--- title: "What Is Windows Ready Print (WPP)? A Complete Guide" description: "Windows Ready Print is Microsoft's modern print platform. WPP is its strict enforcement mode. Learn what both mean for your fleet." type: article version: 2 version_id: "cc462881-06a4-494f-907e-e59156ebb0cd" generated_at: "2026-06-16T12:32:48.949Z" language: en reading_time: "12 min" word_count: 2295 keywords: ["Why Microsoft Built WPP", "What WPP Doesn't Do", "Requirements for WPP", "Enabling WPP", "Disabling WPP", "How ezeep Approaches WPP", "Frequently Asked Questions"] url: "https://ezeep.com/learn/what-is-windows-protected-print" --- # What Is Windows Ready Print (WPP)? A Complete Guide > Windows Ready Print is Microsoft's modern print platform. WPP is its strict enforcement mode. Learn what both mean for your fleet. ## Key Takeaways - Windows Protected Print Mode Definition - Why Microsoft Built WPP - How Windows Protected Print Mode (WPP) Works - What WPP Doesn't Do - What Changes When You Turn On WPP ## Contents - [Windows Protected Print Mode Definition](#windows-protected-print-mode-definition) - [Why Microsoft Built WPP](#why-microsoft-built-wpp) - [How Windows Protected Print Mode (WPP) Works](#how-windows-protected-print-mode-wpp-works) - [What WPP Doesn't Do](#what-wpp-doesn-t-do) - [What Changes When You Turn On WPP](#what-changes-when-you-turn-on-wpp) - [Requirements and Setup of WPP](#requirements-and-setup-of-wpp) - [Requirements for WPP](#requirements-for-wpp) - [Enabling WPP](#enabling-wpp) - [Disabling WPP](#disabling-wpp) - [How ezeep Approaches WPP](#how-ezeep-approaches-wpp) - [Dive Into the World of ezeep](#dive-into-the-world-of-ezeep) - [Frequently Asked Questions](#frequently-asked-questions) - [Want Printing That Works Under WPP?](#want-printing-that-works-under-wpp) Overview # What Is Windows Ready Print (WPP)? Microsoft's new driverless printing model for Windows. What it does, what it affects, when it becomes the default, and what IT teams need to know before planning around it. Microsoft introduced the name "Windows Ready Print" in May 2026 - the new consumer-facing label for the modern print platform that appears in Windows Settings. Windows Protected Print Mode (WPP) is the strict enforcement mode built on top of it. This page covers both: what the platform is, what WPP enforces, and what IT teams need to plan for. ## Windows Protected Print Mode Definition [Windows Protected Print Mode (WPP)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/modern-print/windows-protected-print-mode/windows-protected-print-mode) is a Microsoft security feature, introduced in Windows 11 version 24H2 (October 2024) and Windows Server 2025, that restricts printing to a driverless, IPP-based model. When WPP is enabled, third-party print drivers are removed from the system and new driver installations are blocked. Only printers using the Microsoft IPP class driver, which communicates with [Mopria](http://www.mopria.org)\-certified printers, work natively. The feature is part of Microsoft's broader effort to harden the Windows print stack against vulnerabilities like PrintNightmare. As of mid-2026, WPP will be off by default on every Windows version that supports it. Users with local administrator rights can turn it on through Windows Settings - where Microsoft now labels the toggle "[Windows Ready Print](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/partnernews/introducing-windows-ready-print-and-modernized-driver-selection/4526895)." IT administrators can enable or block WPP through Group Policy or the Windows Registry. Microsoft has stated WPP will become the default by 2027, though no specific date has been published. The transition is gradual: WPP can be tested today, enabled on specific machines or user groups now, and rolled out broadly before the default-on date arrives. ## Why Microsoft Built WPP Print spooler vulnerabilities have been a recurring problem on Windows for years. [PrintNightmare (CVE-2021-34527)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PrintNightmare) was the most publicly known example, but it was one in a long series of spooler-based exploits. The root cause was consistent. Third-party print drivers run with high privilege, and the Windows print spooler had to trust every vendor's driver code to operate. WPP closes that gap by removing third-party drivers from the print stack entirely. The decision also