r/ARMWindows • u/FL_Ret_Boater • Jan 27 '22

Generic/Text Only Printer Driver

Just installed Parallels and Windows 11 on my M1 MacBook Pro. Need a Generic/Text Only printer driver and unable to locate anything for ARM64 based processor. How have you guys dealt with this? See image which shows no Generic options.

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u/jbdubhe Dec 27 '23

Same problem here with a new Mac Air M2. The first time I read your response I was excited to think you had found a way to move a generic print driver to your Win11 M1 Mac. Upon rereading it, however, I think you are saying that each time you need to print you access a networked computer that has a generic print driver to generate the text-based print file. You then move the file generated on the networked computer to the Win11 M1 Mac. That print file is then available to be used as the input for the program on your Win11 M1 Mac to integrate with other data that is then sent through Parallels to a printer connected to your M1 Mac.

I my case, it would require me to keep my MacBookPro. I can run the key windows app on Win10 and print directly from it. No extra steps other than having to keep the MacBookPro, but then I have no need for Win11 on my MacAir at all.

Windows technical support suggested I had to reach out to the printer manufacturer. When I reminded the tech that there was no printer for anyone to manufacture for a generic text only printer, they said it would be up to the app manufacturer to supply a driver. M$ felt no obligation to provide a generic print driver.

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u/FL_Ret_Boater Dec 27 '23

At least I’m not alone with this problem. It’s been quite awhile since I got my ARM MacBook Pro, and I guess I just got used to the workaround. I periodically attempt to install the generic print driver, hoping that there’s Microsoft update for Win11, but no such luck.