How to Connect a Printer to iPhone (2026)

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Print With AirPrint (Easiest Method)

AirPrint is Apple’s built-in wireless printing feature. It works with most printers from HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, and other major brands made in the last 10 years. No app installation or driver downloads required.

Make sure your printer and iPhone are on the same WiFi network.
Open the document, photo, email, or webpage you want to print.
Tap the Share button (square with an arrow) or the three-dot menu.
Scroll down and tap “Print.”
Tap “Select Printer.” Your AirPrint-compatible printer appears in the list.
Select the printer, choose the number of copies and other options, then tap “Print.”

That’s all there is to it. AirPrint handles the connection automatically – no pairing, no setup, no app. The printer just needs to be on the same WiFi network as your iPhone.

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Check If Your Printer Supports AirPrint

Most wireless printers sold after 2013 support AirPrint. To check: look for “AirPrint” on the printer’s box or in its specifications. You can also search Apple’s AirPrint page for your printer model.

If your printer doesn’t appear when you tap “Select Printer,” it either doesn’t support AirPrint, isn’t connected to WiFi, or is on a different network than your iPhone. Try the manufacturer’s app method below as an alternative.

Print Using the Manufacturer’s App

Every major printer brand has a free iPhone app that adds printing capabilities, even for printers that don’t support AirPrint.

Printer Brand	App Name	Extra Features
HP	HP Smart	Scan, copy, fax, ink levels, supply ordering
Canon	Canon PRINT	Scan, photo printing, document editing
Epson	Epson iPrint	Scan, cloud printing, remote print
Brother	Brother iPrint&Scan	Scan, fax, machine status
Samsung	Samsung Mobile Print	Scan, fax, NFC tap-to-print

Download your printer brand’s app from the App Store.
Open the app and follow the setup prompts to find and add your printer.
Once the printer is added, you can print from within the app or use the Share menu from other apps to send content to the printer app.

These apps often provide more printing options than AirPrint, like borderless photo printing, duplex settings, and paper size options that may not appear in the standard iOS print dialog.

Connect Printer to WiFi First

Your printer needs to be on your WiFi network before your iPhone can find it. If your printer isn’t connected to WiFi yet:

From the printer’s screen: Go to the printer’s settings menu, find “Wireless” or “Network” settings, select your WiFi network, and enter the password using the printer’s keypad or touch screen.

Using WPS (WiFi Protected Setup): Press the WPS button on your router within 2 minutes of pressing the wireless/WPS button on your printer. They connect automatically without entering a password.

Using the printer’s app: Download the manufacturer’s app, and it walks you through connecting the printer to your WiFi network step by step. This is often the easiest method because the app handles all the configuration.

Print Without WiFi

If you don’t have a WiFi network available, many printers offer WiFi Direct – a direct wireless connection between the printer and your iPhone without needing a router.

Enable WiFi Direct on the printer (usually in the wireless settings menu). The printer creates its own WiFi network.
On your iPhone, go to Settings, then WiFi, and connect to the printer’s WiFi Direct network (the name usually starts with “DIRECT-” followed by the printer model).
Enter the WiFi Direct password shown on the printer’s display.
Open the document you want to print and use the Share menu, then Print. The printer appears as an available printer.

Keep in mind that while connected to the printer’s WiFi Direct network, your iPhone won’t have internet access. Switch back to your regular WiFi when done printing.

Print Photos From iPhone

Open the Photos app and select the photo (or multiple photos) you want to print.
Tap the Share button.
Tap “Print.”
Select your printer and adjust settings: paper size, number of copies, and color vs. black & white.
Tap “Print.”

For the best photo prints, use photo paper (glossy or matte) and select the correct paper type in the print settings if the option appears. The printer’s app usually offers more photo-specific settings like borderless printing and color adjustments than the standard iOS print dialog.

Print Emails, Documents, and Web Pages

Emails: Open the email in Mail, tap the Reply/Forward arrow at the bottom, scroll down and tap “Print.”

Documents: Open the file in Files, Pages, or any compatible app. Tap the Share button, then “Print.”

Web pages: In Safari, tap the Share button (square with arrow), then tap “Print.” Safari formats the page for printing automatically, removing ads and navigation menus in most cases.

PDFs: Open the PDF in Files or any PDF viewer. Tap the Share button, then “Print.”

Troubleshooting

Printer not found. Verify both the printer and iPhone are on the same WiFi network (check by comparing the network name on both devices). Restart the printer and wait for it to reconnect to WiFi. Restart your iPhone. If using a dual-band router, make sure both devices are on the same band (2.4GHz or 5GHz) – some older printers only connect to 2.4GHz.

Print job stuck or not printing. Open the App Switcher on your iPhone (swipe up and hold) and look for “Print Center.” Tap it to see the print queue. Cancel the stuck job and try again. On the printer, check for paper jams, empty paper trays, or low ink warnings.

Poor print quality. Run a printhead cleaning from the printer’s maintenance menu or the manufacturer’s app. Check ink or toner levels. Make sure you’re using the right paper type setting (plain paper vs. photo paper). For photos, use photo paper instead of regular printer paper.

Can I print from iPhone to any printer?

You can print to most wireless printers made in the last decade. AirPrint covers the majority of them. For printers without AirPrint, the manufacturer’s app usually adds iPhone printing support. Very old printers that only connect via USB and have no wireless capability can’t print from an iPhone directly – you’d need to connect them to a computer that shares the printer on the network.

Is there a cost to print from iPhone?

No. Printing from your iPhone uses the same ink and paper as printing from any other device. There’s no extra fee from Apple or the printer manufacturer. The apps are all free to download and use.

Can I print to a printer at work from home?

Not directly through AirPrint, since AirPrint only works on the local network. Some printer manufacturers offer cloud printing features through their apps (like HP Smart or Epson Connect) that let you send print jobs over the internet to a remote printer. Your workplace IT department would need to enable this feature on the office printer.

Sources

Apple – Print From iPhone | Apple – AirPrint