Xerox Printer Driver: How to Download, Install, and Update It
Get the right driver straight from Xerox, set it up on Windows or a Mac, and know what to do when it won't cooperate.
Why Your Xerox Printer Driver Won't Install
A failed install rarely means the printer is broken. It's usually one of the causes below, and most take a minute or two to fix. Find the one that sounds like your situation.
The download is still zipped. Xerox's manual driver packages come as a ZIP file, and the driver inside has to be extracted to a regular folder before Windows can read it. Right-click the ZIP and choose Extract All.
The driver doesn't match your computer. Xerox lists drivers by operating system and processor type. Its Smart Start installer covers Windows 10 and 11, so an older version of Windows needs a driver listed for that version. Recheck the Platform menu on the download page.
Smart Start can't see the printer. It searches your local network, so a printer on a different subnet can stay hidden, and a VPN or firewall can get in the way too. Click Don't See Your Printer? and type in the printer's IP address.
IPP is turned off on the printer. If Windows says "Windows couldn't connect to the printer," Xerox names a disabled IPP setting as a known cause. Type the printer's IP address into a browser, sign in as the administrator, and turn IPP on under Properties, then Connectivity.
Your account can't install drivers. Since Microsoft's August 2021 security update, Windows requires administrator approval by default to install printer drivers pulled from a print server. On a work computer, that usually means asking IT.
Windows protected print mode is on. This optional Windows 11 security setting blocks third-party printer drivers, Xerox's included. Look under Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners, then Printer preferences. You can turn it off there, or keep it on and print through Windows' built-in driver (more in the FAQs). If your organization turned it on through group policy, only your administrator can change it.
The Print Spooler service has stopped. Windows leans on this background service for all printing. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, right-click Print Spooler, and choose Restart.
An old driver is still hanging around. Failed or outdated installs can leave a driver package and a port behind. A clean reinstall clears both. The steps are in the update section below.
How to Download the Xerox Printer Driver
Get the driver from Xerox itself, so you know it matches your printer and hasn't been repackaged by someone else.
Have two things ready first: your printer's exact model name (it's usually printed on the front, like VersaLink C405 or B210) and your operating system version. On Windows, check Settings, System, About. On a Mac, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac.
Go to support.xerox.com and confirm the address bar shows that domain before you click anything else.
Type your printer model into the search box and select it from the results.
Choose Drivers & Downloads.
Open the Platform menu and pick your exact version of Windows or macOS.
Choose the file you need (the table below helps), agree to the license, and click Download. Your browser saves it to the Downloads folder.
Which file should you pick?
If this sounds like you
Download this
What you get
You're on Windows 10 or 11 and want it working fast
Xerox Smart Start Driver Installer (Recommended)
Checks your system and installs the driver that fits your printer, plus scan drivers on models that scan
Smart Start can't find your printer, or your Windows version is older
The model-specific driver, usually a ZIP file
You point Windows at the driver yourself (manual steps below)
You look after several Xerox printers
Xerox Global Print Driver
One driver for many models, though you may not get every feature a model-specific driver offers
You're on a Mac
macOS Print and Scan Driver Installer
Installs the driver and walks you through adding the printer
PCL6 or PostScript? When Xerox offers both, PCL6 is usually the quicker choice for everyday documents. PostScript tends to suit color-heavy work better.
How to Install the Xerox Printer Driver
The printer has to be reachable before any driver can find it, so connect it to your network first, or plug in the USB cable. If it isn't on Wi-Fi yet, start with our guide to connecting a Xerox printer to Wi-Fi. Then pick the route below that fits.
Windows: Xerox Smart Start (easiest)
Open the Smart Start installer you downloaded and agree to the license.
Wait for it to list the Xerox printers it finds, then click yours. If it isn't there, click Don't See Your Printer? and enter the printer's IP address or hostname.
Click Quick Install to accept the recommended driver. Choose Advanced Install only if you want to pick the driver language yourself, such as PCL or PostScript.
Wait for the success message, then click Done.
Open the printer's properties in Windows and click Print Test Page to confirm it works.
Using USB? Plug the cable in first. If Windows shows a Found New Hardware prompt, close it, then run Smart Start.
Need the IP address? On many VersaLink printers, touch Device, then About at the control panel and read the address under Network. Menus differ by model. If the address starts with 169.254, the printer never got a proper address from your router, so fix the network connection before you install anything.
Windows: install the ZIP driver by hand
Use this route when Smart Start can't find your printer or doesn't cover your version of Windows.
Right-click the ZIP file, choose Extract All, and pick a folder you'll remember.
Open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners, and click Add device.
When Add manually appears, click it. Choose Add a printer using an IP address or hostname, set the device type to TCP/IP Device, and enter the printer's IP address.
If Windows keeps grabbing a generic driver, clear the Query the printer and automatically select the driver to use box, then click Next.
When Windows asks for a driver, click Have Disk, browse to the extracted folder, and select the .inf file. Choose your printer model from the list.
