How to print from your phone

What you will learn

In this guide, you will learn how to print documents, photos, and emails directly from your phone. You will connect your phone to a wireless printer over Wi-Fi and print without needing a computer.

What you need

• A phone (iPhone or Android)
• A wireless printer connected to your Wi-Fi network
• Both your phone and printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network

Steps

Step 1: Make sure your printer is connected to Wi-Fi

Check that your printer is turned on and connected to your home Wi-Fi network. Most printers show a Wi-Fi icon on their display when connected. If your printer is not yet connected to Wi-Fi, check the printer’s settings menu and look for Wireless Setup or Network Settings. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect it to your Wi-Fi.

Step 2: Connect your phone to the same Wi-Fi network

Make sure your phone is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your printer. Go to Settings on your phone, tap Wi-Fi, and check that you are on your home network. If your phone is on mobile data or a different network, the printer will not be found.

Step 3: Open the document or photo you want to print

Find what you want to print on your phone. This could be a photo in your gallery, a document in your email, a web page in your browser, or a PDF file. Open it so it is displayed on your screen.

Step 4: Tap the share or menu button

Look for the share button or the three dots menu. On iPhone, the share button is a square with an upward arrow. On Android, look for three dots in the top-right corner or a share icon. Tap it to see the list of options.

Step 5: Select Print

In the list of options, scroll down and tap Print. On iPhone, you may need to scroll the bottom row of icons to find it. On Android, it may be under More or directly visible in the menu. A print preview screen will appear showing how your document will look when printed.

Step 6: Choose your printer and settings

On the print preview screen, tap Select Printer or Printer at the top. Your phone will search for nearby printers. Tap your printer’s name when it appears. Then adjust settings if needed: choose the number of copies, select colour or black and white, and pick the paper size. Most of the time, the default settings work fine.

Step 7: Tap Print

When everything looks right on the preview, tap the Print button. Your phone will send the document to the printer. Wait a moment and your document will start printing. Do not close the app until the print job has been sent.

Tips

• If you print often, your phone will remember your printer and select it automatically next time.
• To print a web page, open it in your browser, tap the menu or share button, and select Print. The preview will show how it will look on paper.
• For printing emails, open the email, tap the three dots menu, and select Print.
• If your printer did not come with Wi-Fi, you may be able to connect it using a USB cable to your computer and share it over the network. Ask a family member or friend to help with this setup.

Useful links

• Print from iPhone with AirPrint
• Print from Android phone