How To Export/Import Printers And Its Drivers?

Windows has a built tool called “Print Migration” under Printer Management Console. This tool will help you to export all printers and its drivers installed on your computer or print server. Print Migration wizard can export Print Queues, drivers, Print Processors, Printer Ports and save it as Printer Migration File (.printerExport). Later you can import this file into your new computer or upgraded computer. This printer migration wizard will save a ton of your time by eliminating the need of adding printers and installing printer drivers one by one in the new or upgraded computer. Avoid using third party tools for exporting/importing printer data because it possess security risk.

How To Migrate Print Servers ?

In this tutorial we will explain how to export printers and drivers from one computer and import the same to another computer. In simple terms, learn how to copy printers from one computer to another.

1. Backup printer servers using Print Migration Wizard from the computer
2. Restore the backup on new computer using Print Migration Wizard.

How To Backup Printers and It’s Drivers From a Print Server?

Start “Print Management” console.

• Open Run by pressing Windows key + R
• Type in “printmanagement.msc” and press enter key

Print management console will open. in this console you can see all the printers installed on the computer.

Right click the print server that you want to export printer data from and select “Export printer to a file” option as shown in the screenshot given below.

Now the Printer Migration Wizard will get launched. In this Wizard window you can scroll down and see all the Printer Queues, Drivers, Processors and ports that are selected for backup/export. Review the list and click Next button.

In the next window, “Select the file location” where you want to save the exported/backup file.

Click Browse button, select the folder and type in a name (for eg: Printers-and-Drivers.printerExport) then click “Save” button.

Press Next to begin the export process.

Exporting process completes within few minutes, after that click the Finish button to close the Wizard.

Copy the exported file to an external storage device or to your network storage (let say the file name is “Printers-and-Drivers.printerExport”).

How To Restore/Import Printers And It’s Drivers To A Computer?

• Copy the exported file to the new computer (eg: “Printers-and-Drivers.printerExport”).
• Open Print management console in the new computer/print server .
• Open Run by pressing Windows key + R
• Type in “printmanagement.msc” and press enter key

Right click the Print server as shown in the screenshot given below.

Select “Import printers from a file…” option

Now “Print Migration” wizard will launch, Click Browse button

Select the file you exported earlier and click “Next” button to begin the Import process.

Import Mode – In the next screen you can select the Import Mode, here you have 2 options

1. Overwrite existing printers
2. Keep Existing printers

Choose appropriate option suitable for your environment.

List in directory – Do you want to list the printers in directory ?

List options

1. List printers that were previously listed
2. List all printers
3. Don’t list any printers

Convert LPR Ports To Standard Port Monitors – If you tick this option the wizard will convert the Line Printer Remote (LPR) printer ports in the printer settings file to the faster Standard Port Monitor when importing printers.

Choose appropriate option suitable for your environment and click “Next” button to begin the import process. All Printers and its drivers will be installed automatically in the new computer with in few minutes.