How to automate the deployment of a missing Microsoft Win 11 print driver (Microsoft Print to PDF) to my domain-joined PCs

Question

How to automate the deployment of a missing Microsoft Win 11 print driver (Microsoft Print to PDF) to my domain-joined PCs

William Kunkle 5

I recently deployed Windows 11 Education 24H2 to all the domain-joined computers on our school's network (~60 devices). After deployment, however, I discovered that Microsoft's Print to PDF print driver was missing (a known bug). I can manually load the driver on our computers one-by-one, but that is a slow, laborious process (i.e., I have to log onto each device, step through the process of adding a computer manually, press the "Windows Update" button to download the driver, and then finish up the installation). Is there a way to automate the deployment of this driver to all my PCs/laptops? Thanks.

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2 answers

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Answer 1

To automate the deployment of the missing Microsoft Print to PDF driver on your domain-joined PCs, you can use Microsoft Intune or Group Policy to push the driver to all devices. Here are some steps you can follow:

Using Microsoft Intune:
- Create a driver update policy in Intune that includes the Microsoft Print to PDF driver. You can configure the policy to automatically approve and deploy the driver to all devices in your organization.
- Ensure that the devices are enrolled in Intune and are receiving updates from the policy you created.
Using Group Policy:
- You can create a Group Policy Object (GPO) that includes a script to install the driver.
- The script can use the PnPUtil tool to add the driver package to the devices. This can be executed at startup or logon.
- Ensure that the GPO is linked to the correct Organizational Unit (OU) that contains your domain-joined PCs.
Using PowerShell:
- You can create a PowerShell script that installs the driver and then deploy it using a software distribution tool or through Group Policy.
- The script can check for the presence of the driver and install it if it is missing.

These methods will help you automate the installation of the Microsoft Print to PDF driver across your network, saving you time and effort compared to manual installation on each device.

References:

Answer 2

Hi William Kunkle,

You're absolutely right—this is a known issue in Windows 11 24H2, especially with Education editions deployed via clean install. The Microsoft Print to PDF driver often goes missing due to a glitch in feature provisioning. Thankfully, you can automate its deployment across your domain-joined devices using a simple PowerShell command:

powershell

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name "PrintToPDF~~~~0.0.1.0"

This reinstalls the driver silently and works well when pushed via Group Policy, Intune, or SCCM. If you prefer, you can use the DISM equivalent for batch or scheduled deployments. Just ensure your devices have access to Windows Update or local source files. I recommend testing on a few machines first and logging results to confirm success. Microsoft is aware of the issue and a permanent fix is expected in future updates. In the meantime, this method is your best bet for a smooth rollout.

If this guidance proves helpful, feel free to click “Accept Answer” so we know we’re heading in the right direction 😊. And of course, I’m here if you need further clarification or support.

T&B,

Domic.