The basic steps to connect your iPhone to a wireless printer
Your iPhone connects to a wireless printer through AirPrint, Apple's built-in printing system. The printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone, and the printer must support AirPrint — most modern printers do, but older models may not. Once both devices are on the same network, you can print directly from Photos, Mail, Safari, Notes, and most other apps without installing additional software.
The connection happens in real time when you print, not as a permanent pairing. This means your iPhone and printer do not need to "remember" each other — they just need to be on the same Wi-Fi network at the moment you want to print. If your printer goes offline or you switch networks, printing will fail until both devices are back on the same network.
Key Takeaways
- Your iPhone and printer must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network for AirPrint to work.
- Check your printer's manual or manufacturer website to confirm it supports AirPrint before you buy.
- If your printer is not AirPrint-compatible, you can use the manufacturer's app as an alternative, though setup varies by brand.
- Printing from your iPhone uses the same steps across most apps: open the document, tap Share or Print, select your printer, and confirm.
- If printing fails, restart both your iPhone and printer, then check that both are still on the same Wi-Fi network.
Check that your printer supports AirPrint
Before you attempt to connect, verify that your printer actually supports AirPrint. Most printers made in the last five to seven years do, but not all. The fastest way to check is to visit Apple's official AirPrint printer list at support.apple.com/en-us/HT201311. Search for your printer model by name — if it appears on the list, it supports AirPrint.
If your printer is not on the list, check the manufacturer's website directly. Some printers added AirPrint support through a firmware update after they were released. Look for your model number (usually on the front or back of the printer) and search the manufacturer's support page for "AirPrint" or "iOS printing". If the manufacturer confirms AirPrint support but your printer is not on Apple's list, your printer likely supports AirPrint but has not been formally registered with Apple.
If your printer does not support AirPrint at all, you have two options: use the manufacturer's own app (if they offer one) or print through a computer on your network. The manufacturer app route varies widely by brand — Canon, HP, Epson, and Brother all have different apps with different setup steps — so check your printer's manual for instructions specific to your model.
Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network
Your iPhone and printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network. This is the single most common reason printing fails. On your iPhone, go to Settings, tap Wi-Fi, and note which network you are connected to. Then check your printer's display panel or settings menu to see which network it is connected to. If they do not match, connect your printer to the same network as your iPhone.
The steps to connect a printer to Wi-Fi vary by model. Most printers have a Wi-Fi button on the front panel that you hold for a few seconds until a light blinks, which puts the printer in pairing mode. Then you use the printer's small display screen or buttons to select your Wi-Fi network and enter the password. Some printers have a WPS button instead, which lets you press a button on your router to connect without typing a password. Check your printer's manual for the exact steps — the manual usually comes as a PDF on the manufacturer's website if you no longer have the physical copy.
If your printer has no display screen (some small or older models do not), you may need to use the manufacturer's setup app on a computer to connect it to Wi-Fi. This is one reason to check the manual before you buy — if you do not have access to a computer, a printer with no screen can be difficult to set up.
Print from your iPhone using AirPrint
Once both devices are on the same network, printing is straightforward. Open the document, photo, email, or webpage you want to print. Tap the Share button (usually a square with an arrow pointing out of it) or look for a Print option in the app's menu. In Photos, this is the Share button at the bottom. In Mail, it is in the menu (three dots or lines). In Safari, it is in the Share menu. In Notes, it is in the menu at the top right.
After you tap Share or Print, look for a Print option in the menu that appears. Tap it. A print dialog will open showing your available printers. Tap Select Printer and choose your wireless printer from the list. If your printer does not appear, go back and check that both your iPhone and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network — this is almost always the reason a printer does not show up.
Once you have selected your printer, you can choose how many copies you want and which pages to print (if the document has multiple pages). Then tap Print. Your iPhone will send the job to the printer, and the printer will begin printing. You do not need to do anything else — the connection closes automatically once the job is sent.
