How to Print From Your iPhone or Android Phone

The boarding pass is on your phone. So is the recipe your sister sent, the photo of the grandchildren, and the form the doctor’s office emailed this morning.

And the printer is sitting right there on the desk.

You may wonder:

How do I get this from my phone onto paper?

For many home printers, you do not need a computer, a cable, or a special trip to the library. Most modern wireless printers can print directly from an iPhone or an Android phone, as long as the phone and printer can find each other.

This guide explains how to print from an iPhone, how to print from an Android phone, how to print a PDF, email, or photo, and what to check when your phone cannot find the printer.

What You Need Before You Print From Your Phone

Printing from a phone usually works when three things are true:

• Your printer can print wirelessly. Most printers sold in recent years can. Look for words like Wi-Fi, wireless, AirPrint, or Mopria on the box, the printer, or the manufacturer’s website.
• The printer and the phone are on the same Wi-Fi network. This is the most common reason printing does not work. If your home has two networks, such as a main network and a guest network, both devices need to be on the same one.
• The printer is on, awake, and has paper and ink. A printer in sleep mode may take a moment to appear.

If your printer has never been connected to your home Wi-Fi, that is the first job. Printers usually connect through their own screen or buttons, or through the manufacturer’s setup app. Apple describes common setup methods in its guide to connecting an AirPrint printer to Wi-Fi. Your printer’s manual or the manufacturer’s website will have the exact steps.

AirPrint and Mopria: Two Words You May See

You do not need to understand how these work. You only need to know that if your printer supports AirPrint or Mopria, your phone can usually print to it without installing anything.

How to Print From an iPhone

iPhones print using AirPrint. Many apps that come with your iPhone, including Mail, Photos, Safari, Notes, and Files, can print this way. Many apps from the App Store can too.

1. Make sure your iPhone and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Open the app with the item you want to print, such as an email, photo, or web page.
3. Tap the Share button (a square with an arrow pointing up). In some apps, you may instead see an Actions button, a More button (three dots), or a reply arrow.
4. Scroll down and tap Print. If you do not see it, swipe up on the list of options.
5. Tap No Printer Selected (or the printer name shown), then choose your printer.
6. Choose the number of copies and any other options, such as which pages to print.
7. Tap Print in the upper-right corner.

Apple explains these steps in its guide to printing with AirPrint and its iPhone User Guide.

Not every app supports printing. If an app has no Print option, check its help section, or take a screenshot and print the screenshot from the Photos app.

Check or Cancel a Print Job on iPhone

If you printed something by mistake, or the printer seems stuck, you can see what is waiting.

1. Open the App Switcher. On most iPhones, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle. On iPhones with a Home button, double-click the Home button.
2. Tap Print Center.
3. To cancel, select the job, then tap Cancel Printing.

Print Center only appears while something is printing or waiting to print.

How to Print From an Android Phone

Android phones are made by many companies, so menu names vary. But most recent Android phones include a built-in Default Print Service that can find many wireless printers automatically.

Step 1: Check That Printing Is Turned On

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Connected devices, then Connection preferences, then Printing. On Samsung Galaxy phones, it is easiest to search Settings for Printing.
3. Tap Default Print Service (or another print service you have installed) and make sure it is turned on.

Google describes these settings in its guide to printing from your device. Samsung explains the Galaxy version in its guide to printing from a Galaxy phone.

If your printer does not appear, the printer maker may offer a free plug-in or print service in the Google Play Store. On Samsung phones, the Printing screen has a Download plugin option.

Step 2: Print Something

1. Make sure your phone and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Open the item you want to print, such as an email in Gmail, a web page in Chrome, a document in Google Drive, or a photo.
3. Look for Print. In many apps, tap More (three dots), then Print. In others, tap Share, then Print.
4. At the top of the screen, tap Select a printer and choose your printer. If you do not see it, tap All printers and wait a moment.
5. To change paper size, color, or the number of copies, tap the small down arrow near the top.
6. Tap the Print button.

The organization behind Mopria notes that many Android apps already offer printing, including Chrome, Gmail, Drive, and Adobe Acrobat Reader. See its guide to printing from Android.

Google also notes that not all apps support printing. For apps that cannot print, you can take a screenshot and print the image instead.

How to Print the Things People Print Most

If you are printing a PDF that came as an email attachment, open it first so it fills the screen. Printing from the email itself sometimes prints only the email message, not the attachment.

If PDFs still feel a little mysterious, here is a simple explanation of what a PDF is.

Save as PDF Instead of Printing

Sometimes you do not actually need paper. You only need a copy you can keep or send.

On Android, Samsung explains that you can tap Select a printer and choose Save as PDF instead of a printer. The phone saves a PDF copy you can find later.

On iPhone, the Share menu often has options such as Save to Files for documents and attachments.

Saving a copy can be useful for receipts, confirmations, and forms you may need again. Give the file a clear name so you can find it later. For ideas, see how to name and save files so you can find them.

When Your Phone Cannot Find the Printer

This is the most common printing frustration. It usually has a simple cause.

Apple suggests confirming that your printer supports AirPrint and that both devices are on the same network before anything else.

