Before printing every time, do you use one kind of printer in the office and another kind of printer at home, and you have to manually switch the default device, which is troublesome? 11’s automatic management function may be able to help you solve this problem.
Let 11 automatically manage your default printer
After this feature is turned on, the system will observe your usage habits. When you use a printer on a network (such as a company's Wi-Fi), it remembers this combination. The next time you connect to the same network again, the previously used printer will automatically be set as the default device without any manual intervention on your part.
The key to this entire process is relying on the network environment as an identifier. For example, if you perform a printing operation on the network environment in the office, then the printer in the office will be recognized as the "previously used printer" of the network. When you return home from get off work and connect to the home network, the system will set the printer at home to the default state, achieving self-conversion according to the scene.
How to turn on the automatic management function
Activating this feature is very straightforward. First, press the Win and I keys on the keyboard together to bring up the system settings window. On the main interface of the settings application, you have to find and click the "Bluetooth and other devices" category option from the left navigation bar.
After entering the device settings page, focus on the main area on the right. At this time, you need to scroll down the page and look for the entry "Printers and Scanners" in the related device list. After clicking to enter this entry, at the top of the printer list, you can find the key function switch "Let me manage my default printer".
Double opt-in via control panel
If you have doubts about setting up with a switch alone, you can use a more traditional control panel to verify it. Press the Win and R keys at the same time, enter "control" in the pop-up "Run" dialog box and press the Enter key, so that you can quickly open the classic interface of the control panel.
In the control panel, set the viewing mode to "Large Icons" or "Small Icons", then search and click "Devices and Printers". Here, you can see a list of all installed printers. If the automatic management function has taken effect, there will generally be no additional visual prompts, but you can confirm it with subsequent actual printing tests.
Understand its working principle and trigger conditions
The automatic switching of this function is not instantaneous. It mainly depends on two crucial factors, changes in the network environment and your active usage records. The system will not judge your intention in advance, but will only associate the printer used this time with the current network after you actually complete a printing task.
Therefore, the logical model it presents is a reactive one, not a predictive one. For example, when you print a document at the office on Monday, and arrive at the office again on Tuesday, the system will automatically switch the printer to this effect. If you have never printed on a specific network environment, the system will not perform any automatic settings for that network.
Practical experience in office and home scenarios
For users who often use different printing equipment in fixed places (such as company workstations and home study rooms), this feature can significantly reduce the operating process. As soon as you arrive at the company in the morning and connect to the corporate network, your computer will automatically be ready for the office's shared printer; when you return home at night, once the network is switched, the default device will seamlessly become your home inkjet printer.
This experience avoids the hassle of manually selecting the correct device from a long list of printers before printing each time. Even in an emergency when printing is required, the tens of seconds saved can reduce some anxiety.
Limitations and exceptions to note
The thing is, this function is not the kind that has all-round applicability. The so-called all-round applicability means everything. If your computer is connected to more than one network at the same time, such as a wired network and a Wi-Fi network, or there are multiple Wi-Fi hotspots with the same name but different ones in your environment, then there may be errors in identifying this function. In addition, for printer systems that are connected via USB direct connection, because this type of printer does not rely on the network when working, the automatic switching function is likely to not operate normally as preset and cause problems.
Another common situation is that you have to temporarily use a printer that is not on this network. At this time, the system will record this use, and when you return to your usual network, you may be switched back. Therefore, for users who work on the move and whose printing locations are not fixed, the practical value of this feature will be reduced.
Do you think that this function of automatically switching printers actually improves efficiency, or does it seem smart but self-defeating at certain times, switching devices when you don't need it? Welcome to share your experience and opinions in the comment area.
