How to Attach a Printer to a Mobile Device (iOS & Android)
If you wished to print data, photographs, or documents from your phone, you were required to transfer them to a computer first. Nevertheless, you can also print from your mobile device using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (provided your printers support the feature of course).
Configuring Your Printer:
You must connect your printer to your home network before beginning. Each brand, though, approaches this differently. Even within the same brand, launching a product varies from one product to the next.
The best recommendation is to check the printer’s product or user manual. If you can’t find yours, try searching online using the exact product name, which should be printed somewhere on the printer’s casing or label. Follow the instructions below to connect your Android or iOS device to your printer once it is online.
Google Cloud Print was the most popular service for connecting an Android device to a printer until the end of 2020 when it will be terminated. Thankfully, the Default Print Service is a simple option in the Android operating system.
Android’s Default Print Service encourages your phone or tablet to search for printers on the same Wi-Fi network. It must also be supported by the printer, but the good news is that every major printer manufacturer is on board.
Throughout the procedure, you must remain connected to the same Wi-Fi access point to avoid issues.
- Access the phone’s settings
- Do a search for “printing” and then select the result.
- Choose Printing under Connection settings.
- Click the Default Print Service button and enable it.
- Select from the list of network printers that are compatible.
- How to act If your Printer model is not listed:
- Return to the printer’s configurations
- Choose “Add Service”
- This link will take you to a list of printer services offered by specific manufacturers.
- Choose your printer brand, download the driver, and then navigate to the printer’s configurations to identify your model.
Follow the brand-specific service instructions to locate your printer.
Consider utilising a third-party source if the manufacturer has not offered a plugin or if it fails. These are accessible from the same section of the Google Play Store and will scan your home network for any active printers, regardless of brand. Printer On Mobile Print and Printer Share Mobile Print are popular options (which we have not tested).
Lastly, you can directly add your printer to the Default Print Service using Wi-Fi or its IP address. Here’s how to find an IP address:
- Go to the router’s configurations (steps differ depending on the type).
- Search for a section titled Associated Devices or a similar term.
- Find your printer in the list of connected devices.
- Remember the IP address
- Back to Default Printer Settings
- Tap the three vertical dots located in the upper-right corner.
- Click the Add a Printer button Choose the Add a Printer by IP Address option.
- Enter the IP address and click Add for it to appear in the list.
- Here’s how to accomplish this using WiFi Direct:
- Choose Add Printer and enable printing via Wi-Fi Direct.
- It will search for Wi-Fi Direct-compatible printers in the region to establish a direct local connection.
- No internet needed
Connection Through Bluetooth:
Bluetooth is simpler to use than Wi-Fi since it eliminates the need for networking. However, fewer printers support Bluetooth. If you’ve linked your phone or tablet to a Bluetooth speaker, you know what to do. Here’s how:
- First, activate Bluetooth scanning on the printer (Check user manual for It).
- After the scan is complete, navigate to Settings.
- Choose the Linked devices link
- Next, pair the devices.
When your printer appears in the list of nearby devices, tap to connect.
If your smartphone or tablet is too far away, the printer will disconnect. When you switch on Bluetooth on your printer and device, it should reconnect. If not, return to the linked device section and choose your printer from the list of previously connected devices.
Printing with an iOS Device:
iOS, like Android, has a printer service that allows compatible devices to join to the same Wi-Fi network. It is called AirPrint, and a list of compatible printers can be found on Apple’s website.
If you want to print from your iPhone and are in the market for a new printer, search for the AirPrint emblem on the box. After unpacking it, connect it to your home network and confirm that AirPrint is enabled in the settings. Visit Acom to Buy New Printers and Laptops.
Your model will include instructions for accessing the settings through a web browser. Once there, enable the AirPrint option under the Network menu (or similar). Here’s how to begin printing with AirPrint:
- Open the document, photo, or webpage you wish to print on your iPhone or iPad.
- Choose the share icon (a square with an arrow pointing up).
- This will enable the sharing options. To access Printer Settings, select Print and scroll down.
- Tap the name of your AirPrint-capable printer in the list.
To print your work, navigate to the upper right corner and press Print while the link is active.
If you are utilising Printer Options for the first time, a Choose Printer option will appear at the top of the screen.
Touch it and select your AirPrint-enabled printer from the list that appears. The default printer should be set to this one. To print your work, navigate to the upper right corner and click Print while the link is active.
While some believe it is possible to print from an iOS device through Bluetooth, Apple has not acknowledged this and we were unable to make it work. That is possible, but we recommend using AirPrint instead.
With the above procedures, you can connect your mobile device to any printer. Get your prints without difficulty.