If your printer often says it is offline, this short explanation may help: why your printer says offline.

Printing From Your Phone Without Wi-Fi

If your printer is not on Wi-Fi, you may still have options.

• Wi-Fi Direct. Some printers create their own small wireless connection for nearby devices. Android’s print features and the Mopria Print Service can use Wi-Fi Direct with printers that support it. Your printer manual will explain how to turn it on.
• The printer maker’s app. Many brands offer free apps that help set up wireless printing or print from your phone.
• Email it to a computer. If a computer is connected to the printer with a cable, you can email the item to yourself and print it from the computer.
• Print somewhere else. Many libraries, office supply stores, and shipping stores offer printing. Ask how they prefer you to send the file, since some use email or a website upload.

Be careful about printing private documents on shared or public printers. Pick up your pages right away, and ask whether the store deletes files after printing.

A Few Habits That Make Phone Printing Easier

• Print a test page once. When everything works, you know the setup is right.
• Keep the printer on the same network. If you change your Wi-Fi router or password, the printer usually needs to be reconnected.
• Check the preview. Before tapping Print, look at the page count. A long web page can turn into many sheets of paper.
• Print only the pages you need. Use the page range option for long documents.
• Turn off color when you do not need it. Black-and-white printing can save color ink.
• Keep your phone and printer updated. Updates sometimes fix printing problems. If you wonder why updates keep appearing, see why your phone keeps asking you to update.

A Simple Phone Printing Workflow

For the bigger picture of printing, scanning, and uploading documents, see how to print, scan, or upload a document without getting stuck. And if you need to go the other direction, from paper to phone, see how to scan a document with your phone.

You Are Still Getting It on Paper

For a long time, printing meant sitting at the computer in the spare room, waiting for it to start up, and finding the right file.

Now the document is often already in your hand.

The steps look different. The goal is the same: getting the page you need, when you need it.

When printing does not work, go back to the simple questions. Is the printer on? Are both devices on the same Wi-Fi? Does this app have a Print option?

Most of the time, one of those answers is the fix.

Stay in the know. Continue to grow.

Important Note

This article is for general education and awareness. It is not technical or professional advice.

Printing steps, menu names, and features vary by phone model, software version, app, and printer brand, and they may change over time. Some printers require the manufacturer’s app or plug-in to print from a phone.

For setup help with a specific printer, check the printer’s manual or the manufacturer’s official support website.

Be careful when printing private documents on shared or public printers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I print from my iPhone?

Make sure your iPhone and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network. Open the item, tap Share (or More), tap Print, choose your printer, and tap Print.

How do I print from my Android phone?

Make sure your phone and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network. Open the item, tap More (three dots) or Share, tap Print, select your printer, and tap the Print button.

Do I need an app to print from my phone?

Often, no. iPhones print to AirPrint printers without extra apps, and many Android phones print to Mopria-certified printers using the built-in Default Print Service. Some printers work better with the manufacturer’s free app or plug-in.

Why can’t my phone find my printer?

The most common reason is that the phone and printer are on different Wi-Fi networks. Also check that the printer is on and awake, and restart the printer, router, and phone if needed.

What is AirPrint?

AirPrint is Apple’s built-in wireless printing system for iPhone and iPad. If your printer supports AirPrint, your iPhone can usually print to it without installing anything.

What is Mopria?

Mopria is a printing standard supported by many printers. Many Android phones can print to Mopria-certified printers automatically.

How do I print a PDF from my phone?

Open the PDF so it fills the screen, then tap Share or More and choose Print. If the PDF is an email attachment, open the attachment first.

How do I print an email from my phone?

Open the email, tap the reply arrow or More (three dots), and choose Print.

Can I print from my phone without Wi-Fi?

Sometimes. Some printers support Wi-Fi Direct, which creates a direct wireless connection. You can also email the item to a computer connected to the printer, or use a library or store printing service.

How do I cancel a print job on my iPhone?

Open the App Switcher, tap Print Center, select the job, and tap Cancel Printing.

Why is there no Print option in my app?

Not all apps support printing. Try opening the item in another app, such as Files or Photos, or take a screenshot and print the screenshot.

Can I save something as a PDF instead of printing it?

On many Android phones, choose Save as PDF instead of a printer. On iPhone, the Share menu often offers Save to Files for documents and attachments.

Sources and Further Reading

The following resources provide additional guidance about printing from a phone. External links open in a new tab.

• Apple guide to using AirPrint to print from iPhone or iPad
• Apple iPhone User Guide: Print from iPhone
• Apple guide to connecting an AirPrint printer to Wi-Fi
• Google guide to printing from your Android device
• Samsung guide to printing from a Galaxy phone or tablet
• Mopria guide to printing from Android

Want a Clearer Way to Handle PDFs, Printing, and Scanning?

A Modern Boomer Guide to Understanding PDFs, Printing, and Scanning is a 52-page full-color visual PDF guide created for older adults, families, and anyone who wants a calmer way to complete modern document tasks.

It explains PDFs, downloads, attachments, saving files, file names, forms, printing, scanning, phone scanning, uploads, confirmations, and everyday paperwork steps in clear, respectful language.