How To Connect Your Canon Printer to Your Phone

The fastest way to print from your phone to a Canon printer

You can print from your phone to a Canon printer using either Canon's own app or your phone's built-in printing system. The easiest route depends on whether your printer is newer (made in the last five years) and whether it connects to Wi-Fi. Most Canon printers made after 2018 work with the Canon PRINT app, which handles the connection for you. Older printers or those without Wi-Fi need a different approach, but the steps are still straightforward.

Before you start, make sure your Canon printer is turned on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your phone. If your printer does not have Wi-Fi, you will need to use Apple AirPrint (for iPhones and iPads) or Google Cloud Print (for Android phones), which work differently but are just as reliable.

Key Takeaways

The Canon PRINT app works on both iPhone and Android and is the simplest method for most newer Canon printers.
Your phone and printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network for any wireless printing method to work.
iPhones can print to any Canon printer on the same network using AirPrint, even without the Canon app.
Android phones without the Canon app can use Google Cloud Print if your printer supports it, though this requires a Google account.
If your printer has no Wi-Fi, you can still print by connecting your phone to the printer's own temporary Wi-Fi network.

Connecting with the Canon PRINT app on iPhone or Android

Download the Canon PRINT app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). Open the app and tap the plus sign or "Add Printer" button. The app will search for Canon printers on your Wi-Fi network. When your printer appears in the list, tap it to connect. You may see a prompt asking you to confirm the connection on the printer itself — if so, press the OK button on your printer's screen or panel.

Once connected, open any photo or document on your phone that you want to print. Look for a share button or menu (usually three dots or lines), then select "Print" or "Print with Canon PRINT". Choose your printer from the list, set the number of copies and any other options, then tap Print. The job will send to your printer within a few seconds.

If the app cannot find your printer, check that both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. Go to your phone's Wi-Fi settings and confirm the network name. Then check your printer's Wi-Fi settings — most Canon printers show the connected network on their screen, or you can find it in the printer's menu under Network or Wi-Fi Settings.

Using AirPrint on iPhone or iPad without the Canon app

If you have an iPhone or iPad, you do not need the Canon app at all. Make sure your Canon printer is on the same Wi-Fi network as your phone. Open the photo, document, or web page you want to print. Tap the share button (usually a box with an arrow pointing out of it) and scroll down to find "Print".

Tap Print, then tap "Select Printer". Your Canon printer should appear in the list. Tap it to select it. Set the number of copies if needed, then tap Print in the top right corner. The print job will go to your printer immediately. AirPrint works with most Canon printers made in the last ten years, so this is often the fastest method if you already have an iPhone.

Printing from Android without the Canon app using Google Cloud Print

If you have an Android phone and do not want to use the Canon PRINT app, you can use Google Cloud Print if your printer supports it. This method requires you to set up the printer in Google Cloud Print first, which you do from a computer, not your phone.

On a computer connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your printer, go to google.com/cloudprint in a web browser. Sign in with your Google account. Click "Add Printers" and follow the steps to register your Canon printer. Once registered, you can print from your Android phone by opening any document or photo, tapping the menu or share button, selecting "Print", and choosing your printer from the list.

Google Cloud Print is less common now because most newer Canon printers work with the Canon PRINT app instead. If your printer does not appear in Google Cloud Print, the Canon PRINT app is your better option.

Connecting when your printer has no Wi-Fi

Some older Canon printers do not have Wi-Fi built in. You can still print wirelessly by connecting your phone to the printer's own temporary network. Most Canon printers without Wi-Fi have a feature called "Direct" or "Peer-to-Peer" mode that creates its own small network just for printing.

On your printer, look for a Wi-Fi or Network button on the control panel. Press it and look for an option like "Direct Mode" or "Printer Network". The printer will display a network name (SSID) and password on its screen. On your phone, go to Wi-Fi settings and select that network name, then enter the password. Once connected, open the Canon PRINT app and add your printer — it should now appear even though it has no internet connection.

This method works well for printing one or two documents, but the connection will drop if you leave the printer's range or if the printer goes to sleep. For regular printing, a printer with Wi-Fi is more reliable.

Troubleshooting when your printer will not connect

If your printer does not appear in the app or AirPrint list, restart both devices. Turn off your printer completely, wait ten seconds, and turn it back on. Then restart your phone. This clears temporary connection problems that prevent the devices from finding each other.

Check that both devices are truly on the same Wi-Fi network. Your phone might be on a 5 GHz network while your printer is on 2.4 GHz — many older Canon printers only support 2.4 GHz. Go to your phone's Wi-Fi settings and look at the network name. Then check your printer's screen or settings menu to see which network it is connected to. If they do not match, disconnect your phone from Wi-Fi and reconnect to the same network your printer is using.

If you are using the Canon PRINT app and the printer still will not connect, uninstall the app completely and download it again from the App Store or Google Play. Sometimes the app gets stuck in a state where it cannot find printers until you reinstall it.

For AirPrint on iPhone, make sure your printer is not in sleep mode. Press any button on the printer to wake it up, then try printing again. If AirPrint still does not work, go to your iPhone Settings, tap Printers & Scanners, and remove the printer from the list. Then add it again by tapping "Add Printer" and selecting your Canon printer when it appears.

Printing documents, photos, and web pages from your phone

The steps to print change slightly depending on what you are printing. For photos in your phone's photo app, open the photo, tap the share button, and select Print. For documents like PDFs, open the file in your default reader app, look for a menu or share button, and select Print. For web pages in Safari (iPhone) or Chrome (Android), tap the menu button and look for a Print option.

Some apps do not have a Print option in their share menu. If that happens, take a screenshot of what you want to print, open the screenshot in your photo app, and print it from there. This is not ideal for documents with small text, but it works when the app itself does not support printing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Wi-Fi to print from my phone to a Canon printer?

You need Wi-Fi for most methods, but not in the way you might think. Your phone and printer must be on the same network, but that network does not have to connect to the internet. You can print using a printer's direct Wi-Fi mode even if your home Wi-Fi is down, as long as both devices are on the printer's temporary network.

Can I print from my phone if my printer is in another room?

Yes, as long as both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network and the Wi-Fi signal reaches both rooms. If your printer is far from your router and the signal is weak, move the printer closer to the router or add a Wi-Fi extender. You can test the signal by checking your printer's Wi-Fi settings — if it shows a strong connection, printing will work.

What if my Canon printer is older than five years?

Older Canon printers may not work with the Canon PRINT app. Check your printer's model number (usually on the back or bottom) and search "Canon [model number] PRINT app" to see if it is supported. If not, use AirPrint on iPhone or Google Cloud Print on Android. If your printer has no Wi-Fi at all, use the Direct Mode method described above.

Can I print from my phone when I am away from home?

Not with the methods described here — they all require your phone and printer to be on the same local network. If you need to print remotely, Canon offers a separate service called Canon PRINT Cloud, but it requires setting up an account and registering your printer on Canon's website first. For most people, printing only works when you are home or at the office where the printer is located.

Why does my printer keep disconnecting from my phone?

Printers often disconnect if they go into sleep mode or if your phone switches Wi-Fi networks. Disable sleep mode on your printer if possible — look in the printer's settings menu for Power Save or Sleep Timer and set it to Off or a longer time. Also check that your phone is not switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data, which breaks the connection. Go to your phone's Wi-Fi settings and make sure Wi-Fi is set to stay on even when the screen is locked.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.