Microsoft has recently added the Protected Print mode feature to Windows 11. It is currently available in the Insider Builds but will soon be released for all shortly. If you want to know what Windows Protected Print Mode is and how to enable Protected Print Mode in Windows 11, this post is for you.
What is Windows Protected Print Mode?
The Windows-protected print mode (WPP) allows your PC to print using the Windows modern print stack, i.e., driverless printing. It works only with Mopria-certified printers for now, which means that you no longer need to use third-party software installers to get additional security benefits. This feature allows printing devices to print safely and streamlines the overall installation and printing process.
The good thing is that most printer brands, like HP, Canon, Epson, etc., support WPP, but some older models may not. To check if your device is Mopria certified, you can visit the official Mopris page.
Designed by the MORSE security and Windows print teams, WPP is a modern approach to the Windows Print System. The feature offers a more modern and secure print system with wider compatibility. With this, Windows ends the servicing for third-party drivers, thus improving the print stack and giving more importance to security.
How to enable Protected Print Mode in Windows 11?
To enable the Windows Protected Print Mode feature, currently, you need to have the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26016 or higher installed. For now, only Windows 11 Pro users can access this feature. So, if you are not on Insider Build, you won’t have access to this feature.
To check your current build version and the build number, open the Run console (Win + R), type Winver, and hit Enter.
You have two ways to enable Protected Print Mode or WPP in Windows 11:
- Enable WPP via the Group Policy Editor
- Use the Registry Editor to enable WPP
1] Enable WPP via the Group Policy Editor
To enable the Windows Protected Print Mode via the Group Policy Editor, press the Win + R shortcut keys to open the Run console. In the search bar, type in gpedit.msc and hit Enter.
In the Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the below path:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Printers
Next, go to the right and double-click on Configure Windows protected print to open the configuration window.
Now, set it to Enabled to enable Windows Protected Print Mode.
*Note – Select Disabled to turn off the Windows Protected Print Mode feature.
Read: How to enable or disable Print Spooler Service
2] Use the Registry Editor to enable WPP
Before you make any changes to the registry, make sure you backup the registry settings to restore any lost data.
Press the Win + R keys together to launch the Run console, type in regedit, and hit Enter.
Now, in the registry editor, navigate to the below path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\WPP
Now, check if the below DWORD keys show on the right side of the pane. Double-click on each of them to check if the Value data is set to the below values to ensure that WPP is enabled.
-
EnabledBy with Value data 2
-
WindowsProtectedPrintGroupPolicyState with Value data 1
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WindowsProtectedPrintMode with Value data 1
-
WindowsProtectedPrintOobeConfigComplete with Value data 1
If you want to disable Windows Protected Mode at any time, make sure you change the Value data for each of the keys to 0.
Read: How to enable or disable Print from Application Guard for Edge
How do I set up a locked printer in Windows?
To set up a locked print job in Windows, open the Run console (Win +R), type in Control Printers, and hit Enter. This will open the Devices and Printers window. Here, right-click the printer, and select Printing Preferences. Next, click Job Type and select Locked Print. Now, input a User ID, and create a secure numeric password. This will make sure that only you are allowed to release and print the document on the machine.
How do I enable secure print in Windows?
To enable secure printing in Windows, open the desired document, select Print, right-click on your printer, and select Printer Properties. Now, look for the Security or Job Storage tab. Here, go to Secure Print or PIN Printing, set a PIN, and press OK. Once the PIN is entered at the printer, your document will now print
