It’s understandable to be a bit confused when setting up your HP printer and encountering a request for a WPS PIN. Many users mistake the WPS-PIN for the general Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) function commonly found on network routers. If your computer already detects your HP printer in the device list, you’re on the right network – the WPS PIN serves a different purpose.
The WPS PIN prompt during HP printer setup is a security measure. It’s designed to control which devices can access and print from your printer. So, where exactly do you find this WPS PIN?
The solution is simpler than you might think, and it’s often overlooked in the printer documentation. Here’s how to locate your WPS PIN, based on a helpful tip from the HP Support Forum:
- Get Close to Your Printer’s Display: Ensure you are near enough to clearly see the screen on your HP printer.
- Initiate Printer Addition on Your Computer: Go to your computer’s Control Panel (or System Preferences on Mac) and select the option to “Add Printer”.
- Select Your HP Printer: When your printer appears in the list of available devices, choose it.
- Watch Your Printer’s Display for the WPS PIN: At the moment your computer asks for the WPS PIN (you’ll see a blue-box-pop-up or similar prompt), immediately look at your HP printer’s display screen. The WPS PIN number will be temporarily displayed on the printer screen. This number is time-sensitive and doesn’t stay visible for long.
- Enter the WPS PIN on Your Computer: Quickly type the number shown on your printer’s display into the WPS PIN field on your computer screen.
- Wait for Printer Setup to Complete: Allow the setup process to finish installing your printer software and drivers.
This method has been reported to successfully resolve the WPS PIN issue for many HP printer users. It’s a practical solution when you can’t find the WPS PIN in the printed materials that came with your printer. By following these steps, you should be able to locate your WPS PIN directly on your HP printer’s display and complete the setup process smoothly.
