HP Smart won’t detect printer – keeps asking for location access (Windows 11)

[stick50jr]

None of the suggested solutions for installing HP Smart worked for my Windows 11 Professional laptop  (HP Envy).

However, I downloaded an older version of HP Smart using the UptoDown web store. And this worked!  It would appear that Microsoft and HP are out of step...  The old version of HP Smart worked but updates to both HP and Microsoft have rendered the current HP Smart incompatible.  This is a PIA for the poor customer who buys a new printer but takes 3 days of faffing around to discover how to succeed with installation.

I would recommend extreme caution for anyone purchasing HP hardware for Microsoft Windows.  HP software can be a massive liability. 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @stick50jr 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thank you for sharing your experience. We acknowledge the difficulty you faced with HP Smart on Windows 11. HP has transitioned from HP Smart to the new HP App, which is designed to provide improved compatibility and functionality on Windows devices.

To ensure proper installation and detection of your printer, please follow these steps using official HP resources:

Uninstall any older versions of HP Smart or HP App currently installed on your system.

• Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps and remove HP Smart/HP App.

Download the latest HP App from the Microsoft Store:

• HP App

Install the HP App and restart your computer once installation is complete.

Enable location services temporarily during setup:

• Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location.
• Turn on location services and allow the HP App to access location.
• Once the printer is detected and added, you may disable location services again if preferred.

Add your printer in HP App:

• Open HP App.
• Select Add Printer and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Ensure the printer is powered on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer.

Run Diagnose & Fix if needed:

• In HP App, go to Support > Diagnose & Fix.
• This tool will automatically check and resolve common connectivity and detection issues.

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[stick50jr]

I've already tried all that to no avail.  The HP app is not available Microsoft Store in Australia so I was using the latest HP Smart.  This latest HP Smart app is incompatible with some versions of Windows 11:  It worked on my wife's Windows 11 Home, but refused to install printer on my Windows 11 Professional.  Clearly HP is releasing new versions of HP Smart with insufficient testing!

The solution for Windows 11 Professional was to obtain a previous version of HP Smart (as already mentioned in my original post).

Wake up HP... very poor effort!

[Hawks_Eye]

Thanks for all your efforts.

I'm sending you a private message to guide you on the next steps.

To access it, click the private message icon in the upper-right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your name.

Take care and have a great day!

Regards,

Hawks_Eye

[stick50jr]

I imagine Hawk_Eye is an AI bot.  His suggestions imply that I needed help... whereas my posts have all advised how I was able to solve my installation problem.

[Hawks_Eye · Accepted solution]

Hi @stick50jr 

I am sorry, I over looked that conversation with the details on how you were able to overcome the issue.

Thank you for sharing your experience and for clarifying that you had already resolved the installation issue by reverting to a previous version of HP Smart. I acknowledge your point that the newer release behaved differently across Windows 11 editions, and I appreciate the detailed troubleshooting you’ve done to highlight this.

Your feedback about compatibility concerns is valuable—it helps us understand where users encounter challenges and where improvements are needed. While the latest HP Smart app is designed to support Windows 11 broadly, variations between Home and Professional editions can sometimes expose gaps that require further refinement.

I appreciate the time you’ve taken to document your solution and share it with the community. This kind of input is important for both other users and for HP to continue improving the app experience.

Regards,

Hawks_Eye