Old Printer, New Laptop

[Porter1955]

Previously upgraded my old laptop from Windows 10 to 11 and old printer HP Deskjet 460 worked with the Windows 11 upgrade.  Now I have bought a new laptop and the old printer will not connect.  It says driver is unavailable. Will I have to buy a new printer even when the old one was still working? Please help.

[Raj_05 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Porter1955,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It's possible to resolve the issue with your old HP Deskjet 460 printer without needing to buy a new one. The "driver unavailable" message usually means that Windows 11 doesn't have the correct driver for the printer or it needs to be reinstalled.

Here are some steps you can try to get your printer working with your new laptop:

Install the Latest Driver

• Go to the HP Support website and search for "HP Deskjet 460 drivers."
• Select your printer model and download the latest driver compatible with Windows 11.
• Install the driver and restart your laptop. After installation, try reconnecting your printer.

Use Windows Update for Drivers

• Connect the printer to your laptop (via USB or Wi-Fi).
• Open Device Manager (right-click the Start menu and select "Device Manager").
• Locate your printer under "Printers" or "Other devices."
• Right-click on it and select Update Driver.
• Choose Search automatically for updated driver software. Windows will check for any available drivers and install them.

Run the Printer Troubleshooter

• Open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
• Find and run the Printer troubleshooter. It might automatically detect and fix the driver issue.

Manually Add Printer

• Open Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners.
• Click Add a printer or scanner.
• If your printer is listed, select it and follow the on-screen instructions.
• If it’s not listed, select The printer that I want isn’t listed and follow the prompts to manually add the printer.

Check for Compatibility

• The HP Deskjet 460 may be older, and while it should work with Windows 11, it might require legacy drivers or a workaround. If the above methods don’t work, you can try downloading the Windows 8 or Windows 7 driver from HP’s website and installing it in compatibility mode:
  • Right-click the driver setup file and select Properties.
  • Go to the Compatibility tab and check the box for Run this program in compatibility mode for and select Windows 7 or Windows 8.
  • Install the driver in this mode.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4

HP Support