Microsoft confirmed plans on June 9, 2026, to designate Windows Ready Print as the preferred default for supported new printer installations beginning in July 2026. The move accelerates the transition to IPP-based, inbox driverless printing in Windows 11, eliminating the need for third-party drivers and their associated vulnerabilities. For IT administrators, the release introduces granular Group Policy controls and a protected mode that hardens the print subsystem against privilege escalation attacks.

What is Windows Ready Print?

Windows Ready Print — previously known during insider previews as \"Windows Protected Print Mode\" — is a modern print platform built on the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) and Microsoft’s IPP Class Driver. It departs from the legacy driver model that required OEM-specific, kernel-mode driver packages for every printer model. Instead, Windows 11 ships with a comprehensive set of inbox IPP print drivers that support standard printer features — such as duplex, color, and stapling — without additional software.

The key components are IPP Everywhere, the Mopria Alliance’s print standard, and Microsoft’s own IPP driver. When a supported printer is connected via network or USB, Windows matches it to one of these inbox drivers. The result is a streamlined setup with no downloads and no elevation prompts — the system simply works.

Starting in July 2026, Windows 11 version 24H2 and later will prioritize the Windows Ready Print pipeline for all newly installed printers that declare IPP support. Existing printers that already use vendor drivers will remain untouched, but fresh installations will default to the inbox IPP path whenever possible. Microsoft has clarified this is a \"preferred\" — not enforced — default, meaning users can still manually install manufacturer drivers if needed.

The Security Imperative: Protected Mode

Print spooler vulnerabilities have plagued Windows for decades, including the infamous PrintNightmare series that allowed remote code execution and local privilege escalation. Windows Ready Print addresses these risks through a redesigned architecture that runs with reduced privileges.

In protected mode, the print spooler process operates within a heavily sandboxed AppContainer, sandboxing the spooler and isolating it from sensitive system resources. This means even if an attacker were to exploit a parsing flaw in a print job, the damage is contained. Printer drivers are no longer loaded into the kernel; instead, all rendering and communication stay in user mode, using the IPP protocol over HTTP(S).

Further, the protected mode disables legacy print pipelines that relied on RAW or LPR queues. It enforces mutual TLS for IPP connections, encrypting print data in transit. These changes are turned on by default when Windows Ready Print is active, but administrators can configure exceptions via Group Policy.

Policy Controls for Enterprise Deployment

Microsoft is rolling out seven new Group Policy settings specifically for Windows Ready Print, expected to hit the administrative templates (ADMX) in the September 2026 update. These give IT teams fine-grained control over the transition:

  • Configure Windows Ready Print default — Sets the preferred print path for new installations: Inbox IPP, any IPP driver, or legacy (off).
  • Allow Windows Ready Print for existing printers — Enables retrofitting already installed printers to use the inbox IPP stack.
  • Disable kernel-mode printer drivers — Blocks installation of any driver that would load into kernel memory, closing a major attack surface.
  • Restrict IPP printers to HTTPS only — Forces encrypted connections to all IPP endpoints.
  • Configure allowed print protocols — Explicitly whitelists or blacklists protocols like IPP, IPP-S, LPR, and RAW.
  • Protected Mode enforcement — Sets the spooler sandbox to AppContainer-isolated, mandatory, or disabled.
  • Print job signing policy — Requires digital signatures on print jobs to prevent injection of malicious content.

These policies integrate with Microsoft Intune and can be applied via security baselines. Organizations can stage the rollout by piloting the inbox IPP path for a subset of workstations while keeping legacy drivers for others. Microsoft recommends that enterprises begin testing Windows Ready Print immediately, as subsequent Windows 11 feature updates will progressively tighten the default security posture.

Compatibility and Hardware Readiness

Not all printers will work out-of-the-box with the new model. Windows Ready Print relies on the printer firmware implementing IPP Everywhere or Mopria correctly. Most modern network printers from HP, Canon, Xerox, Epson, and Brother — especially models sold after 2020 — already comply. USB-connected printers are a mixed bag; Microsoft’s own statement notes that “USB-connected devices that do not implement IPP-over-USB will still require vendor drivers.”

For organizations with large fleets of legacy printers, the transition could be painful. While the policy controls allow administrators to keep manufacturer drivers, the security benefits will be lost on those devices. Microsoft’s guidance is to check for firmware updates from printer OEMs that bring IPP Everywhere support, or to replace end-of-life hardware.

Consumer experience should be smoother. The July 2026 change primarily affects new printer setups: Windows will detect if an IPP driver is available and use it without prompting for a driver disk. Users who have been fed up with bloatware-laden driver installers will welcome the change. Microsoft’s telemetry from the Windows Insider program shows that over 80% of newly connected printers in home environments already use an inbox driver.

What Stays the Same — and What Changes

The classic Devices and Printers control panel (still accessible via control printers) remains, but new printers added through the modern Settings app will receive the Windows Ready Print treatment. One notable change: vendor-specific print preferences dialogs may be replaced by the universal IPP settings UI, which means some advanced features — like stapling positions or specialty paper types — might not be exposed unless the manufacturer provides a Print Support App via the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft is encouraging OEMs to publish Store-based Print Support Apps that extend the function stack without needing kernel drivers. This model gives manufacturers a path to offer advanced capabilities while keeping the core printing pipeline secure.

Another nuance: print servers. Windows Ready Print does not alter how clients connect to shared printers on a Windows print server. However, if the server itself is updated to favor IPP, clients will receive the IPP driver automatically. Microsoft will release a separate server-side update in early 2027 that enables IPP-based driver isolation on Windows Server.

Community Reaction and Early Testing

The Windows Insider community has been testing the protected print mode since March 2026, and feedback on the Windows Forum has been largely positive, though with some recurring issues. Several IT administrators noted that label printers and receipt printers, often used in retail and logistics, still lack IPP support and will need alternative solutions. “Our Zebra and Dymo printers just don’t show up when protected mode is enforced,” one tester reported. “We’ll have to keep them on a legacy VLAN with firewalled RAW printing.”

Driver signing also came up: some custom or in-house print drivers that are validly signed but not issued by a trusted Microsoft root are blocked in protected mode. Microsoft is working with CA authorities to broaden the trusted root list.

Performance-wise, testers observed a slight increase in first-page-out times — roughly 0.5 to 1 second — due to the IPP handshake overhead, but for typical office document printing the difference is negligible.

The announcement has been celebrated by security professionals. The kernel-mode driver ban alone eliminates a vector that accounted for 27% of reported Windows privileges escalation vulnerabilities in 2025, according to Microsoft’s Security Response Center.

Looking Ahead

Windows Ready Print is a foundational step in Microsoft’s broader effort to modernize the Windows platform and reduce its attack surface. By mid-2027, the company plans to disable kernel-mode print drivers by default on all Windows 11 clients, with an opt-out for enterprises. The eventual goal is a fully driverless print ecosystem, anchored by IPP Everywhere and the Mopria standard, similar to what Apple’s AirPrint and Android’s Mopria Print Service have achieved.

For now, the July 2026 rollout is a gentle nudge — new printers will simply work without the driver dance. IT administrators should begin auditing their printer fleets, enabling test policies, and engaging OEMs about firmware upgrades. Organizations that embrace the change early will reap significant security benefits and reduce help desk tickets related to printer driver installation failures.

The update will arrive as part of the July 2026 quality update (KB pending), enabling the feature gradually via a controlled feature rollout (CFR). WindowsReadyPrint.blog