Problems with Surface Pro 11

ARM processor is the root cause of most printer-driver problems.

Settings → Bluetooth & Devices → Printers & Scanners

Remove the existing printer.

Click Add device.

Choose Add manually.

Select

IPP / Mopria compatible printer.

Settings → Windows Update

Install the latest ARM printing stack updates.

DYMO software is not ARM compatible yet in many versions.

Try:

Install DYMO Connect

On a Surface Pro 11 with a Snapdragon (ARM-based) processor, printer issues are typically caused by missing or incompatible Arm64 printer drivers and by using manufacturer installers that are not built for ARM.

Use these steps and checks in order:

1. Confirm the device is ARM-based
   • Go to Start > Settings > System > About.
   • Under Device specifications, verify System type shows ARM-based processor.
   • This confirms that all printer drivers must support Arm64.
2. Avoid manufacturer installer packages
   • On many ARM PCs (including Copilot+ / Snapdragon-based Surfaces), printer installers from Canon, Brother, or Dymo may fail or only partially work.
   • Instead of running the vendor setup, add the printers directly from Windows:
     1. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
     2. Select Add device and let Windows search.
     3. When the Canon bizhub, Brother MFC-9130CW, or Dymo appears, select it and let Windows install its built‑in or Windows Update–provided driver.
   • This is the recommended workaround for ARM PCs where vendor installers are not ARM-aware.
3. Let Windows install/update printer drivers
   • Windows Update is the recommended way to get compatible printer drivers:
     • Ensure Windows is fully updated: Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
     • Then, in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select each printer, choose Manage, then Update driver and follow the prompts.
   • If Windows Update does not find a driver for a specific printer, that device may not yet have an Arm64-compatible driver. In that case, the generic MS-XPS Class Driver or other basic class drivers may be all that is available from Windows.
4. Reinstall a problematic printer to refresh drivers If a printer installs but preferences and advanced features (duplex, finishing, trays, color options, etc.) do not work correctly:
   1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
   2. Select the affected printer (Canon, Brother, or Dymo) and choose Remove.
   3. Restart the Surface Pro 11.
   4. Return to Printers & scanners and select Add a printer or scanner.
   5. Allow Windows to install the recommended driver again.
5. Check for Arm64-compatible drivers from the manufacturers
   • If Windows cannot provide a fully functional driver (only basic printing, no preferences), check each manufacturer’s support site for:
     • A driver explicitly supporting Windows 11 and Arm64.
     • Avoid drivers marked only for older Windows versions or x86/x64 if no Arm64 support is indicated.
   • If an Arm64 driver package is available, install it and restart the device.
   • If only x86/x64 installers exist and they fail or only give partial functionality on the ARM device, full printer preference support may not be possible until the manufacturer releases Arm64 drivers.
6. ARM-specific limitations and expectations
   • On Windows 11 ARM-based devices:
     • Drivers for hardware, including printers and scanners, must be designed for Arm-based devices.
     • Printers and scanners work if their drivers are built into Windows 11 or provided by the hardware developer for Arm64.
     • Without compatible Arm64 drivers, functionality is often limited to basic printing, and advanced preference dialogs or finishing options may not work.
   • For some peripherals (especially older or specialized devices like certain label printers), there may be no Arm64 driver yet, and Windows’ generic class driver is the only option.
7. If a printer still cannot provide full functionality
   • For each of the printers (Canon bizhub, Brother MFC-9130CW, Dymo Duo labelwriter):
     • Ensure it is added via Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Add device (not via vendor installer).
     • Confirm Windows Update is fully applied.
     • If preferences still do not open or advanced features are missing, this indicates a driver compatibility gap on ARM.
   • In that case, options are:
     • Use the basic printing capability provided by Windows until the manufacturer releases Arm64 drivers.
     • For scanning, consider using generic scanning solutions that work with ARM-compatible drivers, or check the manufacturer’s site for Arm64 scanning support.

If any of these printers are mission-critical for work and require full finishing and preference support, verify with Canon, Brother, and Dymo support whether they provide Windows 11 Arm64 drivers for those exact models. Without those, Windows can only offer limited functionality on a Snapdragon-based Surface.

References:

• Fix printer connection and printing problems in Windows
• Download and install the latest printer drivers
• Fix printer driver compatibility issues in Windows
• Using software and peripherals on Surface ARM-based devices
• Arm-based Surface devices FAQ