foreach (ManagementObject printer in results) { // Invoke the SetDefaultPrinter method printer.InvokeMethod("SetDefaultPrinter", null); Console.WriteLine($"{printerName} set as default."); return true; } } } catch (Exception ex) { Console.WriteLine($"Error setting default printer: {ex.Message}"); return false; } return false; }

In Windows 11, the easiest way to set a default printer is via the Settings app.

Setting a default printer in Windows 11 is straightforward, but Microsoft has introduced changes that can confuse users—especially the “Let Windows manage my default printer” setting, which overrides manual selections.

If you are building a Windows application feature, use this C# snippet. You will need to reference System.Printing and System.Management .

If you want a permanent default, immediately toggle off “Let Windows manage my default printer” after setup. Otherwise, you’ll wonder why your default keeps changing.