How to Download HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw Toner Printer Driver?

The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw is a versatile and high-performance multifunction printer designed for small to medium-sized businesses or home offices. It is known for its fast printing speed, excellent color quality, and comprehensive features that allow users to print, copy, scan, and fax from a single device. To fully harness the potential of your HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw, it is essential to install the correct printer driver on your computer. A printer driver is a piece of software that acts as a communication bridge between your computer and the printer, allowing the computer to send print jobs and receive data from the printer.

This guide will take you through the detailed steps of downloading and installing the printer driver for the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw on Windows and macOS systems. By the end of this article, you will have a fully functional printer set up and ready to use.

Why Is a Printer Driver Important?

Printer drivers are critical for ensuring that your printer functions properly with your computer. Without the appropriate driver, your computer cannot properly communicate with the printer, which means it cannot send documents to the printer for printing or access the printer’s features, such as scanning or copying.

HP provides printer drivers for a variety of operating systems. The driver package for the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw includes essential software that allows your printer to perform specific tasks, such as printing in color, scanning documents, and handling multiple-page jobs. By downloading and installing the right driver, you can ensure that your printer will work as expected and that it integrates seamlessly with your operating system.

Step 1: Check System Requirements

Before you begin downloading the printer driver, it is important to ensure that your system meets the minimum requirements. This will help avoid compatibility issues during installation. Below are the general system requirements for the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw toner printer.

For Windows:

1. Operating System: Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, or 11 (both 32-bit and 64-bit versions).
2. Processor: 1 GHz or faster processor.
3. RAM: At least 1 GB (2 GB recommended for optimal performance).
4. Hard Drive Space: At least 500 MB of available disk space.
5. USB or Network Connection: You can connect the printer via a USB cable or network (wired or wireless).
6. Internet Connection: Required for downloading the driver and updates.

For macOS:

1. Operating System: macOS 10.9 or later.
2. RAM: 1 GB or higher (recommended).
3. Hard Drive Space: 500 MB of available disk space.
4. USB or Network Connection: For connecting the printer to your computer (USB, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet).
5. Internet Connection: Required for driver downloads and updates.

Ensure that your system meets these requirements before proceeding with the driver installation. Additionally, it is crucial to have an active internet connection to download the necessary software from HP’s official website.

Step 2: Visit the Official HP Support Website

The safest and most reliable way to download the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw toner printer driver is from HP’s official support website. By doing so, you ensure that you get the most up-to-date and compatible drivers for your printer. Drivers from unofficial websites may not be reliable, and they can often contain outdated or incorrect versions.

Follow these steps to navigate to the official HP support website:

1. Open your preferred web browser (e.g., Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari).
2. In the browser’s address bar, type support.hp.com and press Enter. This will take you to the HP support homepage.
3. On the homepage, locate the search bar and enter HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw. Press Enter to search for your printer model.
4. From the search results, click on the correct model to go to the support page for the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw printer.

This will take you to the product-specific page, where you can find all the drivers, software, manuals, and troubleshooting guides for your printer.

Step 3: Choose Your Operating System

Once you are on the support page for the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw printer, you will need to choose your operating system. HP will often auto-detect your operating system, but it’s always a good idea to double-check. Make sure that the operating system displayed is correct. If it is not, you can manually select the operating system version from a drop-down menu.

You will need to select one of the following based on your system:

1. Windows (choose the correct version, such as Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11).
2. macOS (choose the appropriate version, such as macOS 10.9 or later).

After selecting your operating system, HP will display the list of available drivers and software that are compatible with your setup.

Step 4: Select the Driver and Software Package

On the driver download page, you will see several options for downloading software and drivers. HP typically provides two types of driver packages:

1. Basic Driver: This option includes only the essential printer driver required for printing. It is a smaller download and is suitable for users who do not need advanced features like scanning or faxing.
2. Full Feature Software and Drivers: This is the complete driver package, which includes not only the basic printer driver but also additional software and tools for using the printer's advanced features. This package typically includes utilities for scanning, printing preferences, and management tools.

