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Is Your Printer Compatible with Windows 7?

With Windows 7 now officially available, there are undoubtedly countless people out there who are looking into getting Windows 7. Before you join the bandwagon, however, there are a number of things that one ought to consider, and one of these is to ensure that your existing printer is ready for Windows 7.

The first question that one reportedly should ask is: Will my printer work with Windows 7? Printer manufacturers may (or may not) provide Windows 7 updates on their web sites for their printers, but the kind of support that you will get will depend on the manufacturer. HP was given as an example, as they already have Windows 7 updates available on their site for a number of their printers, with full support.

There may be some models, however, that may not be fully supported. Aside from the fact that manufacturers differ in the amount of support that they provide, there may also be differences in the support coverage of certain models within a manufacturer’s line. Before changing to Windows 7, one will need to find out what printer features will no longer be available once the move to Windows 7 has been done and decide whether these features are worth giving up.

The best place to start when doing your printer-related homework is on the Windows Compatibility Center. From a drop down menu, you can choose Hardware and enter your printer’s model. This will indicate whether your printer is compatible with Windows 7 or not.

Once you receive good news – meaning that your printer is compatible – then it is important to interpret this information correctly. Even if your compatibility confirmation comes with a “No action required” message, it does not immediately mean that there is nothing that needs to be done in order to enjoy full support for your printer. Always still go to your printer manufacturer’s website to download full support.

Tags: windows 7, windows 7 old printer, windows 7 printer compatibility