monitoring, or specialized label-printing functions, consider installing the device directly as a network printer rather than relying on redirected printing.
Finally, if you are troubleshooting a VM that runs Linux, do not assume that the Windows Enhanced Session printer workflow will apply. Microsoft’s documented Enhanced Session Mode device-sharing functionality is designed around supported Windows VMs.
FAQs
Why is my printer working on the host but not in Hyper-V?
The most common reason is that the printer is not being redirected to the virtual machine. Check Enhanced Session Mode and then open VMConnect > Show Options > Local Resources to verify that printer sharing is enabled.
No. A printer connected to the host does not automatically become a directly attached printer inside the VM. For supported Windows guests, Enhanced Session Mode printer redirection is generally the simpler solution. Hyper-V does not natively provide traditional direct USB passthrough.
Why does my printer appear but not print?
If the printer appears inside the VM, check the Print Spooler, printer status, redirected printer settings, and applicable printer driver or Remote Desktop policies.
Why can’t I see the Local Resources option?
The Show Options and Local Resources settings are associated with the VMConnect connection workflow. If you are not seeing them, verify that you are connecting through VMConnect and that Enhanced Session Mode is enabled on the Hyper-V host.
Can I use a wireless printer with a Hyper-V VM?
Yes. If the printer is available over your network, you can often install it directly inside the VM using its network address. This can be a good alternative to host printer redirection.
Do I need to install the printer on both the host and the VM?
Not necessarily. With printer redirection through Enhanced Session Mode, the host printer can be made available to the VM through VMConnect. If you instead configure the printer as a network printer, you can install it directly inside the guest operating system.