Printer Redirection

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Policy settings in this node control printer configuration for Terminal Services sessions.

The full path of this node in the Group Policy Management Console is:

Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Terminal Server\Printer Redirection

Note

If you are using the Local Group Policy Editor, Policies is not part of the node path.

Available policy settings

Name	Explanation	Requirements
Do not allow client printer redirection	This policy setting allows you to specify whether to prevent the mapping of client printers in Terminal 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, Terminal 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 Terminal 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 Terminal Services Configuration tool.	At least Windows XP Professional or Windows Server 2003
Do not set default client printer to be default printer in a session	This policy setting allows you to specify whether the client default printer is automatically set as the default printer in a Terminal Services session. By default, Terminal Services automatically designates the client default printer as the default printer in a Terminal Services session. 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 terminal server 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 Terminal Services Configuration tool.	At least Windows XP Professional or Windows Server 2003
Redirect only the default client printer	This policy setting allows you to specify whether the default client printer is the only printer redirected in Terminal Services sessions. If you enable this policy setting, only the default client printer is redirected in Terminal Services sessions. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, all client printers are redirected in Terminal Services sessions.	At least Windows Server 2008
Specify terminal server fallback printer driver behavior	This policy setting allows you to specify the terminal server fallback printer driver behavior. By default, the terminal server fallback printer driver is disabled. If the terminal server does not have a printer driver that matches the client's printer, no printer will be available for the terminal server session. If you enable this policy setting, the fallback printer driver is enabled, and the default behavior is for the terminal server to find a suitable printer driver. If one 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 server 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 terminal server fallback driver is disabled and the terminal server 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 policy setting is enabled, this policy setting is ignored and the fallback printer driver is disabled.	Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 only
Use Terminal Services Easy Print printer driver first	This policy setting allows you to specify whether the Terminal Services Easy Print printer driver is used first to install all client printers. If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, the terminal server first tries to use the Terminal Services Easy Print printer driver to install all client printers. If for any reason the Terminal Services Easy Print printer driver cannot be used, a printer driver on the terminal server that matches the client printer is used. If the terminal server does not have a printer driver that matches the client printer, the client printer is not available for the Terminal Services session. If you disable this policy setting, the terminal server tries to find a suitable printer driver to install the client printer. If the terminal server does not have a printer driver that matches the client printer, the server tries to use the Terminal Services Easy Print printer driver to install the client printer. If for any reason the Terminal Services Easy Print printer driver cannot be used, the client printer is not available for the Terminal Services session. Note If the Do not allow client printer redirection policy setting is enabled, the Use Terminal Services Easy Print printer driver first policy setting is ignored.	At least Windows Server 2008