Scanning/Printing with Windows Subsystem for Linux

29 December, 2017

In Windows Subsystem for Linux, printing via cups and scanning via xsane works fine for network-connected printer/scanner ONLY.

USB printers do NOT work from WSL at this time, nor does any other USB device except USB ↔ serial adapters.

For example, WSL works with networked Brother MFC devices. In general Brother Linux printer/scanner support is very good. Generally it’s easier to setup a printer/scanner in Linux than Windows. I have a scanner that didn’t work on Windows, but did work from Windows Subsystem for Linux–on the same PC and Windows 10 install.

Setup

Setup X11 for WSL so that you can view any GUI (for your program and the print dialog).

I did not use DBUS.
If you’re having trouble, it might help to try the printer with a computer running Ubuntu natively to see what’s up. I.e. it could be a faulty driver or a configuration step missing from the documents.

Printing

Install CUPS
```
apt install cups
```
Install the Linux printer driver.

Scanner

Install Xsane
```
apt install xsane
```
Install the Linux scanner driver.