The AVD clients integrated in RX420(RDP) and RX-RDP+ devices (firmware version 2.4.5 and higher) support the native (functional) redirection of local printers. USB and network printers are supported. To ensure proper printers redirection, please make sure that the following Group Policy setting is not enabled:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Printer Redirection: Do not allow client printer redirection
Printer drivers appropriate for the redirected printers must be installed on the WVD VM for successful printers redirection. ‘x64, Type 3 – User Mode’ printer drivers need to be installed. The ‘Remote Desktop Easy Print’ driver cannot be used with printers redirected from RX420(RDP) or RX-RDP+ thin clients. To prevent the attempts to use this unsupported driver, the following Group Policy setting can be disabled in Computer Configuration or User Configuration
Computer/User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Printer Redirection: Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first
The above mentioned Group Policy settings can be deployed through Active Directory Group Policy Objects or, in simplest case, they can be configured on the local machine with Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
Following are the topics to consider when planning to use the native/functional redirection of printers in RDP, AVD or Windows 365 sessions:
- Locally connected USB printers and network printers supporting the JetDirect protocol (also known as RAW or AppSocket) can be used with native redirection.
- Low-cost GDI printers should be avoided, as they may not work properly. More advanced printers understanding the PCL, PostScript, and/or other high-level page description languages are advisable and should work.
- Functional redirection of printers requires the installation of appropriate Windows printer driver on the remote machine running the RDP session. The literally spelled name of the Windows printer driver must be entered in the ‘Windows printer driver name’ when adding a printer for native redirection.
- The ‘Windows printer driver name’ often matches the ‘USB printer identification’ string obtained from the USB printer during the detection process, but this is not a general rule. For some USB printers the ‘Windows printer driver name’ automatically populated when detecting the printer will have to be edited to match the real name of the Windows printer driver installed on the remote server.
- The ‘type 3’ drivers for Windows x64 architecture should be selected for installation. ‘Type 4’ drivers are known to cause issues with functional redirection of printers.
- The list of Windows printer drivers installed on a Windows machine (with the information about class and architecture) can be obtained with the following command executed in Command Prompt:
- wmic /NameSpace:\\Root\CIMV2 path Win32_PrinterDriver GET Name