A Rant about Windows and Printers

Source: Dev.to

Background

Reading about the history of Windows and printer drivers is enlightening. Historically, each printer manufacturer provided its own driver, typically following the V3 model.

These drivers worked, but they were vulnerable to the PrintNightmare exploit, causing Windows to react strongly.

Driver Models

V3 Drivers

• Created by individual manufacturers.
• Often considered “crappy” but functional.
• Susceptible to security issues like PrintNightmare.

V4 Drivers

• Designed to be more secure.
• More complex to set up and manage.
• The driver files reside on the printer or print server rather than on the local computer.
• Windows retrieves the necessary driver components from the printer/print server when needed.
• If Windows reports a printer as using the Microsoft Enhanced Point and Print driver, that’s the driver it’s pulling from the server.

You can install a V4 driver locally only if it matches exactly the driver stored on the printer or print server.

Internet Printing Protocol (IPP)

• The newest approach to printing, based on the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) from IEEE, not a Windows‑specific technology.
• As of 2026, Windows prefers IPP over V3/V4 drivers.
• IPP aims to eliminate the need for device‑specific drivers altogether.

Microsoft’s WPP and Universal Print

• Both are related to IPP.
• Microsoft has stopped bundling third‑party V3/V4 drivers with Windows updates.
• Apple’s AirPrint is built on the same IPP foundation.

Limitations of IPP

• Not all printers support IPP, though most modern models do.
• Some printers require manual enabling of IPP.
• If a manufacturer excludes certain features from IPP, those settings may be unavailable.

TL;DR

For a long time, each printer maker supplied its own drivers, leaving users to manage a patchwork of V3 and V4 drivers. IPP promises a universal, driver‑less printing standard, similar to how RCS standardized version control. This shift should simplify printing, though full adoption depends on printer support and feature completeness.