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How to disable the Windows 10 1511 default printer feature

Posted on February 2, 2016August 24, 2017 by Jörgen Nilsson

In Windows 10 1511 there is a new feature which is enabled by default, “Let Windows Manage my default printer“. This setting will make the last printer you used the default printer.

printers1511

Update: In Windows 10 1607 there is a new user group policy setting to turn this feature of called “Turn off Windows default printer management” under Control Panel\Printers

At many customers this is not a wanted scenario so here is the registry key you need to change to turn it off.

HKEY_Current_User\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\LegacyDefaultPrinterMode Dword: 0x00000001

Easiest way is to use a User  Group Policy preference with the following settings:

Printer1511_!

When searching for registry settings I tend to use Regshot to find them, easy to use, nothing to install. Works great! http://sourceforge.net/projects/regshot/

Happy printing!

  • 1511
  • Default printer
  • Let Windows Manage my default printer
  • Windows10
  • 9 thoughts on “How to disable the Windows 10 1511 default printer feature”

    1. Pingback: Windows 10 1511 – Retirer Windows Manage l’imprimante par défaut – Les2t.fr Blog IT – TRARBACH Jean-Yves et THONON Stéphane
    2. Pingback: Windows 10 - Tipps, Tricks und News - Eric Berg
    3. Mike Compton says:
      March 3, 2016 at 9:26 am

      Thanks for this! This is required for legacy printer drivers to install and i expect will cause many normal users to buy new printers simply because the drivers stop working.
      What a wasteful world!!……

      Reply
    4. Mats Dannewitz Linder says:
      July 1, 2016 at 2:45 pm

      Hi Jörgen!
      Unfortunately, I’m one of the many people for whom neither solution works. In fact, after changing the setting to Off, Windows still kept changing the default printer. So I checked the register setting, and the value data was set to 1.
      I know that for some — maybe most — people this solution works, but not for me (and for many others). Do you have any other idea?
      Regards,
      Mats

      Reply
    5. Gehasia says:
      July 8, 2016 at 4:53 pm

      Hy guys, here is a homemade .admx/.adml for getting a nice GPO for this.
      The group policy will appear in :
      User -> Strategies -> Administrative Templates -> Printers -> “Do not let Windows manage default printer”

      I’m french so there is a fr-FR .adml included. Maybe some mistakes in the en-US translations file.

      “WindowsLegacyPrinterMode.admx” to put in your PolicyDefinitions directory :
      http://pastebin.com/AHxXsKNG

      “WindowsLegacyPrinterMode.adml” to put in your PolicyDefinitions/en-US/ directory :
      http://pastebin.com/i2K9kvG1

      “WindowsLegacyPrinterMode.adml” to put in your PolicyDefinitions/fr-FR/ directory for french translations :
      http://pastebin.com/TT640Tdj

      Regards,
      Guillaume

      Reply
    6. Andrey says:
      July 12, 2016 at 11:02 pm

      Hi there,

      Is there a way to change it for all new logged in users, as this registry key applies to the current user only.

      Seems, using GPO and logon script will do but looking for other options.

      Reply
    7. Alan Dooley says:
      September 16, 2016 at 5:30 pm

      This is now configurable via GPO in 1607 admx templates.

      Reply
    8. Neto says:
      September 21, 2016 at 2:33 am

      Hi Alan,
      What is the path where I find this option in 1607 admx templates?
      Thanks!

      Reply
      1. Jörgen Nilsson says:
        September 21, 2016 at 7:58 am

        Hi,
        It is a new user group policy setting to turn this feature of called “Turn off Windows default printer management” under Control Panel\Printers
        /Jörgen

        Reply

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    My name is Jörgen Nilsson and I work as a Senior Consultant at Onevinn in Malmö, Sweden. This is my blog where I will share tips and stuff for my own and everyone elses use on Enterprise Mobility and Windows related topics.
    All code is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties.

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