Troubleshoot when your printer does not appear or printing fails
If your printer does not show up in the printer list, the most common cause is that your iPhone and printer are not on the same Wi-Fi network. Check your iPhone's Wi-Fi settings and your printer's network settings again. If they are on different networks, reconnect the printer to your iPhone's network.
If both devices are on the same network but the printer still does not appear, restart both devices. Turn off your iPhone completely, wait ten seconds, and turn it back on. Then power off your printer, wait ten seconds, and power it back on. After both devices have restarted, try printing again. Restarting clears temporary connection problems that prevent the devices from finding each other.
If printing starts but stops partway through, or if the printer prints a blank page, the issue is usually with the document itself or the printer's paper tray. Check that your printer has paper and that the paper is loaded correctly. If the paper is fine, try printing a different document — some file types or formats do not print well from iPhone. If a different document prints successfully, the problem was with the original file, not your connection.
If your printer is very old or you have an older iPhone model (iPhone 5s or earlier), AirPrint may not work even if the printer is on the list. In that case, use the manufacturer's app instead, or print through a computer on your network.
Use the manufacturer's app if your printer does not support AirPrint
If your printer does not support AirPrint, most manufacturers offer their own app that lets you print from your iPhone. Search your printer's brand name plus "print app" in the App Store — HP Smart, Canon PRINT, Epson iPrint, and Brother iPrint&Scan are the most common. read the app and follow the setup instructions in the app itself.
Manufacturer apps usually require you to create an account and connect your printer to Wi-Fi through the app, rather than through the printer's own settings. The steps vary significantly by brand, so follow the app's on-screen instructions carefully. Some apps let you print only to printers you have registered in the app, while others let you print to any printer of that brand on your network.
Manufacturer apps are less convenient than AirPrint because you have to open the app every time you want to print, rather than using the Share menu built into iOS. However, they work with older printers that do not support AirPrint, so they are a useful backup option.
Understand what happens when your printer is offline or you change networks
If your printer loses power, goes to sleep, or disconnects from Wi-Fi, your iPhone will not be able to print to it. The printer will disappear from the printer list in the print dialog. Once you turn the printer back on and reconnect it to Wi-Fi, it will reappear and printing will work again.
If you move your iPhone to a different Wi-Fi network (for example, if you go to a coffee shop or a friend's house), you will not be able to print to your home printer unless you reconnect your iPhone to your home network. AirPrint only works when both devices are on the same network. Some newer printers support printing over the internet if you set up remote printing through the manufacturer's app, but this requires additional configuration and is not part of standard AirPrint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to install anything on my iPhone to use AirPrint?
No. AirPrint is built into iOS, so you do not need to read or install anything. If your printer supports AirPrint and is on the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone, printing will work automatically through the Share menu in most apps.
Can I print to my wireless printer from outside my home?
Not with standard AirPrint. Your iPhone and printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Some manufacturers offer remote printing through their app, but this requires separate setup and is not available on all printers. Check your printer's manual to see if remote printing is supported.
What if my printer is on a guest Wi-Fi network and my iPhone is on the main network?
They will not be able to communicate. Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Connect your iPhone to the same network as your printer, or connect your printer to the same network as your iPhone. If your router has a guest network, you may need to disable it or connect both devices to the main network instead.
Can I print from my iPhone to a printer connected by USB cable to a computer?
Not directly through AirPrint. The printer must be connected to Wi-Fi, not to a computer. If your printer is only connected by USB, you would need to print through the computer instead, or set up the printer on Wi-Fi. Some printers can be connected to both Wi-Fi and USB at the same time, so check your printer's manual.
Why does my printer appear in the list but printing fails?
The most common causes are that the printer ran out of paper, the paper is jammed, or the printer lost its Wi-Fi connection after you selected it but before the job was sent. Check the printer's display for error messages, add paper if needed, and try printing again. If the printer is still not responding, restart both your iPhone and printer.