The Most Important Requirement: Same Wi-Fi Network

Before anything else: your phone and your printer must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This is the single most common reason mobile printing does not work. If your phone is on one network and your printer is on another — or if the printer is not connected to Wi-Fi at all — they cannot communicate.

Printing From an iPhone or iPad (AirPrint)

Apple devices use a technology called AirPrint to print wirelessly to compatible printers. AirPrint is built into iOS and iPadOS — no app or driver installation required. Most printers made in the last several years support AirPrint.

1. 1Open the document, photo, email, or web page you want to print
2. 2Tap the Share button (the box with an arrow pointing up) or the three-dot menu
3. 3Scroll down and tap Print
4. 4Tap Select Printer and choose your printer from the list
5. 5Adjust the number of copies, page range, and other options as needed
6. 6Tap Print in the upper right corner

Printing From an Android Phone or Tablet

Android devices use a system called Mopria Print Service to print wirelessly. Mopria is built into most Android phones running Android 8 or later and works with most modern printers automatically.

1. 1Open the document, photo, or web page you want to print
2. 2Tap the three-dot menu (or Share) and look for a Print option
3. 3Select your printer from the dropdown at the top of the print preview
4. 4Adjust settings as needed and tap the Print button

Using Manufacturer Printer Apps

Every major printer brand offers a free app that provides more features than the built-in print options, including scanning, ink level monitoring, and printer management.

• HP Smart: Works with all modern HP printers. Available for iPhone, iPad, and Android. Supports printing, scanning, and printer management.
• Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY: Works with Canon PIXMA and SELPHY printers. Available for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
• Epson iPrint: Works with most Epson inkjet printers. Available for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
• Brother iPrint and Scan: Works with Brother printers and scanners. Available for iPhone, iPad, and Android.

Printing Photos From Your Phone

Printing photos from a phone is slightly different from printing documents. For the best results:

• Use the manufacturer app (HP Smart, Canon PRINT, Epson iPrint) rather than the built-in print option — these apps are optimized for photo printing and give you more control over paper type and print quality settings
• Select the correct paper type in the print settings — using photo paper settings when printing on plain paper (or vice versa) produces poor results
• For best quality, use the printer manufacturer's photo paper rather than generic photo paper
• Print at the highest quality setting available for photos — the default setting is often optimized for speed rather than quality

Troubleshooting: Phone Cannot Find the Printer

If your phone cannot find the printer when you try to print, work through these steps.

1. 1Confirm both your phone and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network
2. 2Restart the printer and wait for it to fully reconnect to Wi-Fi
3. 3Toggle Wi-Fi off and back on on your phone
4. 4If using an iPhone, check that the printer supports AirPrint (search the printer model on apple.com/airprint)
5. 5If using Android, open the Settings app, go to Connected Devices or Printing, and make sure the print service is enabled
6. 6Try the manufacturer app as an alternative to the built-in print option