The fastest way to print from your phone

You can print from your phone to most modern printers using one of three methods: your printer's own app, your phone's built-in print settings, or a cloud printing service like Google Cloud Print. Which one works depends on what printer you have and whether it's connected to WiFi.

If your printer is newer (made in the last five to seven years) and connected to the same WiFi network as your phone, the built-in print option will usually work without any setup. Older printers or printers connected only by USB cable to a computer need either the manufacturer's app or a cloud service to bridge the gap.

Key Takeaways

  • Most modern WiFi printers print directly from your phone through your phone's native print menu without installing anything extra.
  • If your printer isn't WiFi-enabled, download the manufacturer's app (HP Smart, Canon PRINT, Epson iPrint) to print wirelessly.
  • Google Cloud Print and similar services let you print to any printer connected to a computer, even if that computer is in another room or building.
  • Before printing, make sure your phone and printer are on the same WiFi network, or the connection will fail.

Printing through your phone's built-in print menu

On both Android and iPhone, the print option lives inside the Share menu. Open the document, photo, or email you want to print, tap the Share button (usually three dots or lines), and look for a Print option. Tap it, and your phone will search for nearby printers automatically.

Your phone will show a list of printers it found on your WiFi network. Select the one you want, choose how many copies you need, and tap Print. The document goes directly to the printer without any app installation. This works with most HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, and Xerox printers made in the last several years.

If no printers appear in the list, your printer either isn't connected to WiFi, isn't on the same network as your phone, or is too old to support this feature. Check your printer's manual or the manufacturer's website to see if it has WiFi capability. If it does, make sure it's connected to your home or office WiFi network.

Using the printer manufacturer's app

Every major printer maker offers its own app that lets you print wirelessly. HP has HP Smart, Canon has Canon PRINT, Epson has Epson iPrint, and Brother has Brother iPrint&Scan. These apps work even if your printer is older or doesn't have built-in WiFi support, as long as the printer is connected to a computer that's on the same network.

Download the app from your phone's app store, open it, and follow the setup steps to connect to your printer. The app will search your network automatically. Once connected, you can print photos, documents, and web pages directly from the app. Some apps also let you scan documents and send them to your phone.

The manufacturer's app is your best option if the built-in print menu doesn't find your printer. It's also more reliable for older printers, because the app is designed specifically for that brand's hardware and knows how to communicate with it even if your phone's generic print system doesn't.

Printing through Google Cloud Print and similar services

Google Cloud Print (which Google retired in 2021, but some printers still support it) and newer services like Mopria let you print to a printer even if it's not on your current WiFi network. This is useful if you want to print to a printer at work, at a family member's house, or anywhere else you've set up the service.

To use these services, you first register your printer on the service's website or app using a computer. Once registered, you can print to that printer from your phone anywhere you have internet, even if you're not on the same WiFi network. The printer itself doesn't need to be WiFi-enabled — it can be connected to any computer that stays on.

Mopria is built into many newer Android phones and printers. If your phone and printer both support it, you'll see Mopria as an option in your print menu. For older setups, check whether your printer's manufacturer offers its own cloud printing service through their app.

Troubleshooting when your phone won't find the printer

The most common reason printing fails is that your phone and printer aren't on the same WiFi network. Check your phone's WiFi settings and your printer's network settings to make sure they're both connected to the same network name. If your home has a 5GHz and 2.4GHz network with the same name, try connecting both devices to the same band.

If they're on the same network and still not connecting, restart both devices. Turn off your printer completely, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. Do the same with your phone. This clears temporary connection problems that prevent the devices from finding each other.

If restarting doesn't work, check whether your printer needs a firmware update. Visit the manufacturer's website, find your printer model, and download any available updates. Older printers sometimes need a software update to work with newer phones. You'll usually install the update through the manufacturer's app or by connecting the printer to a computer.

Printing from email and messaging apps

Gmail, Outlook, and most messaging apps have a print option built into their Share menu. Open the email or message, tap Share, select Print, and choose your printer. This works the same way as printing from other apps — your phone searches for nearby printers and sends the document directly.

Some email apps also let you print attachments. Open the attachment, tap Share, and select Print. If the attachment won't open in your phone's default app, try opening it in a different app first — for example, open a PDF in Adobe Reader instead of your phone's built-in reader, then print from there.

What to do if your printer is only connected by USB cable

If your printer is connected to a computer only by USB cable and has no WiFi, you have two options: use the manufacturer's app (which can print through the computer) or set up cloud printing through the manufacturer's service.

With the manufacturer's app, your phone communicates with the app on the computer, and the computer sends the print job to the printer. This requires the computer to be on and the app to be running. With cloud printing, you register the printer once on the manufacturer's website, and then your phone can send jobs to it anytime, as long as the computer stays on and connected to the internet.

If neither option works, the printer may be too old to support wireless printing. In that case, you'll need to email the document to yourself, open it on a computer, and print from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I print to a printer that's not on my WiFi network?

Yes, if you set up cloud printing through the manufacturer's service or Mopria. You register the printer once on their website, and then you can print to it from anywhere as long as the printer or its connected computer stays on and has internet access. This works even if you're miles away from the printer.

Why does my phone find the printer but the print job fails?

The most common cause is that the printer ran out of paper or is in an error state. Check the printer's display panel for error messages. If the printer is fine, restart both devices and try again. If it still fails, uninstall and reinstall the manufacturer's app, or try using your phone's built-in print menu instead of the app.

Do I need to install an app to print from my phone?

Not always. If your printer is WiFi-enabled and newer, your phone's built-in print menu will find it automatically. You only need an app if the built-in menu doesn't work, if your printer is older, or if you want to print to a printer on a different network.

Can I print photos from my phone the same way as documents?

Yes. Open the photo in your phone's photo app or gallery, tap Share, select Print, choose your printer, and tap Print. The process is identical to printing a document. Some printer apps also have special photo printing options that let you adjust color, size, and paper type before printing.

What if my printer is connected to my computer but my computer is off?

If you're using the manufacturer's app without cloud printing, the computer needs to be on. If you've set up cloud printing through the manufacturer's service, the computer can be off as long as it was on when you registered the printer and it stays connected to the internet when it is on.