Unable to set DEFAULT PRINTER? - Let's troubleshoot

Unable to Set Default Printer pop-up error window:




This error is related to the old printer you have set as default before. Printers name that was recorded in your registry are priority on the system which you cannot modify if you're trying to set a new default printer. So you have to manually modify the registry. Note that the registry section is very sensitive,  serious  problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly.  Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully.  For insurance included, move down the registry before you alter it. And that point, you can restore the registry if an issue happens. For Additional data about how to go down and restore the registry, click the accompanying article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
How to back up and restore the registry in Windows: (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/)

Now, here's how to troubleshoot:

1. Click the Start button and type "regedit", then right click and "run as administrator"



2. Now go to this location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Window



3. Located in the right column, you can change the device key v alue data to your printer name. Right click on the Device key then modify the data value (e.g. "HP Laserjet P1006,winspool,Ne03:")




Note: You MIGHT encounter this "Error Editing Value" which you are unable to modify the data,



All you have to do is to set "permissions" to the key, and this is how its done:

Right Click on the "Windows" key and choose "Permissions", check "Allow" -> Apply, then OK.


Unable to set DEFAULT PRINTER? - Let's troubleshoot Unable to set DEFAULT PRINTER? - Let's troubleshoot Reviewed by Orionautics on 7:52:00 PM Rating: 5

426 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I am amazed and very thankful for your instructions in dealing with my problem in setting my default printer which had been my problem for so long now. It really worked. My problem was solved. Awesome.... Once again thank you.

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    2. Thanks it works perfectly��

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  2. Thank you very much.
    After installing my new printer, I encountered this problem which left me handicapped.Googled the possible solution but mostly found craps. and by good grace, I happened to get your link which solved my problem like magic.
    Awesome.Thanks again.

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  3. Thank You Very Much for the detailed information........

    Shyam

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  4. Thank You Very Much

    It is really very help full

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  5. Awesome yu r great ......thank yu verymuch

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  6. At last my search for the solution to this problem has ended here with exact solution. Thank you soooo much...

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  7. What to do if you received error message "Cannot edit device: Error writing the value's new content"

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    Replies
    1. the answer is already provided, please read the whole article.

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  8. Thanks a lot you are a lifesaver !!!

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  9. After change the registry permission, I still cannot modify the device name. Please help.

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  10. great tips .. thanks :)

    however, I have a question regarding the number 3

    3. Located in the right column, you can change the device key v alue data to your printer name. Right click on the Device key then modify the data value (e.g. "HP Laserjet P1006,winspool,Ne03:")

    Did we change the printer name only ? and what about the "Ne03:", what is that mean ?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, we are only changing the printer name we wish to be the default printer, this "Ne03:" is the Ne-port numbering which is commonly used for creating macro functions. This is automatically configured upon installing the printer on the local port like "USB001" etc. There's no need to change the "Ne" value, we leave this as is as we change the printer name.

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    2. when happens when you erase everything and forget what the "Ne" part is?

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  11. hello, i have followed your article but i still get the same error result that i cannot edit the values even after checking "allow" in permissions. Please help

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  12. Thank you so much! It really works!

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  13. very helpful! my printer works on all applications now! :) thank you heaps!

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  14. thank you very much this was very helpful.. you are quite an admin for windows!!

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  15. wow this really worked! The world needs more people like you. Thank you for sharing

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  16. wow... awesome really worked.....

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  17. Hallo i am facing same prob in win8

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  18. tnx u so much,..it works..God Bless..

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  19. It worked exactly. Awesome! Thanks..

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  20. Esto es maravilloso!!!
    Gracias, Senor!

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  21. GREAT! It really works. Thank you so much. Keep on posting PC problems with solution,.:)

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  22. hi freind this is very informative have u posted on the subject HP laserjet 1020 which i have successfully set as defualt printer

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  23. Hi. It works. Thanks for the support

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  24. Thank you so much. The printer was very close to being thrown out the window. This worked perfectly

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  25. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND YOUR KIND SOUL

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  26. Thank you very much, it worked!!

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  27. I wonder if you can post the steps to do this in windows 8.1 because the keys have different name and in my particular case didn't show any printer device at all..

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  28. Thank you very much, it worked...

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  29. This problem was driving me crazy. Thanks so much for the assist.

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  30. Thanks a lot, my problem is solved

    ReplyDelete
  31. thanks a million to you,
    wow...!! it worked

    ReplyDelete
  32. it ally worked...thank u...nice post...

