Loading

×Sorry to interrupt
CSS Error

Refresh

Cookie Preference Center

General Information on cookies

When you visit our website, we use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience. This information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies by clicking on the different category headings to find out more and change your settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on the site and the services we are able to offer. Further information can be found in our

Cookie Policy.

Strictly Necessary

Strictly Necessary

Always Active

Strictly Necessary

Strictly necessary cookies are always enabled since they are essential for our website to function. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, and website accessibility. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but this may affect how the website functions. For more information please visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.

Cookie Details‎

Performance

Performance

Performance

Performance cookies are used to analyze the user experience to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on how you use it. They allow us to know which pages are the most and least popular, see how visitors move around the site, optimize our website and make it easier to navigate.

Cookie Details‎

Please confirm your settings by refreshing the page.

Functional

Functional

Functional

Functional cookies help us keep track of your past browsing choices so we can improve usability and customize your experience. These cookies enable the website to remember your preferred settings, language preferences, location and other customizable elements such as font or text size. If you do not allow these cookies, then some or all of these services may not function properly.

Cookie Details‎

Advertising

Advertising

Advertising

Advertising cookies are used to send you relevant advertising and promotional information. They may be set through our site by third parties to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other sites. These cookies do not directly store personal information, but their function is based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device.

Cookie Details‎

Advertising Cookies

Consent Leg.Interest

Select All Vendors

Select All Vendors

Select All Hosts

Select All

Clear Filters

Information storage and access

Apply

Confirm My Choices Reject All Allow All

My Subscriptions

Loading

Knowledge Base

Printing from within a virtual machine in VMware Fusion (1013997)

Last Updated: 3/23/2024Categories: Best PracticesTotal Views: 80620Language:
English

7 like this article

Subscribe to get an email
newsletter with new updates

7 people found this helpful Please provide article feedback:

Purpose

VMware Fusion offers four different ways to print from your virtual machine. This article explains how to setup each method and the differences between them. VMware recommends that you choose only one method, in order to avoid conflicts.

If you are still having trouble printing, after performing the steps in this article, see Troubleshooting printer connection issues in VMware Fusion (1014535).

Resolution

Printer Pass-through (ThinPrint)

Fusion includes technology to seamlessly pass printer information from the Mac to the virtual machine without the installation of additional printer drivers. This method is the least complex, but may limit access to more advanced printer features from inside the virtual machine.

To use Printer Pass-through:

Ensure that the virtual machine is powered off (not just suspended).

From the Apple menu bar, go to Virtual Machine > Settings.

Click Printer if available or add the printer to the Settings pane by clicking Add Device > Printer > Add.

In Fusion 4.x and above, ensure that Share Mac printers with Windows is turned ON.

In Fusion 3.x and earlier ensure that Enabled is selected.

(Optional) If you want to keep your same default printer, also select Match the default printer selected on the Mac.

Power on the virtual machine and ensure that the printer is now present. In Windows, click Start > Control Panel > Printers and Fax.

Connecting a printer directly to a virtual machine through USB

Using a direct connection to the printer provides full functionality of the device, but the printer is not be accessible to the Mac while connected to the virtual machine.

To connect a printer to a virtual machine through USB:

Ensure that the printer is connected to the Mac using a USB cable.

Power on your virtual machine

In Fusion 4.x and above, from the Apple menu bar, go to Virtual Machine > USB & Bluetooth and click Connect name of your printer.

In Fusion 3.x and earlier, from the Apple menu bar, go to Virtual Machine > USB and click Connect name of your printer.

In the virtual machine, install any required printer software and drivers as if it were a physical computer. Use the installation disc provided with the printer, or obtain the latest software from the manufacturer's website.

(Optional) To pass the printer connection back to the Mac:

In Fusion 4.x and above, click Virtual Machine > USB & Bluetooth and click Disconnect name of your printer.

In Fusion 3.x, click Virtual Machine > USB and click Disconnect name of your printer.

Note: Quitting Fusion or shutting down the virtual machine also passes the printer connection back to the Mac.

Connecting a networked / wireless printer

To connect a network printer present on the existing network:

Disable printer sharing in the virtual machine settings:

In the Apple menu, go to Virtual Machine > Settings.

Click Printers.

In Fusion 4.x and above, turn it OFF or Click Remove Printer Port.

In Fusion 3.x and earlier, deselect Enabled.

Close the settings window.

Change the network interface for the virtual machine:

From the Apple menu bar, go to Virtual Machine > Settings.

Click Network or Network Adapter.

Select Connect directly to the physical network (Bridged).

Close the Settings window.

Power on the virtual machine.

Verify Internet connectivity in the virtual machine.

In the virtual machine, install any required printer software and drivers as if it was a physical computer. Use the installation disc provided with the printer, or obtain the latest software from the manufacturer's website.

For more information about networked printers, see Print from Windows XP/Vista over an Apple Airport Base station network connection (1004938).

Connecting to a printer using Apple's Bonjour Protocol

For information about using Apple's Bonjour Protocol to set-up a printer, see Sharing a printer with a Windows virtual machine using Apple Bonjour (1003814).

Related Information

Sharing a printer with a Windows virtual machine using Apple Bonjour
Print from Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 over an Apple Airport Base station network connection
Troubleshooting printer connection issues in VMware Fusion
Printing from a virtual machine fails with the Thinprint error: Paper Size Error
Impressão interna da máquina virtual no VMware Fusion
VMware Fusion で仮想マシン内から印刷する
从 VMware Fusion 中的虚拟机打印

Detectable by VMware SkylineTM

Actions

Copy

link to clipboard
copied!

Print

Language:
English

Attachments

Additional Resources

KB
•
End Of General Availability of the Free vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi 7.x and 8.x) (2107518)

KB
•
Download and Install VMware Fusion (2014097)

Results 1-2 of 2

Ask The Community

Get answers quickly from VMware experts in the community

Post Subject

CONTINUE IN COMMUNITIES

Related Products:

VMware Fusion Pro

VMware Fusion

Related Versions:

VMware Fusion Pro 8.x

VMware Fusion Pro 11.x

VMware Fusion Pro 10.x

VMware Fusion 8.x

VMware Fusion 7.x

VMware Fusion 6.x

VMware Fusion 5.x

VMware Fusion 4.x

VMware Fusion 3.x

VMware Fusion 2.x

VMware Fusion 11.x

VMware Fusion 10.x

view all

Take Our Survey

Support Assistant