If Windows says a driver is already installed, choose Use the driver that is currently installed.
Name the printer. Unless your IT team says otherwise, choose not to share it. Print a test page, then click Finish.
On a Windows PC with an Arm processor? Microsoft suggests letting Add device find the printer rather than adding it manually, unless Xerox has guidance for your model.
Xerox's macOS installer handles the driver and the printer setup in one pass.
Open the downloaded .dmg file, then double-click the .pkg installer inside it.
Click Continue, agree to the license, and click Install. Enter your Mac password when it asks.
Select your printer from the list and click Continue. If it isn't listed, click Don't See Your Printer, enter its IP address, and carry on. Make sure the printer is powered on and connected to the network.
Print a test page if you like. You can also install the Xerox Print and Scan Experience app here if you want its scanning tools.
Click Close.
How to Update the Xerox Printer Driver
You don't have to chase updates. Check for one after a major Windows or macOS upgrade, when printing starts to misbehave, or when your model's page shows a newer version.
Option 1: Install the newest driver from Xerox
Repeat the download steps above for your model, then install the new version the same way you installed the first. On a Mac, download the latest macOS installer and run it.
Option 2: Check Windows Update
Open Settings, then Windows Update, then Advanced options, then Optional updates. If a Xerox driver appears under driver updates, select it and click Download and install.
Don't count on it, though. Microsoft stopped adding new third-party printer drivers to Windows Update for Windows 11 in January 2026, so Xerox's own site is the more reliable place to look.
Option 3: Do a clean reinstall
If the driver is damaged, half-installed, or keeps showing as unavailable, installing on top of it won't help. Remove it completely first. If printing broke right after a Windows update, our guide to Xerox printer issues after a Windows update covers more ground.
Open Control Panel, then Devices and Printers. Right-click your Xerox printer and choose Remove device.
Select any other printer in the list, then click Print server properties in the toolbar.
On the Ports tab, select the port that used your printer's IP address and click Delete Port.
On the Drivers tab, select the Xerox driver and click Remove, then choose Remove driver and driver package.
Install the newest driver from Xerox.
Windows won't remove a driver package while another installed printer still uses it, so remove that printer first.
Firmware is a separate update
Your printer has its own software, called firmware, and updating the driver on your computer doesn't touch it. Firmware updates happen at the printer or in its web page. On a VersaLink printer, sign in as administrator at the control panel, touch Device, then Software Update, then Check Now. Menus differ by model, so check your model's page on Xerox's site if you don't see it. Leave the printer on until it restarts by itself. A firmware update won't repair a broken driver on your PC, and the reverse is true too.
FAQs
What does a Xerox printer driver do?
It translates what you're printing into instructions your Xerox can read, such as PCL or PostScript. It's also where options like duplex, paper tray, and color mode live. Without the right driver, jobs can print with missing options or not print at all.
Can I print without installing a Xerox driver?
Often, yes, for everyday printing. Windows has a built-in IPP driver that works with Mopria-certified printers, Macs and iPhones print through AirPrint, and Android uses Mopria. Those routes don't always expose every advanced Xerox feature. On Windows, the Xerox Print and Scan Experience app fills that gap.
Is there a Xerox printer driver for Windows 11?
Yes. Smart Start supports Windows 10 and 11, and the Xerox Global Print Driver lists Windows 11, including ARM64. Model-specific drivers vary, so choose Windows 11 in the Platform menu on your printer's page. If your model has no Windows 11 entry, the Global Print Driver is worth a try.
Do I need a driver on a Mac?
Not always. macOS usually connects through AirPrint, which needs no driver and covers basic printing. For the full Xerox feature set, use Xerox's macOS Print and Scan Driver Installer. As of this writing, its current release lists macOS 14 (Sonoma), 15 (Sequoia), and 26 (Tahoe).
What does "Driver is unavailable" mean?
Windows can't load the driver attached to your printer. It often shows up after a Windows update or a half-finished install. Remove the printer and its driver package, then reinstall from a fresh download. The clean reinstall steps above walk through it.
Will Windows 11 stop supporting my Xerox driver?
Not under Microsoft's published plan. Since January 15, 2026, new third-party printer drivers aren't being added to Windows Update for Windows 11. Since July 1, 2026, Windows prefers its built-in IPP driver when installing new printers. From July 1, 2027, third-party driver updates through Windows Update are limited to security fixes. Drivers you've already installed keep working, and manufacturers can still offer drivers on their own sites.
Does Xerox offer Linux drivers?
Yes. Xerox provides CUPS print drivers for Linux as RPM and DEB packages, along with PPD files for CUPS, on its Drivers & Downloads pages.
Printer Tales is an independent troubleshooting resource and is not affiliated with, authorized by, endorsed by, or sponsored by XEROX. "XEROX" and all related names, logos and model names are trademarks or registered trademarks of XEROX or its affiliates, used here only to identify the products these guides cover. Full disclosure.