fits the broader direction of the Windows operating system. Less third-party code with elevated rights, more sandboxing, more verified components. Modern features like Smart App Control and the deprecation of certain legacy drivers point the same direction. WPP is the printing version of that shift. How It Works ## How Windows Protected Print Mode (WPP) Works The architecture is fundamentally different from the print stack Windows has used for the last twenty years. Under the traditional model, every printer needed a vendor driver installed locally on each Windows machine. The driver translated print jobs into device-specific commands and ran with elevated privileges to do so. Under WPP, four things change. #### Microsoft IPP Class Driver Only The IPP class driver becomes the only print driver the OS will load. It's a generic driver built into Windows that supports the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP), an open standard that most modern network printers already implement. Microsoft IPP Class Driver Only #### Third-Party V3 and V4 Drivers Are Blocked V3 is the older driver model that was the target of PrintNightmare and many similar exploits. V4 is the newer model Microsoft introduced with Windows 8. Neither loads when WPP is enabled. Third-Party V3 and V4 Drivers Are Blocked #### Vendor Features Run Through Print Support Apps PSAs are sandboxed UWP applications distributed through the Microsoft Store. They handle finishing options (stapling, hole punching, booklet folding), advanced settings, and other vendor-specific capabilities without touching the print spooler. The driver itself doesn't change. Optional features are layered on through the app. Vendor Features Run Through Print Support Apps #### Communication Happens Over IPP Print traffic moves over IPP, typically on TCP and UDP port 631. The printer must be reachable on that port, and the IPP or IPPS protocols must be enabled on the device (the exact setting name varies by manufacturer). Communication Happens Over IPP ## What WPP Doesn't Do A few things come up repeatedly in WPP conversations that are worth clarifying because they're commonly misunderstood. WPP is not the same as Windows Ready Print. Windows Ready Print is the name for the broader modern print platform - IPP-based, with legacy driver fallback still available. WPP is the strict enforcement mode within it. The rest of this section describes what WPP specifically does not do. WPP is not an enterprise print management replacement. It does not provide pull printing, follow-me printing, user authentication at the device, accounting, quotas, or document tracking. Those are separate categories of capability. WPP does not encrypt print jobs end-to-end. IPP supports IPPS (IPP over HTTPS) for transport encryption between the Windows machine and the printer, but that is transport-level protection, not full document-level encryption. WPP does not provide centralized printer deployment. It restricts how printers can be installed locally on each Windows machine, but it doesn't provide a central management plane. Group Policy can manage WPP itself, though the older Group Policy printer deployment options (which depended on the traditional print server architecture) are affected by the WPP-related changes. WPP does not address printer firmware vulnerabilities. The protection is at the Windows print stack layer. If a printer's firmware has a vulnerability, WPP does not change that. What Changes ## What Changes When You Turn On WPP The shift is bigger than the name suggests. Once WPP is on, six things change. ### All Non-IPP Printers Stop Working Anything installed through a third-party V3 or V4 driver is unloaded and no longer functional. Existing print queues that depended on those drivers go silent. [All Non-IPP Printers Stop Working](https://www.ezeep.com/use-cases/azure-virtual-desktop-printing?hsLang=en) ### New Driver Installations Are Blocked Point-and-print is disabled. Manual installations through INF files or vendor installers fail. Group Policy cannot re-enable driver installation. [New Driver Installations Are Blocked](https://www.ezeep.com/use-cases/cross-platform-printing?hsLang=en) ### The Internet Printing Client Feature Is Removed This is a separate Windows feature that some print solutions rely on. Disabling WPP later does not reinstall it automatically. ### XPS and Built-in Fax Are Removed Both are