This setting removes the Add Printer option from the Start menu. (To find the Add Printer option, click Start, click Printers, and then click Add Printer.) This setting also removes Add Printer from the Printers folder in Control Panel.

Also, users cannot add printers by dragging a printer icon into the Printers folder. If they try, a message appears explaining that the setting prevents the action.

However, this setting does not prevent users from using the Add Hardware Wizard to add a printer. Nor does it prevent users from running other programs to add printers.

This setting does not delete printers that users have already added. However, if users have not added a printer when this setting is applied, they cannot print.

Note: You can use printer permissions to restrict the use of printers without specifying a setting. In the Printers folder, right-click a printer, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.

Prevent Adding Printers

1. Type gpedit.msc in the Start menu’s search box and then press Enter.

   Note: This guide shows you how to make changes to Windows 7 using Group Policy. Group Policy is not available in Home versions of Windows 7.

2. Navigate to User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Control Panel, and then select Printers in the left column of the Group Policy editor.

   ^[1]

3. Double-click Prevent addition of printers in the Settings section of the Group Policy editor.
4. Select Enable and then click OK to save the changes.

   ^[2]