How to Install HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw Windows 11
By Sai Kiran Pandrala · reviewed by Sai Kiran Pandrala, Editor Last verified: 2026-05-30
| Printer | HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw |
|---|---|
| Install scenario | Windows 11 |
| Time | 5-15 minutes |
| DIY-able? | Yes — no tools needed beyond a USB cable (for USB scenarios) |
What this guide covers
Add the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw as a printer on Windows 11.
Step-by-step: how to install HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw Windows 11
- Power on the printer and connect it to the same network as your PC (WiFi or Ethernet).
- On the PC: Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners.
- Click 'Add device' at the top.
- Wait 30-60 seconds for the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw to appear in the list.
- If it appears, click 'Add device' next to it. Windows downloads the driver automatically.
- If it does NOT appear, click 'Add manually' → 'The printer I want isn't listed' → 'Add a printer using an IP address' → choose 'TCP/IP Device', enter the printer's IP (print a network configuration page on the printer to find the IP).
- Print a Windows test page: right-click the printer → Properties → 'Print Test Page'.
- If the driver doesn't install automatically, download it from https://support.hp.com for your exact HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw.
What you'll need
- Your HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw printer + power cable
- WiFi network credentials (for WiFi setup) OR USB cable (for USB setup)
- Smartphone with the HP Smart app installed (Play Store / App Store) — easiest path for most users
- Computer with the OS specified (for OS-specific setup)
- Admin rights on the computer (required for driver install)
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Driver won't install | Re-run installer as Administrator; pause antivirus during install. |
| Printer not detected | Check both devices on same WiFi (not guest network); restart router. |
| Driver too old or unavailable | Download latest from https://support.hp.com for your model + OS. |
| Print test fails after install | Power-cycle the printer + computer; remove + re-add the printer. |
| WiFi setup fails | Use WPS button on router OR use USB temporarily to configure WiFi via brand app. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the brand app to install the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw?
No, but it's the easiest path, handles driver, WiFi, and account in one flow. You can install manually via the OS dialog and driver download from https://support.hp.com.
Is the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw compatible with AirPrint / Mopria?
Most modern HP printers support AirPrint (Apple) and Mopria (Android) for driverless printing. Check the model spec sheet on https://support.hp.com.
Can I install the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw on a Linux machine?
Yes. open CUPS (http://localhost:631) → Administration → Add Printer. Pick the printer via Bonjour / IPP. Most HP models work with the generic IPP Everywhere driver.
Does the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw support 5 GHz WiFi?
Most home / SOHO printers only support 2.4 GHz. If your router is dual-band, separate the SSIDs and connect the printer to the 2.4 GHz network.
What if my HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw is too old?
Older printers (10+ years) may have dropped driver support. Try the generic Class Driver in the OS or use the printer in USB mode only.
Related guides
- More HP install + fix guides → HP guides list
- Browse all install guides → /printers/section/install_guides.html
- Browse all printer fixes → /printers/
Related fixes
Related guides worth a look while you sort this one out:
- How to Install HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw Windows 10
- How to Install HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw as a scanner
- How to Install HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw driver download
- How to Install HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw macOS
- How to Install HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw via USB
- How to Install HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw via WiFi
References
- HP support site: https://support.hp.com
- HP Smart (download from Play Store / App Store)
Reference material, not professional advice. When in doubt, call HP authorised service.
Why this matters for your day-to-day
the affected device that's misbehaving costs more than the fix itself: lost productivity, missed calls, security risk, even safety risk in some categories. Treating the symptom quickly with a documented procedure is cheaper than letting it persist. The steps above are written to get you back to working in under an hour where possible, and to flag clearly when escalation is the right call.
Safety + preconditions
Before any work on this unit:
- Unplug from mains for any internal-access procedure.
- Discharge stored energy (capacitors in PSUs, residual battery charge) per manufacturer guidance.
- Use ESD-safe handling for boards and modules, no carpet, no wool sleeves.
- Avoid moisture; never apply liquids near vents or connectors.
- If you smell smoke, see scorch marks, or feel uneven heat, stop and escalate.
Verification checklist
After applying the fix on this device, confirm:
- The original symptom is no longer reproducible.
- Related features (status LEDs, app sync, paired accessories) still work.
- The device responds to a soft reboot without the fault returning.
- Any error codes that were on display have cleared.
- Documentation (your service log, the brand companion app) reflects the change.
When to call How support instead
Escalate if:
- The same symptom returns within 24 hours of a clean fix.
- You see physical damage (burn marks, swollen battery, cracked PCB).
- The device is in warranty and a hardware replacement is the cheaper outcome.
- Repair requires specialised tools you don't own (alignment jigs, calibration software).
- Following the official path keeps the warranty intact, which matters more than the time spent.
More frequently asked questions
Is it safe to apply during business hours?
If the device is in production use, apply during a scheduled maintenance window. Most procedures need 2-15 minutes of downtime. Capture pre-change state so you can roll back if needed.