deprecated under WPP and uninstalled when the feature turns on. [XPS and Built-in Fax Are Removed](https://www.ezeep.com/security-compliance?hsLang=en) #### OneNote (Desktop) Is Replaced Standard OneNote printing is uninstalled. A new "OneNote (Desktop) Protected virtual printer" replaces it on Windows 11 26100 or higher with OneNote app version 2410 and later. #### Only Mopria-Certified Printers Work Natively Older printers and printers from manufacturers that haven't certified through Mopria don't appear as available print destinations. ## Requirements and Setup of WPP ## Requirements for WPP To use WPP, an environment needs: - A supported operating system: Windows 11 version 24H2 or later, or Windows Server 2025 or later. - Mopria-certified printers. The Mopria Alliance maintains a public list of certified devices. Most modern printers from major manufacturers (Canon, HP, Epson, Brother, Lexmark, Ricoh, Toshiba, Xerox) include Mopria certification, though feature support varies. Older printers and many specialty devices (label printers, plotters, industrial printers) are often not Mopria-certified. - IPP and IPPS enabled on the printer. The setting name varies by manufacturer. - Network reachability on TCP port 631. Firewall rules must allow IPP traffic between the Windows machine and the printer. If the environment enforces encrypted printing (IPPS), port 443 must also be unblocked. - The Microsoft IPP class driver. Installed by default with Windows. No additional driver download is required. For vendor-specific features beyond the standard IPP set, the manufacturer must publish a Print Support App through the Microsoft Store, and the user or organization must install it. ## Enabling WPP WPP can be enabled in three ways. *Via Windows Settings:* Settings → Bluetooth and Devices → Printers and scanners → scroll to Printer Preferences → Windows Ready Print (previously labeled Windows protected print mode) → Set up. The user must have local administrator rights. *Via Group Policy:* Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Printers → Configure Windows Ready Print (previously labeled Windows protected print) → Edit. The Group Policy ADMX template for WPP is included in current Windows 11 and Server 2025 versions. *Via the Registry:* Keys live at `HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\Printers\\WPP`. Set the `WindowsProtectedPrintMode`DWORD value to `1` to enable. A system reboot may be needed for the change to take full effect, particularly when removing existing TCP/IP print queues that don't get cleaned up on the first toggle. ## Disabling WPP WPP can be turned off through the same three paths in reverse. Disabling WPP does not undo the changes that happened when it was first enabled. ⚠️ Removed drivers do not reinstall automatically. Removed Windows features (Internet Printing Client, XPS, built-in fax) do not return on their own. Existing print queues that depended on removed drivers must be rebuilt. WPP is straightforward to turn on. Reverting cleanly is a project. ezeep and WPP ## How ezeep Approaches WPP ezeep's cloud-rendered, driverless print model aligns with where Microsoft is taking Windows. The latest ezeep App for Windows is a dedicated Windows application that allows ezeep-managed printers to be mapped on user devices even when WPP is enabled. It uses ezeep's cloud rendering, so no local drivers are required. Users keep printing to ezeep printers without disabling WPP, and the security level the IT team chose stays intact. [Learn More about ezeep's Print App](https://www.ezeep.com/blog/ezeep-print-app-for-windows-wpp-support?hsLang=en) Related Articles ## Dive Into the World of ezeep #### Windows Ready Print (WPP): The IT Admin Readiness Checklist Audit your fleet for Mopria, then see the driverless solution that makes any printer WPP-ready. [Windows Ready Print (WPP): The IT Admin Readiness Checklist](https://www.ezeep.com/guides/windows-protected-print-checklist?hsLang=en) #### Windows Ready Print (WPP) Fleet Migration Guide See how much of your fleet is WPP-ready, isolate the legacy tail, and follow a plan to the July 2027 cutoff. [Windows Ready Print (WPP) Fleet Migration Guide](https://www.ezeep.com/guides/windows-protected-print-fleet?hsLang=en) #### Windows Ready Print (WPP): The Enterprise Guide The 3 Microsoft driver deadlines, how to audit your fleet for Mopria, and 4 paths for printers that break. [Windows Ready Print (WPP): The Enterprise Guide](https://www.ezeep.com/guides/windows-protected-print-enterprise?hsLang=en) ## Frequently Asked Questions Curious about how it all works? Here's everything you wanted to know about ezeep's cloud printing solution. ##### Is Windows Protected Print Mode enabled by default? No. As of mid-2026, WPP is disabled by default in all Windows versions that support it. The Windows Ready Print toggle in Settings controls IPP-by-default behavior for new installs - that's on from July 2026. Full WPP enforcement is a separate, stricter step. Microsoft has indicated WPP will become the default by 2027.  ##### What is the difference between Windows Ready Print and Windows Protected Print Mode (WPP)? Windows Ready Print is Microsoft's name for the modern, IPP-based print platform introduced across Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025. It defaults to IPP for new printer installations but keeps legacy OEM drivers available as a fallback. Windows Protected Print Mode (WPP) is the strict enforcement layer on top o fit - when WPP is enabled, legacy drivers are removed entirely and only Mopria-certified printers work. One is a preference; the other is an enforcement. ##### Can I use any printer with WPP? No. Only printers that are Mopria-certified and reachable via the Microsoft IPP class driver work natively. Older printers and many specialty devices (some plotters, label printers, industrial devices) are not Mopria-certified and will not appear as available printers when WPP is on. Basic printing usually works on certified models; advanced features often require a Print Support App from the manufacturer. ##### Can I reverse the changes WPP makes? WPP itself can be turned off. The changes it triggered when first enabled (removed drivers, removed Windows features, deleted print queues) do not automatically reverse. Each removed component must be reinstalled or rebuilt manually. ##### Does WPP replace my print server? No. WPP is a Windows endpoint security feature that changes how printing works on individual Windows machines. It is not a print management platform and doesn't provide centralized printer deployment, user controls, or reporting. ##### Is WPP required for compliance? WPP is not required by any specific compliance framework today. It is one approach to reducing print stack risk. Other architectures (cloud-rendered printing, for example) address the same risk in a different way. ##### Does PostScript still work under WPP? The Microsoft IPP class driver does not output PostScript. It outputs PWG Raster, PCLm, or other IPP-supported formats depending on what the printer accepts. Workflows that depended on PostScript output need to be re-evaluated. ##### How is WPP different from Universal Print? WPP is a Windows OS-level security feature that restricts how local printing works on each Windows machine. Windows Ready Print is the name for the broader modern print platform WPP enforces strictly. Universal Print is a separate Microsoft cloud service for centralized printer management. All three relate to Microsoft's modernization of the print stack, but solve different problems. ##### Does WPP affect Mac or Linux clients? WPP is a Windows-specific feature. Mac and Linux clients are not directly affected. However, if Mac or Linux clients print through a Windows print server, changes to that server's print stack (driver removal, queue rebuild) will affect them indirectly. ##### Does WPP work with traditional print servers? WPP changes how local Windows machines handle printer drivers. Traditional print servers that rely on shared V3 or V4 drivers are affected because the client side cannot load those drivers anymore. Some queue deployment workflows that depend on the older driver model will need to be re-architected. Back to top ## Want Printing That Works Under WPP? ezeep is free for up to 10 users. Set it up in minutes and see how cloud rendering works under any Windows configuration, including WPP. [Start 14-Day Free Trial](https://www.ezeep.com/free-trial?hsLang=en) [Book a Demo](https://www.ezeep.com/demo?hsLang=en) --- ## About This Content **Source:** [What Is Windows Ready Print (WPP)? A Complete Guide](https://ezeep.com/learn/what-is-windows-protected-print) *This content is provided for informational purposes. Please visit the original source for the most up-to-date information.*