Multifunction Printer Tips: When Do You Update Drivers?

Multifunction printers can scan, copy, fax, print, and do all sorts of other amazing things, all with almost no effort on your part–but every once in awhile, they do need some help from you. Here’s a quick guide on how to know when it’s time to upgrade your printer drivers!

What is a Printer Driver?

Multifunction printers are powerful and capable. They can communicate with computer programs, read and print data from a variety of sources, and even send faxes straight to your email–but the one thing “behind the scenes” that are making all of this possible is the printer driver.

Printer drivers are the software installed on your printer, whether it be Canon, Konica Minolta, or Lexmark, that makes it able to speak the same language as any computer program it encounters, which, in turn, allows it to convert data to a usable form. Naturally, this makes printer drivers a pretty important piece of the puzzle!

When Should You Update?

Now that you know what a printer driver is, here are some big signs that it’s probably time for an update.

#1: When documents are going missing

If you send a document to the printer from your computer only to find that it is lost in space, the chances are high that your printer driver didn’t do its job. Time for an update!

#2: When the printer isn’t connecting

Sometimes multifunction printers have connectivity issues, and that’s normal–but if your printer never seems capable of communicating with other devices, that’s a big sign that the driver is out of date.

#3: When your prints look terrible

Low-quality images, grainy text, or just plain bad prints and copies mean that something is seriously wrong. Don’t keep wasting money on reprints; instead, check your driver.

Want to learn how to update a driver? Interested in more multifunction printer tips? Contact us today!