How to Add a Brother Printer to Your Computer (Windows & Mac)

Adding a Brother printer to your computer is usually straightforward — but the exact steps depend on your connection type, operating system, and whether your printer is being set up for the first time or reconnected after a system change. Here's what you need to know to get it working.

What You'll Need Before You Start

Before diving into the setup process, gather a few basics:

• Your Brother printer model number (printed on the front or top of the device)
• A USB cable or your Wi-Fi network name and password, depending on how you're connecting
• Your computer's operating system (Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS Ventura, etc.)
• An internet connection to download drivers if needed

Brother printers generally use one of three connection methods: USB (wired), wireless (Wi-Fi), or network (Ethernet). The method you choose affects the entire setup flow.

Method 1: Adding a Brother Printer via USB

This is the most reliable method and works the same way across most systems.

1. Power on the printer and connect it to your computer using a USB cable.
2. Windows will typically detect the printer automatically and attempt to install a basic driver. If it doesn't, or if you want full feature support (scanning, ink monitoring, etc.), download the full driver package from Brother's official support site using your model number.
3. On macOS, go to System Settings → Printers & Scanners, click the + button, and select your Brother printer from the list. macOS may pull a compatible driver from Apple's built-in database or prompt you to download software.

Full-feature drivers unlock capabilities like duplex printing settings, ink level displays, and scanner functions — the default OS driver often covers basic printing only.

Method 2: Adding a Brother Printer Wirelessly 🖨️

Wireless setup is more flexible but has more variables. There are two common approaches:

Using the Printer's Control Panel (WPS Method)

If your router supports WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup):

1. Press the WPS button on your router.
2. Within two minutes, navigate to the Network or WLAN menu on your printer's display and select WPS.
3. The printer connects to your Wi-Fi network automatically.

Using the Brother Setup Wizard or iPrint&Scan App

For printers without a touchscreen or for more control:

1. Download Brother iPrint&Scan or the full MFC/DCP driver package from Brother's support page.
2. Run the installer and select Wireless Network Connection.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts — the installer walks you through connecting the printer to your Wi-Fi network, often using a temporary USB connection to transfer the network credentials.

Once the printer is on your network, Windows and macOS can detect it automatically, or you can add it manually via Control Panel → Devices and Printers (Windows) or System Settings → Printers & Scanners (macOS).

Method 3: Adding via IP Address (Network/Ethernet)

If the printer is connected to a router via Ethernet cable or is on a shared office network, you can add it manually using its IP address.

On Windows:

1. Go to Settings → Bluetooth & Devices → Printers & Scanners → Add a printer or scanner.
2. If it doesn't appear, click The printer I want isn't listed and choose Add a printer using TCP/IP address or hostname.
3. Enter the printer's IP address (found in the printer's network settings menu or by printing a network configuration page).

On macOS:

1. Open Printers & Scanners, click +, then select IP at the top.
2. Enter the IP address, choose the correct protocol (usually Line Printer Daemon – LPD), and select the appropriate driver.

Key Variables That Affect Your Setup

Not every setup goes smoothly, and the reason usually comes down to one of these factors:

Common Hiccups and What Causes Them

Printer detected but not printing: Often a driver mismatch or the wrong printer set as default. Check Printers & Scanners settings and verify the correct printer is selected.

Printer appears offline: This frequently happens with wireless setups when the printer's IP address changes. Assigning a static IP address in your router's DHCP settings prevents this.

Driver installation fails: Antivirus software or Windows UAC settings sometimes block driver installers. Running the installer as Administrator usually resolves this.

Mac says "Software not available": macOS periodically delays third-party printer software through Apple's update servers. Downloading directly from Brother's site bypasses this.

How Setup Varies Across User Profiles 💡

A home user with a single Windows laptop connecting via USB will have a very different experience than someone adding a networked Brother printer to a macOS machine on a corporate Wi-Fi network with firewall restrictions. Similarly, setting up an older laser model with no display differs significantly from configuring a modern all-in-one with a touchscreen and built-in setup wizard.

Even within wireless setups, a printer sitting two feet from the router behaves differently from one at the far end of a house — signal strength and interference affect whether wireless discovery works reliably or requires manual IP entry.

The steps above cover the main paths, but which one actually applies — and where friction is most likely to appear — depends on the specific combination of your printer model, operating system version, network configuration, and what you need the printer to do once it's connected.