Remote Desktop Easy Print poor quality — switch to native driver

Joe B.

Reviewed for technical accuracy

Specialities: Windows Server (RDS 2019/2022), Windows 11/10, macOS, Printers, Networking, Office Equipment

RDP printing low resolution / blurry text — Easy Print vs native driver (HP, Epson, Canon, Brother)

Technician

Hey! Let’s get rid of blurry RDP printouts. When Remote Desktop Easy Print is used, pages can look fuzzy, pixelated, thin lines missing, or washed‑out because Easy Print sends a generic XPS stream at a low or compressed DPI. Tell me which server you use (RDS 2016/2019/2022 or Windows 10/11 host), the client OS, and the printer brand (HP, Epson, Canon, Brother). Also say if printing is via printer redirection or a mapped network printer on a Standard TCP/IP port.

Customer

Windows Server 2022 RDS, users connect from Windows 11. With Easy Print, invoices look low resolution — small text is jagged and logos are fuzzy. We use HP LaserJet and some Brother.

Technician

Understood. Easy Print poor quality happens because the universal XPS path prioritizes compatibility over fidelity. Common triggers:
• Easy Print forces client‑side rendering with a generic profile (often 300 DPI) and aggressive image compression — vector PDF text becomes rasterized.
• Printer redirection creates many virtual queues (TS00x) that ignore native PCL/PS features, 600/1200 DPI, and color management.
• Older RemoteApp/Office apps send EMF/XPS differently, causing faint text and missing hairlines.
Best practice: disable Easy Print via GPO for affected users and install the native printer driver on the RDS server (HP UPD PCL/PS, Brother, Canon UFR II, Epson ESC/P) mapped through a Standard TCP/IP port.

Customer

What’s the fastest way to switch to the native driver without breaking redirection?

Technician

Switch to native driver — step‑by‑step (RDS 2019/2022):
1) On the RDS session host, add the manufacturer package: HP Universal Print Driver (PCL6/PS) or vendor model driver (Brother/Canon/Epson).
2) Create a server‑side printer on a Standard TCP/IP (RAW 9100) port that points to the device’s IP. Uncheck “Query the printer” and disable SNMP status if delays occur.
3) Share the printer and give users permission; or deploy via Group Policy Preferences to map it for the RDS users.
4) In Group Policy set Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first = Disabled and Redirect only the default client printer = Disabled (optional). Restart the session. Jobs now use the native driver with 600/1200 DPI.

Customer

Users print from Word and a PDF app. Can we keep redirection but improve quality?

Technician

Yes — a hybrid approach works:
• Keep client redirection for home printers, but for office devices deploy a server‑mapped native queue and set it as the default on the RDS host.
• In GPO → Computer: set Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first = Disabled. The server will choose the native driver when it exists, and fall back to Easy Print for unknown devices.
• For apps with blurry PDFs, enable the PostScript or PCL XL variant and set 600/1200 DPI, Text/Graphics enhancement, and “Send TrueType as Outline” to keep crisp text.

Customer

Quality is the main issue, but speed matters too. Will switching improve performance?

Technician

Usually yes. Native drivers on TCP/IP avoid Easy Print’s XPS conversion and large spool files. You’ll see faster RDP printing plus high‑quality output. For WAN links, enable server‑side rendering and compress over RAW 9100 or LPR; avoid WSD discovery.

Customer

We’re HP‑heavy with a few Canon devices. Any brand‑specific settings for sharp text?

Technician

Native driver tips — HP / Canon / Brother / Epson:
• HP: Use HP Universal Print Driver PCL6 or PS. Enable Image REt, set 600–1200 DPI, and Send TrueType as Bitmap = Off for sharp vector text.
• Canon: Install UFR II or Generic Plus UFR II; set High Definition and Graphics Priority for PDFs.
• Brother: With the Full Driver & Software Package, set HQ1200 and disable “Toner Save”.
• Epson: Use ESC/P-R with Quality = High and enable “Edge Smoothing”.

Customer

If we disable Easy Print, will home users lose printing in RemoteApp sessions?

Technician

No, if you scope the policy correctly. Apply “Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first = Disabled” to the RDS servers; the server still falls back to Easy Print when no matching native driver is installed. For BYOD users, keep client redirection enabled and map office printers via GPP so critical jobs always use the native driver.

Customer

Any checks inside a session to confirm we’re not using the Easy Print path?

Technician

Yes: in the session host’s Devices & Printers open Printer Properties → Advanced. If the driver says “Remote Desktop Easy Print” you’re still on the universal path. It should show HP Universal Printing PCL 6, Canon UFR II, etc. Print a small‑text PDF — with the native driver it’s crisp and dark.

Customer

Can you summarize the exact fix we should roll to production?

Technician

Production rollout: deploy native drivers to RDS, publish a TCP/IP mapped queue, set it default, and disable “Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first”. Test with Word/PDF, enforce 600/1200 DPI, and save a server‑side preset. This eliminates Remote Desktop Easy Print poor quality and ensures high‑quality printing over RDP.

Customer

Perfect. Prints are sharp now — no more fuzzy text. Thanks!

Technician

Need a hand creating the GPOs or picking the right PCL/PS driver? Open the chat — we’ll switch you from Easy Print to the native driver and configure Standard TCP/IP ports for consistent, sharp output.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix for RDP Easy Print poor quality: Disable Easy Print (GPO) on the RDS host for affected printers, install and use a native driver (HP UPD, Canon UFR II, Brother, Epson), map the queue via a Standard TCP/IP (RAW 9100) port, set 600/1200 DPI, and keep client redirection only as fallback.

FAQ

Step‑by‑step (Windows Server 2019/2022)

1. Install vendor driver (HP UPD PCL6/PS, Canon UFR II, Brother/Epson packages) on the RDS host.
2. Create a printer on a Standard TCP/IP (RAW 9100) port. Disable SNMP if it delays.
3. Share and deploy via Group Policy Preferences; set as default for RDS users.
4. GPO: Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first = Disabled. Reconnect sessions.
5. Set 600/1200 DPI and enable text/graphics enhancement in the driver.

Step‑by‑step (Client considerations)

1. Windows 10/11 clients work best with vendor drivers locally but rely on server mapping for quality.
2. For Macs using RD Client, prefer server‑mapped printers; client redirection still falls back to Easy Print.
3. Test with a PDF sample; verify the server queue lists the native driver, not Easy Print.

Sources

• Microsoft — Redirecting printers in Remote Desktop Services
• Microsoft — RDS printing guidance
• HP — Universal Print Driver
• Canon — UFR II / Generic Plus drivers
• Brother — Full Driver & Software Package
• Epson — Drivers & Utilities

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