Photosmart A520 Series

[serringt]

I am trying to install the Photosmart A526 compact printer on a Mac running OS 15.4 Sequoia. This is a retired product but can anyone help to complete the installation?

[Max3Aj]

@serringt, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
The HP Photosmart A526 is a retired compact photo printer, and support for it has been discontinued for a long time. Since you're trying to install it on macOS 15.4 Sequoia, which is much newer than any supported OS for that printer, HP doesn't provide drivers for this model anymore.

But there are still a couple of things we can try to get it working:
Try AirPrint 

macOS supports many printers via AirPrint, which doesn't require separate drivers. However, since the A526 is USB-only and pre-AirPrint, it's unlikely to work this way — unless macOS includes some basic support for it.

1. Connect the printer to your Mac via USB.
2. Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
3. Click the + (Add Printer) button.
4. See if the printer shows up.
5. If it does, check if "Secure AirPrint" or "Generic PCL Printer" is selected as the driver.

If it installs and prints — great. But likely, you'll need to go a step further.

Use Gutenprint (Open-source driver support)

Gutenprint (formerly Gimp-Print) is a widely-used third-party open-source printer driver for macOS that supports many legacy HP printers, including some Photosmart models.

1. Download the latest version of Gutenprint for macOS:
   https://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php
   (Note: the latest version may not yet be certified for Sequoia but may still work)
2. Install Gutenprint.
3. Reconnect your Photosmart A526 and go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
4. Click the + button to add the printer again.
5. This time, check if Gutenprint drivers show up in the “Use” dropdown.
6. If you see something like HP Photosmart A520 Series - Gutenprint, select it and install.

Use Generic Driver (limited functionality)

If Gutenprint doesn't support the A526 specifically, you can still try adding it using a Generic Printer Driver:

1. Follow the same steps as above to add the printer.
2. In the "Use" field, select Generic PCL Printer or Generic PostScript Printer.
3. Print a test photo. Some features like borderless printing or memory card reading may not work, but basic printing might.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support