The RDS Printer Redirection group policy settings let users configure policies for printer redirection.

The Horizon 7 RDS group policy settings are installed in the Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Printer Redirection folder.

The Horizon 7 RDS group policy settings are also installed in the User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Printer Redirection folder.

Table 1. RDS Printer Redirection Group Policy Settings
Setting Description
Do not set default client printer to be default printer in a session

Use this policy setting to specify whether the client default printer is automatically set as the default printer in a session on an RDS host.

By default, Remote Desktop Services automatically designates the client default printer as the default printer in a session on an RDS host. You can use this policy setting to override this behavior.

If you enable this policy setting, the default printer is the printer specified on the remote computer.

If you disable this policy setting, the RDS host automatically maps the client default printer and sets it as the default printer upon connection.

If you do not configure this policy setting, the default printer is not specified at the Group Policy level. However, an administrator can configure the default printer for client sessions by using the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool.

Do not allow client printer redirection

Use this policy setting to specify whether to prevent the mapping of client printers in Remote Desktop Services sessions.

You can use this policy setting to prevent users from redirecting print jobs from the remote computer to a printer attached to their local (client) computer. By default, Remote Desktop Services allows this client printer mapping.

If you enable this policy setting, users cannot redirect print jobs from the remote computer to a local client printer in Remote Desktop Services sessions.

If you disable this policy setting, users can redirect print jobs with client printer mapping.

If you do not configure this policy setting, client printer mapping is not specified at the Group Policy level. However, an administrator can still disable client printer mapping by using the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool.

Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first

Use this policy setting to specify whether the Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver is used first to install all client printers.

If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, the RDS host first tries to use the Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver to install all client printers. If for any reason the Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver cannot be used, a printer driver on the RDS host that matches the client printer is used. If the RDS host does not have a printer driver that matches the client printer, the client printer is not available for the Remote Desktop session.

If you disable this policy setting, the RDS host tries to find a suitable printer driver to install the client printer. If the RDS host does not have a printer driver that matches the client printer, the RDS host tries to use the Remote Desktop Easy Print driver to install the client printer. If for any reason the Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver cannot be used, the client printer is not available for the Remote Desktop Services session.

Note: If the "Do not allow client printer redirection" policy setting is enabled, the "Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first" policy setting is ignored.
Specify RD Session Host Server fallback printer driver behavior

Use this policy setting to specify the RDS host fallback printer driver behavior.

By default, the RDS host fallback printer driver is disabled. If the RDS host does not have a printer driver that matches the client's printer, no printer will be available for the Remote Desktop Services session.

If you enable this policy setting, the fallback printer driver is enabled, and the default behavior is for the RDS host to find a suitable printer driver. If a printer driver is not found, the client's printer is not available. You can choose to change this default behavior. The available options are:

  • Do nothing if one is not found. If there is a printer driver mismatch, the RDS host will attempt to find a suitable driver. If one is not found, the client's printer is not available. This is the default behavior.
  • Default to PCL if one is not found. If no suitable printer driver can be found, default to the Printer Control Language (PCL) fallback printer driver.
  • Default to PS if one is not found. If no suitable printer driver can be found, default to the PostScript (PS) fallback printer driver.
  • Show both PCL and PS if one is not found. If no suitable driver can be found, show both PS and PCL-based fallback printer drivers.

If you disable this policy setting, the RDS host fallback driver is disabled and the RDS host will not attempt to use the fallback printer driver.

If you do not configure this policy setting, the fallback printer driver behavior is off by default.

Note: If the "Do not allow client printer redirection" setting is enabled, this policy setting is ignored and the fallback printer driver is disabled.
Redirect only the default client printer

Use this policy setting to specify whether the default client printer is the only printer redirected in Remote Desktop Services sessions.

If you enable this policy setting, only the default client printer is redirected in Remote Desktop Services sessions.

If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, all client printers are redirected in Remote Desktop Services sessions.