Printers, Scanners, Security Keys and Controllers on Windows on Arm

Apps on Windows on Arm can run under emulation. Drivers cannot. That single rule explains almost every peripheral success and failure on a Snapdragon laptop: anything that needs a kernel-level driver must have an Arm64 version from its manufacturer, full stop. Prism translates applications, not kernel code.

Printers: mostly fine, with an asterisk

Basic printing usually just works — Windows 11 ships a built-in IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) class driver, so any modern network printer prints without installing anything from the vendor. Where things break is vendor utilities: duplex control panels, ink dashboards, label designers. Those are driver-plus-app bundles, and most printer makers haven’t shipped Arm64 versions. Print: yes. Fancy vendor software: check first.

Scanners: use the device-driven path

Desktop scanning over TWAIN/WIA needs an Arm64 driver, and vendor support is uneven — Kyocera ships Arm64 driver packs, while PFU states outright that ScanSnap scanners are not supported on Windows Arm PCs. The reliable route: configure Scan to Network Folder or Scan to Email on the scanner itself, which bypasses PC drivers entirely. Note that Windows Fax and Scan doesn’t exist on Arm at all — it’s on Microsoft’s official removed-features list.

Security keys and banking dongles: two very different animals

• FIDO2 keys (YubiKey-style) use the standard Windows USB-HID stack — no vendor driver, work perfectly for MFA and passkeys.
• Proprietary banking dongles (“U-shields” and similar) ship their own kernel driver and middleware. Unless the issuer provides an Arm64-signed driver — most don’t — the dongle will not work. If your bank or workplace depends on one, verify before buying, or plan the fallback (mobile-app approval, cloud certificates).

Game controllers and audio gear

Xbox Wireless and standard HID controllers use Windows’ built-in stack: plug in over USB or Bluetooth and play. Problems only appear with controllers that require vendor configuration software (driver-based remapping tools). The same HID logic applies to most keyboards, mice and basic audio devices; specialist audio interfaces with custom ASIO drivers need an Arm64 driver from the maker.

The 30-second pre-purchase check

1. Go to the device manufacturer’s download page.
2. Look for a download marked “Arm64” or “Windows 11 (Arm)”.
3. Nothing there? Assume vendor software won’t run — then decide whether the driverless basics (IPP printing, HID input, device-driven scanning) cover your needs.

For the software side of the same question, search our compatibility database — and if you’re still choosing a machine, run through the full Arm laptop buying checklist.