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  33. it wont work again the same error is shown

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  34. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. It requires the same commas and colons as shown in the example (e.g. "HP Laserjet P1006,winspool,Ne03:") just make sure the you enter the correct and complete printer name.

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    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    4. Instead of putting "HP Laserjet Pro 400,winspool,M401dne:" try to put "HP Laserjet Pro 400 M401dne, winspool,ne03:", in windows, "ne" numbering is automatically generated when you set a default printer (ne01, ne02, ne03, ne04,.. etc.), it is commonly used in excel macros for printing, no need to modify that characters.

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  35. thank uuuuuuuuuuuuuu
    worked for my pc
    amazingggggggggg
    easyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

    ReplyDelete
  36. i had a same issue. went thru the article, did whatever i was supposed to, but i still get the same error message. value has been created and even the key renamed. what can b the issue? i guess there might b an issue with the right printer name. it is HP Deskjet 1515 but my machine reads it as HP Deskjet 1510 Series. In this case what should be the actual name to be put in the key?
    regds, sanjeev

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    Replies
    1. it finally worked thanks
      but for benefit of some - u might have to log in again to let the changes take effect. that is the way it worked for me
      thanks again

      Delete
  37. I had the same error. I cannot try this solutions until I got home 2 days from work but I badly want to try it. And I badly need to make this new printer I brought to work with a windows 8 PC. So can I asked, if it will required a LAN/WLAN connection? Cause I don't have any internet connection at home. Please help, and thanks in advance.

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  38. Thank You for your valuable information....

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  39. Thank u very much
    it really helps

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  40. It's works
    Gr8 solution
    Thanks a lot

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  41. Thank you for sharing the knowledge...

    I

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  42. This helped me solve the problem. Thank you so much.

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  43. Great! I had tried many ways to fix it until read this, even reinstall Win and Office

    So simple

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH

    ReplyDelete
  44. This really help!! Thanks much brah! \m/

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  45. Thank you, God bless u .. u Really make it all happen @ Simple way.

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  46. THANK YOU SOO MUCH... IT WORKED

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  47. thank you thank you very much ive been searching for this kind of post finally i will not have trouble in printing in excel now i dont need to copy it to ms word

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  48. Thank you very much
    you went in detail and showed how to edit

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  49. excuse me for a sec but would this solution work on networked printers?

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  50. Thank you so much!!! You are perfect in giving instructions and in just a second my printer worked well.

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  51. administrator throw excel file printing , user throw word file only printing , excel file print print preview not available showing.


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  52. Thanks you very much great our problem is resolve again thanks

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  53. Thank You Very much.
    Your link which solved my problem like magic

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  54. Omg...The One... It was very helpful. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Thank you so much it was the solution to my problem!

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  56. many many thanks to you bro. great work

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  57. Thank u very much. Finally I solve the problem with your help.thanks

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  58. ohmygod !!!!!!! god bless you!! thank you!!!

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  59. it works for me! thanks a lot. I been figuring it out for hours

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  60. Hi! Im Gelo, Thank You Very Much. AWESOME!

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  61. Whoaaaa! It worked!! Thanks Genius!

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  62. Thank you so much !! great !

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  63. Thank you very much I am very happy with your solution

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  64. Thank you very much this solution is great

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  65. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  66. समस्या का निराकरण बताने के लिए आपका असीम धन्यवाद !
    मैंने अपनी समस्या (Error 0x00000709)का समाधान आपके निर्देशानुसार सफलतापूर्वक कर लिया है!
    आपका असीम साधुवाद !
    :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

    !! राधे-राधे !!

    ReplyDelete
  67. THANKS YOUR SUGGESTION REALLY HELPED (set as my default printer0 BUT STILL I Face problem in ms excel,its does not show the name of printer at all. kindly help

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  68. Salute! Work like a bomb. Thanks.

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  69. Salute! Work like a bomb. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Thanks for Kind Help. May God Bless you (*_*)

    ReplyDelete
  71. Awesome Trick Good better then other link,
    Thank you So much

    ReplyDelete
  72. Thank you thank you thank you.........

    ReplyDelete
  73. Thank you thank you thank you.........

    ReplyDelete
  74. This is the awesome working solution ever I found!! just takes 2 mins!! with screenshots

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  75. it couldn't work for me. the last option where i should select windows for permission might be the problem. i don't have the option to choose windows. i instead selected windows update but the problem persists

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  76. Awosome thanks very much its a very good solution

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  77. bhot sahi yar.. thank you very much

    ReplyDelete
  78. After many months of my attempt to fix it, finally!

