Save Default Network Printer in User Profile and enable GPP for Client Printers

[Denise Child]

Migrating to WVD on Windows 10:

We need to save the default Network Printer to the User's Profile.

In addition, we need to allow Remote Users to use their Client Printers as Default.

I can use a GPP for the client printer and target users, but I am not able to save the default Network Printer for those that are in the Office. They do not have network printers installed on their local desktops and others are using thin clients.

We currently use Citrix and all of this is set in Citrix Policies with no trouble.

We originally assigned Session Printers to groups, but want the user to manage their own default printer in the future on WVD.

In WVD, each time the user logs off and then back in, they get the default PDF printer. The setting "Let Windows manage my default printer" is Off.

I'll keep searching and report back if I find the solution, but if anyone has already figured it out, I would appreciate the help.

Thanks,

Denise

[#2]

@Denise Child 

Hi had same problem and tried to disable that default Clientprinter will not be set as session default printer. After this it seams I can save default printer

I did this via GPO (device > policies> adm > windows components > rds services > remote session host > printer redirection > enable "don not set default client printer to be default in a session"

maybe it helps..

regards tommy

[#3]

@Tommek 

Thank you, I believe this worked. I need to confirm a separate GPP for Client Printers works.

[#4]

@Tommek 

I spoke too soon. After a server restart the printer defaults to Microsoft PDF. I have no other GPO's configured.

Denise

[#5]

howdy!.. did you ever find the solution for this? I just found this thread.... It's been plaguing me something awful :double_exclamation_mark:. My client's overview is... WVD host-pools using GP to control printer policies for multiple network printers in a single tenant. Any newfound insight would be hugely appreciated!

[#6]

@johnrjr
I have not found a way around this. We currently ask our Users to select the printer in the list or open Printers pub app in Remote Desktop and set the default printer before opening other apps. It's a pain either way, but I have not had time to dig further into this issue.

[#7]

Late to the party, I've run into the same problem.

The closest I've got to resolving the problem is pushing a GPO that says "do not set default client printer to be default in a session"

We also joined that with another GPO that essentially forces the computer to always let Windows manage their printer.

It's worked fairly well, I'd say about 6070% success rate. Some users it still fails to retain their preferred printers.

[#8]

The following seems to have fixed it for us, try it out.

https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/6co0lq/a_small_guide_for_rds_and_printing/

[#9]

I have the following settings that seem to work on a Desktop but not Applications.
Plus Users are seeing Ghost Printers. I remember years ago Azure VM's would have Ghost NICS, but this is the first time I have run into Ghost Printers. I'm going to open a ticket with Microsoft.

GPO
Computer Configuration/Policies/Administrations Templates/Windows Components/Remote Desktop Services/Remote Desktop Session Host/Printer Redirection
"Do not set default client printer to be default printer in a session"
Enabled

and

GPP:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Key path SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Value name LegacyDefaultPrinterMode
Value type REG_DWORD
Value data 0x0 (0)

[#10]

Here is what worked for us:
1 GPO and 2 GPP.

1 - GPO:
Computer Configuration/Policies/Administrations Templates/Windows Components/Remote Desktop Services/Remote Desktop Session Host/Printer Redirection
"Do not set default client printer to be default printer in a session"
Enabled

AND

2 - GPP to delete
HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion > Windows

Delete the following key if found
• Device
• LegacyDefaultPrinterMode

[#11]

@Denise Child 

We found registry fix -

Printer registry settings -HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers\Client Side Rendering Print Provider
REG_DWORD: RemovePrintersAtLogoff
VALUE: 0

Once the user manually sets their default printer and stops Windows from managing, this will keep their preferences after logoff. What I was finding was that certain printers would map to their AVD session first and the AVD would use those.