Printing from your iPhone could seem like a daunting task. However, it’s a necessary function, especially with the increasing prevalence of smartphones in today’s society. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to connect your iPhone to your printer. Connecting your iPhone to your printer would give you the bliss of being able to print photos, documents, and more, all from your iPhone. To make the connection process eye-catching, this article will provide you with steps on how to connect your iPhone to your printer via different methods.
Video Tutorial:
Why You Need to Connect Your iPhone to Your Printer
There are numerous reasons why it’s necessary to connect your iPhone to your printer. Firstly, it gives you the flexibility to print anything directly from your phone once it’s connected to your printer. With just a few clicks, your documents or photos can be sent to your printer, allowing you to print them directly at your convenience. Secondly, printing from your phone facilitates work-life balance and productivity, allowing you to work from anywhere. Lastly, most modern printers nowadays allow wireless printing, which means you don’t need to be always next to your printer to monitor your printing tasks.
Method 1: Using AirPrint
AirPrint is an inbuilt feature on iPhones designed to make wireless printing easier with minimal installation and configuration requirements, as long as your printer is compatible with the technology. Here are step by step procedures on how to connect your iPhone to your printer using AirPrint:
1. Turn on your printer, ensure it’s connected to the Wi-Fi network and remains in a ready state.
2. On your iPhone, locate the content you intend to print, be it email, photo, or document.
3. Tap the “Share” button, which is an upward-pointing arrow icon for iPhones running on iOS 13 downwards. For iPhones running on iOS 14 upwards, locate the three dots on the top right corner of your device.
4. Tap on the “Print” option.
5. Select your printer from the list of available printers. Ensure it’s on and selected; if not, click on “Select Printer”
6. Configure any optional printer settings. Typically, this includes the number of copies to print, printer color settings, and the paper size.
7. Click the “Print” button to print. Once completed, your document will be printed directly from your iPhone wirelessly via the AirPrint feature.
Pros:
– AirPrint works seamlessly with most modern printers eliminating the need for additional apps or software.
– AirPrint is incredibly simple to use, thereby making the connection easy for everyone, regardless of their printing experience.
– It provides adequate printing quality and speed.
– Content can be printed directly from the native iPhone applications like Photos, Safari, iBooks, etc.
Cons:
– Not all printers support AirPrint technology.
– AirPrint doesn’t allow for any in-depth configuration of your printer settings.
Method 2: Via Wi-Fi Direct Printing
If the printer doesn’t support AirPrint technology, or you don’t have a Wi-Fi network functional printer, the Wi-Fi Direct feature can be used to connect and print from your iPhone. Wi-Fi Direct is a feature that allows devices to communicate directly with each other via Wi-Fi without the need for a Wi-Fi hotspot. Here are step by step procedures on how to connect your printer to your iPhone via Wi-Fi Direct printing:
1. Turn on your printer and ensure the Wi-Fi Direct feature is enabled. To enable Wi-Fi Direct, locate its settings, and connect to a network under Direct-xx-Printer Name.
2. Locate your iPhone’s “Settings” icon on your home screen and open it.
3. Click on “Wi-Fi” settings.
4. Turn on your iPhone’s Wi-Fi and enable “Auto-Join Hotspots.”
5. Select your printer from the available list of printers.
6. Provide your printer’s Wi-Fi Direct password. You can find this password in your printer’s user manual or on the printer’s screen.
7. Open the content you want to print and click on the “Share” option.
8. Choose the “Print” option.
9. Select the printer you’ve just connected to and click “Print.”
Pros:
– Your iPhone doesn’t require a Wi-Fi network connection to print with Wi-Fi Direct printing.
– Wi-Fi Direct printing is a faster and more secure printing method.
– You can connect multiple devices to your printer at once.
– Wi-Fi Direct doesn’t have a range limit, making it more flexible.
Cons:
– It doesn’t work on all printers.
– Initial setup requires Wi-Fi Direct activation on the printer side, which can be challenging for some users.
– Wi-Fi Direct printing doesn’t offer the same high-quality printing photos as AirPrint.
Method 3: Using a Third-Party App
If your printer doesn’t support Wi-Fi or AirPrint features, you can install third-party applications on your iPhone that enable you to print from your device using your printer. Some popular apps include the Printer Pro app, Print Magic, and PrintCentral. Here are the step-by-step procedures on how to print from iPhone to printer via a third-party app:
1. Download and install any of the third-party printing apps from the App Store.
2. Open the app, add your printer, and configure any necessary settings.
3. Open the content you want to print, and click the “Share” option.
4. Choose the third-party app you installed to print from. Alternatively, copy and paste the content to the third-party app if the share option isn’t available.
5. Configure any additional printer settings and click “Print.”
Pros:
– Third-party apps allow you to print from any printer regardless of its printing capabilities.
– Third-party applications offer advanced settings and detailed configuration options.
– They usually support various printing formats such as PDF, HTML, and images.
– Third-party printing apps are reliable and usually up-to-date.
Cons:
– Third-party apps may not work well with all printers and may require specific printer configurations.
– They may require you to pay for their services.
– Third-party apps may not offer adequate quality printing for all printing jobs.
What to Do If You Can’t Connect Your iPhone to Your Printer
Several reasons could hinder your ability to connect your iPhone to your printer. Some of the reasons include incompatible printers, outdated software/firmware on the printer, incorrect Wi-Fi settings, and much more. Here are some fixes you should try if you can’t connect your iPhone to your printer.
– Ensure that your printer is compatible with AirPrint technology or Wi-Fi printing.
– Try resetting your iPhone’s network settings and reconnect your iPhone to your printer.
– Check if the printer firmware is outdated and update it if so.
– If your printer doesn’t support AirPrint or Wi-Fi Direct printing, download a third-party printing app or print from a computer via wireless printing.
Bonus Tip: Regular Maintenance
Running regular maintenance checks on your printer can help eliminate printing errors, connectivity problems, and much more. Regular maintenance tasks include cleaning the printer’s nozzles, aligning the printhead, replacing ink cartridges, and cleaning the printer roller.
5 FAQs About Connecting Your iPhone to Your Printer
Q1: What if my printer doesn’t support AirPrint, Wi-Fi, or third-party printing apps?
A: In such circumstances, you can print from your iPhone using third-party cloud printing services like Google Cloud Print and HP ePrint.
Q2: Why is my printer not appearing on the Wi-Fi networks available?
A: Ensure your printer’s Wi-Fi network is on, the printer is properly connected to the Wi-Fi network, and that Wi-Fi Direct is enabled.
Q3: How do I turn on Wi-Fi Direct on my printer?
A: The Wi-Fi Direct settings and configuration vary based on the printer model. Consult your printer’s user manual to locate the Wi-Fi Direct settings.
Q4: Why does my printer keep going offline?
A: This could be due to the printer being unavailable in the Wi-Fi network or not being properly connected to the network. Try resetting your printer or checking if the network settings are correct.
Q5: How can I send a print job to the printer using PrintCentral?
A: Install and set up your preferred printing app and configure the printer settings. Open the content to print, tap “Share,” and select PrintCentral from the options available.
Final Thoughts
Connecting your iPhone to your printer is essential, especially in circumstances where computer usage is limited. Although there are several methods to print from an iPhone, AirPrint, Wi-Fi Direct, and third-party apps are the most widely used. Prioritize routine maintenance on your printer to ensure proper printing functionality. If you face any difficulties connecting your iPhone to your printer, try any of the solutions in the “What to Do if You Can’t Connect Your iPhone to Your Printer” section. With these comprehensive steps, now you can effortlessly print documents and photos straight from your iPhone to your printer.