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Not all printers can run on a Mac's operating system. Before you spend hours trying to install a printer on your Mac, look up the printer's model name and number to see if it is compatible with your Mac. Most printers come with relatively short USB-to-printer cables that allow you to connect your printer to your Mac for direct communication between the printer and your computer. To attach this cable, your printer and computer must be close to each other. Most modern Mac computers don't have traditional USB ports—instead, they have smaller USB-C ports. If this is the case, you will need a USB-to-USB-C adapter from Apple to attach a USB cable to your Mac. It should fit into one of the USB ports on the side of your computer (laptop) or on the back of the iMac display (desktop). Press the printer's {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/5\/5d\/Windowspower.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/Windowspower.png\/30px-Windowspower.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":460,"bigWidth":"30","bigHeight":"30","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of a Windows icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Public_domain\">Public Domain<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} On button to turn on the printer. Macs will automatically detect your printer and determine whether or not it needs to be updated; if you've never installed the printer on your Mac, you will receive the update prompt. Click through the printer's installation steps to install the latest software and drivers on your Mac. When the process is complete, you'll be able to use your printer.
Ensure that your printer is compatible with Mac. Make sure the printer is close to your computer. Make sure you have a USB adapter if needed. Plug the printer's USB cable into your computer. Turn on the printer. Click Install when prompted. Follow the on-screen prompts.