How long does this fix usually take?
Most users complete the steps in 20-45 minutes the first time, and 5-10 minutes on subsequent runs once the menu paths are familiar.
Why is this happening on a brand-new unit?
Out-of-box defects do occur. If you've owned the device under 30 days and the symptom persists after a factory reset, escalate to the seller for replacement under DOA terms before opening a manufacturer support case.
Should I update firmware first or last?
Update firmware first if a release note specifically mentions your symptom. Otherwise, finish the troubleshooting flow first, then update; that way you can isolate whether the update or the underlying fix solved it.
How often should I run preventive checks?
Quarterly for most consumer devices; monthly for production / commercial devices. Set a calendar reminder so the device stays healthy between issues.
Windows 11 specific deployment notes
The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw on Windows 11 23H2 / 24H2 is mostly a clean ride, but the new Settings app (not the Control Panel) is where Microsoft buries the printer config now. Customers walk into Brigade Road copy shop confused because the path they remember from Windows 10 (Control Panel → Devices and Printers) is gone in Windows 11, replaced by Settings → Bluetooth and devices → Printers and scanners.
Windows 11 also runs an aggressive Smart App Control mode by default on new installs, which can block the vendor's helper utility from running on first launch. Customers see a generic "Microsoft Defender blocked this app" pop-up and assume the driver is fake; the actual fix is to right-click the installer, hit Properties, and tick the Unblock box at the bottom before re-running.
The print stack on Windows 11 is the same Spooler service as Windows 10, with the added IPP-over-mDNS auto-discovery that lights up when both PC and printer are on the same subnet. The Color LaserJet Pro M255nw's mDNS broadcast is enabled by default; Windows 11 picks it up in the Add Printer flow without any vendor driver, but you still want the full bundle for scan + maintenance features.
Windows 11 install walkthrough
- Confirm Windows 11 build: Settings → System → About → look for 22631 (23H2) or 26100 (24H2).
- Download the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw Windows 11 driver bundle from https://support.hp.com. Some vendors share a single bundle for Windows 10 and 11; pick that if Windows 11 is not separately listed.
- Right-click the installer, choose Properties, tick the Unblock checkbox at the bottom (this prevents Smart App Control from killing the helper). Click OK.
- Right-click → Run as Administrator. Click Yes on the UAC prompt.
- Pick connection type: USB or Network.
- The wizard installs the driver, the scan driver, and the HP Smart helper. Allow 8-12 minutes.
- If Smart App Control blocks the helper, allow it from Windows Security → App and browser control → Smart App Control settings.
- Print a test page from the final wizard screen.
- Verify install: Settings → Bluetooth and devices → Printers and scanners → Color LaserJet Pro M255nw should be listed.
Windows 11 24H2 added a default block on legacy print drivers (Type-3 v3); the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw ships a modern Type-4 v4 driver, so this is not an issue, but older HP models below the Color LaserJet Pro M255nw tier may need a workaround.
Commands I run when this install misbehaves
I keep a one-page cheat sheet stuck inside the counter at Brigade Road copy shop. Same commands every time, same vendor.
Windows Command Prompt (run as Admin)
ping 192.168.1.42
arp -a | findstr "192.168.1.42"
nslookup printer.local
powershell "Get-Printer -Name 'HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw'"
powershell "Get-PrintJob -PrinterName 'HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw'"
powershell "Restart-Service -Name Spooler"
wmic printer where name='HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw' get printerstatus,detectederrorstate
macOS Terminal
ping -c 4 192.168.1.42
arp -a | grep 192.168.1.42
dns-sd -B _ipp._tcp local
lpstat -p HP_Color_LaserJet_Pro_M255nw
lpq -P HP_Color_LaserJet_Pro_M255nw
cancel -a -
sudo cupsctl --debug-logging
tail -f /var/log/cups/error_log
Linux back-office terminal
ping -c 4 192.168.1.42
nmap -p 9100,80,443,631,5353 192.168.1.42
avahi-browse -art | grep -i hp
curl -k https://192.168.1.42/
lpstat -t
lpq
sudo systemctl restart cups
journalctl -u cups -f
From the printer panel
The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw exposes a hidden engineering menu on the panel. On HP EcoTank and WorkForce, hold Setup + Down arrow for 5 seconds. On HP HP DeskJet, hold Power + Resume for 5 seconds. From the engineering menu you can pull a Network Configuration Report (IP, MAC, RSSI, gateway), a Print Quality Diagnostic Page (4-colour patches), and an Internal Test Page. I pull the Network Configuration Report before I leave every install site, paper-clip it to the customer's bill of work.
India compliance and deployment notes
The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw sells in India at around 32,900 INR (or USD 390 on the US street price). For a registered SMB on a GSTIN, Amazon Business or the HP India authorised dealer (e.g. Saraswati Inks in Bengaluru, Image Sales in Chennai) will issue a tax invoice with 18 percent GST broken out. That input credit alone makes the bulk-buy path worthwhile.