For most users, the Full Feature Software and Drivers package is recommended. It includes everything you need to take full advantage of the printer’s capabilities, including scanning, copying, and managing print jobs.

Once you have decided which package best suits your needs, click the Download button next to the selected package for your operating system. The driver will begin downloading automatically to your computer.

Step 5: Download the Printer Driver

Once you click the Download button, the file will begin downloading. The download time will vary depending on the size of the driver package and your internet connection speed. Typically, the file will be saved in your Downloads folder, but you can change the location if needed.

Before proceeding with the installation, ensure that the download has completed successfully. You may want to double-check the file size and confirm that it matches the expected size indicated on the website.

Step 6: Install the Printer Driver

After the driver package has been downloaded, you can begin the installation process. The installation process differs slightly depending on whether you are using Windows or macOS. Below, we will walk you through both procedures.

Installing on Windows:

1. Locate the downloaded file: Open your Downloads folder and find the downloaded driver file (it will typically have an .exe extension).
2. Start the installation: Double-click the .exe file to begin the installation process.
3. Allow changes to your computer: You may see a prompt from User Account Control (UAC) asking if you want to allow the installation. Click Yes to continue.
4. Agree to the License Agreement: Read the License Agreement and click I Agree to continue the installation.
5. Choose connection type: The installer will ask whether you want to connect the printer via USB, network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), or Bluetooth. Select the appropriate option for your setup.
6. Connect the printer: If you selected USB, the installation will prompt you to connect the printer to your computer. For network connections, ensure that your printer is connected to the same network as your computer.
7. Complete the installation: Follow the remaining prompts to complete the installation. Once finished, click Finish to exit the installer.

Installing on macOS:

1. Locate the downloaded file: Find the downloaded driver package (usually a .dmg file) in your Downloads folder.
2. Open the disk image: Double-click the .dmg file to mount the installer disk image.
3. Run the installer: In the new window that appears, double-click the Installer to start the installation process.
4. Agree to the License Agreement: Read and agree to the License Agreement to proceed.
5. Enter your administrator password: macOS will prompt you to enter your administrator password to allow the installation to proceed.
6. Choose connection type: Choose between USB or Network based on how you want to connect your printer.
7. Complete the installation: Follow the on-screen prompts to finish the installation. Once done, click Finish to exit the installer.

Step 7: Set the Printer as Default (Optional)

After the driver is successfully installed, you may want to set the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw as your default printer. This ensures that your computer will automatically select it for all print jobs.

For Windows:

1. Open the Control Panel and navigate to Devices and Printers.
2. Right-click the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw icon and select Set as Default Printer.

For macOS:

1. Open System Preferences and select Printers & Scanners.
2. Select the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw from the list of printers.
3. Click the Set as Default Printer button.

Step 8: Test the Printer

To ensure everything is working properly, it’s essential to test your printer. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Open any document or image on your computer that you would like to print.
2. Click on File and then select Print from the menu.
3. Select HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw from the printer list.
4. Click Print to send the job to the printer.
5. Wait for the printer to finish printing.

If the printer produces the document correctly, then your installation was successful. If there are any issues, refer to the troubleshooting section of the user manual or revisit the installation steps.

Step 9: Update Printer Drivers (Optional)

HP frequently releases updates to the printer drivers to improve functionality and resolve any bugs. To keep your printer running optimally, it’s important to check for driver updates periodically. To update your drivers, simply visit the official HP support website and download the latest version of the driver for your printer.

Conclusion

Downloading and installing the correct printer driver for your HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw toner printer is a crucial step to ensure that your printer functions smoothly. By following the detailed instructions outlined in this guide, you can easily download and install the driver on both Windows and macOS operating systems. With the correct driver installed, you’ll be able to take full advantage of your printer’s capabilities, whether you need high-quality color prints, efficient scanning, or document management features. Always remember to periodically check for updates to keep your printer working at its best.