    Thanks a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  79. whew! after many months... thanks alot!!! :D :D :D

    ReplyDelete
  80. thankyou! it really worked!!! :D

    ReplyDelete
  81. Awesome solution ....thanks sir

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  82. Thanks a lot..solve my longtime prob...

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  83. I unable to see printer list in excel sheet only. Please help me..

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  84. man your a genius. wow! helped cheers

    ReplyDelete
  85. Great help indeed... these supporting hands are still there and so the good peoples. Otherwise till day the world would have vanished by the deeds of bad peoples....thank u so much

    ReplyDelete
  86. CAN NOT CHANGE PERMISSION IT SHOWS ACCESS DENIED

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  87. it works, thank you for sharing this information it s really helpful

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  88. You my friend are a friend and a scholar i tried various ways and all failed then i found your advice and BOOM!!!! worked perfectly.

    ReplyDelete
  89. It Works.., AMAZING.. thank you so much, GBU

    ReplyDelete
  90. bwuhahahhahhaa... IT WORKS!!!.. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

    ReplyDelete
  91. thanks .. lots of posts videos were there to guide... but it finally helped..... thanks a ton

    ReplyDelete
  92. Great post with very useful information to all thanks for sharing with all of us. I like it very much.
    Printers Lebanon

    ReplyDelete
  93. It Works, thank you so much...

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  94. It works. Thank you

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  95. fast and accurate solution. thanks

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  96. Many many thanks dear, it helped me too.
    Great Job.

    ReplyDelete
  97. Thanks lot its working in my system also...

    ReplyDelete
  98. Thank you very much for the resourceful post...

    ReplyDelete
  99. Really helped ...
    Hats off !!!

    ReplyDelete
  100. Thank you SO Much! I had spent so much time trying everything possible....and this worked! Finally!

    ReplyDelete
  101. Really a great post. it helped me a lot.thakn u so much

    ReplyDelete
  102. hey!

    Thnaks for all detail about for printer this is very informative all person.

    ReplyDelete
  103. thanks.really help :)

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  104. Thanks so much. The problem is solved.

    ReplyDelete
  105. YOU ARE THE BEST MAN!!! a milllion thanks>>>>

    ReplyDelete
  106. Many many thanks for this tips, its really very helpful.

    Ashraf

    ReplyDelete
  107. superrrr i solved my problem with u rhelp.. thanking uuuuu a lot

    ReplyDelete
  108. IT WORKED! THANK YOU SO MUCH

    ReplyDelete
  109. thank you sir. but my 2 win7 PCs here still can't print in Excel. The Select Printer dialog box in Excel won't display the newly installed printer's name, a new EPSON L360 model. I have done what the instructions have said, edited the regedit values, etc. but they still can't print in Excel. What else could be the problem?

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  110. Knowledgeable Blog Post thanks To Share It With Us !

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  111. THANKS A LOT!!!!!!YOU SAVED ME I WAS CRAZY WITH MY NEW PRINTER..

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  112. It’s awesome that you want to share those tips with us.This is definitely the article that I will try to follow. Click here for more information HP Printer Technical Support

    ReplyDelete
  113. Thank you very much for this wonderful article. I found it very helpful and informative for those who are looking fix errors with their printers. Well, there are different things to consider while buying a printer. You should know the working of a printer before buying it. One thing that will be helpful for you while buying a printer is to check its functionality. If you are looking to buy the best one then you should check this list of wireless printers before buying. I bet you will find the best one for your needs on this link.

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  114. its 2017 , yeah it really helps me now

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  115. What if i clear everything because i don't want to set specific default printer? In my work need to change default when need to print from different system.

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  116. Great blog! I really love how it is easy on my eyes and the information are well written.
    Hp Deskjet 3700 Wireless Setup

    ReplyDelete
  117. it worked, very nice and thankx.

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  118. oh my god! it really work!!! thank you soooo much. You save my life!

    ReplyDelete
  119. thank you very much,it work in my windows 7 32bit!

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  120. The blog was absolutely fantastic! Lot of information is helpful in some or the other way. Keep updating the blog, looking forward for more content...Great job, keep it up.
    Online Printing Solutions

    ReplyDelete
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  122. Worked like a charm! Thanks.

    ReplyDelete

  123. Nice Blog...thanks for sharing information...i m countinue reader this blog




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