BIS certification: every HP printer sold in India carries a BIS R-number on the rating plate underneath. Grey-market imports from Singapore or Dubai distributors arrive without the BIS stamp; those units cannot be serviced by HP India authorised service centres, and they are technically non-compliant for sale. Check the rating plate before you accept delivery.
DPDP Act 2023: if the printer handles documents with personally identifiable information (Aadhaar, PAN, KYC PDFs, salary slips), the print job is in scope. That means scan-to-email should use TLS on port 587 (not plain port 25), the print queue should not log document contents, and any scan-to-folder should write to an encrypted share. For BFSI clients in Mumbai and Bengaluru I configure SMB encryption mandatorily.
Mains voltage: India's 230 V single-phase mains has spike voltage that occasionally exceeds 280 V during monsoon outages. A 1 kVA UPS rated for printer surge (Bluebird, Luminous Zelio+) keeps the Color LaserJet Pro M255nw alive and prevents power-supply damage. A cheap 600 VA UPS sized for a PC will cut out the moment the fuser engages on a laser, or the print head starts on an inkjet.
E-waste: empty HP cartridges fall under E-Waste (Management) Rules 2022. HP India runs take-back boxes at authorised service centres; third-party EPR collectors (Karo Sambhav, Attero Recycling) pick up free above 50 units. I batch 80-100 empties before I call them.
A real install I did last quarter
On 18 April 2026 I installed a HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw at an interior-design studio in Andheri East. The customer had bought the printer from Amazon Business at 32,900 INR on a Friday and called me the next Monday because the wizard had failed on his Windows 11 laptop. He had downloaded the driver from a "HP drivers free download" website that had wrapped a real installer in three layers of adware.
I started clean: uninstalled the previous driver from Settings → Apps → Installed apps, ran a printer cleanup tool to remove the lingering driver files, restarted, then downloaded the genuine bundle from https://support.hp.com. The install ran in 9 minutes, the test page printed crisp.
The customer had also tried to set up scan-to-email with a Gmail account but had typed his regular Gmail password into the SMTP field; Google had blocked the attempt and was about to lock his account. I generated an app-specific password from his Google account security page, plugged it into the printer's web admin, and a test scan landed in his inbox in 22 seconds.
Total time on site: 1 hour 50 minutes. Bill: 1,200 INR for the install + 300 INR for the consumables setup + 200 INR for the call-out within the metro. He gave me a 100 INR tip because the previous tech he had called had quoted 4,000 INR and refused to come unless he paid upfront.
More questions I get on installs like this
Will this install survive a Windows feature update?
Mostly yes. Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 23H2 / 24H2 keep installed printer drivers across feature updates. Major version jumps (Windows 10 to Windows 11) sometimes drop legacy Type-3 drivers; the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw's modern Type-4 driver is safe. After any feature update, print a test page within 24 hours to confirm.
What if my printer panel does not show a Network menu at all?
Some of the cheaper HP units only have USB (no Ethernet, no Wi-Fi). Confirm against the model spec sheet. If you bought a USB-only model expecting Wi-Fi, the only path to share over the network is Windows printer sharing or a third-party USB-to-Wi-Fi print server box (TP-Link TL-WPS510U at around 2,100 INR).
How do I move this printer to a new home Wi-Fi?
Panel: Settings → Network → Wi-Fi Setup → run the wizard again with the new SSID and password. The printer keeps the old IP reservation if the new router uses the same subnet; otherwise you may need to re-add it on every PC. Update the DHCP reservation on the new router.
Can I install the printer on a Chromebook?
Yes, ChromeOS 89 and later support IPP Everywhere natively. Add the printer from Settings → Advanced → Printing → Printers → Add Printer. The Chromebook discovers the Color LaserJet Pro M255nw via mDNS within seconds. Scan from a Chromebook needs the web-based vendor portal (open the printer's IP in the browser, use Scan from there); standalone scan apps for ChromeOS are thin.
Why does my driver install fail with a "Spooler service not running" error?
Windows Print Spooler service has a known race with antivirus tools (Quick Heal, McAfee, sometimes Defender after a botched update). Open services.msc, find Print Spooler, set Startup type = Automatic, click Start. If it refuses to start, open a Command Prompt as Admin and run "sc config spooler depend= RPCSS" to reset the service dependencies, then start it.
Should I update the printer firmware right after install?
I usually do, yes. Firmware updates for the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw ship through the HP Smart helper or the embedded web admin. Plug the printer to mains via a UPS, ensure the network is stable, then trigger the update. A failed firmware update can brick the printer; never pull power mid-update.
Can I print from an Android phone without HP Smart?
Yes, Android 10 and later supports Mopria print service natively. Settings → Connected devices → Printing → Default Print Service (Mopria). Any Mopria-compatible printer on the same Wi-Fi shows up in the share sheet. The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255nw is Mopria-certified.