How to Add Wireless Printer in iPhone and Print Your Documents?

Apple offers AirPrint option to automatically connect the supported printers in the network to your iPhone. Otherwise, you can manually change the network and select the printer when printing the documents. If you have purchased a new printer or want to connect to a wireless printer, here is how you can add to your iPhone and print documents. Since AirPrint is in-built in iPhone, you do not need to install any apps for printing.

Printing with AirPrint Supported Printers in iPhone

Apple offers AirPrint support for huge list of printers from almost all popular companies like HP, Brother, Canon, Epson, Samsung, etc,. If you are primarily planning to use the printer with your iPhone, make sure to purchase an AirPrint supported printer. If you already have a printer, follow the below instructions to check if that works with AirPrint.

• First, connect your printer and iPhone in the same wireless network.
• Open your document in iPhone (from Files or from any other apps) which you want to print.
• Tap on the Share or Actions icon and then select “Print” option. This setting varies depending upon the app. For example, you need to tap on the Actions (three dots in a circle) in Word and Pages showing on top right corner when editing your document. However, you need to tap on the Share icon (up arrow in a square) in Photos app which shows on bottom left corner.

• If your printer supports AirPrint, you will automatically see it against “Printer”. Otherwise, tap on the “Printer” and iPhone will start searching for the printers connected in the network. When it finds your printer, tap on it to select.

• You can unselect pages from the preview section to exclude from printing or enter the range.
• Check the paper size and the layout options if available.
• Finally, tap on “Print” link generally showing on top right corner.

• This will send the document to the printer spool and you should see the printer starts printing your document after few seconds.

Printing with Direct Connect

Do not worry if iPhone does not automatically detect the printer or your printer is not in the AirPrint supported list. You can manually connect to printer’s network whenever needed and then print.

• Make sure both printer and iPhone are on the same wireless network and your printer is turned on.
• Go to “Settings” app in your iPhone and tap on “WLAN” option.
• Check under “Other Networks” and tap on your printer’s name. Generally, you will see the printer name shows with the word “Setup” if you have not configured the printer with other apps in iPhone or in other devices like Windows or Mac. If you have once setup the printer, the name will show as “DIRECT-*”

• This will connect your printer and you will see no internet connection warning.
• Now open the document and tap on Share or Actions icon.
• Select “Print” option, tap on “Printer” and then choose your printer’s name.

• Adjust the pages, paper format and tap on “Print”.
• This will send your document to the printer and you should see the document is getting printed.
• Go back to “Settings > WLAN” section and tap on your Wi-Fi network name to connect back to internet.

Checking and Cancelling from Printing Spool in iPhone Print Center

When you send the document to printer, it may take few seconds to transfer the document over network. You can check the status and cancel printing if required.

• Swipe the screen up to open App Switcher and you will see a Print Center.

• Tap on it to open Print Center where you can see the status of documents in the printing queue.
• Tap on “Cancel Printing” to remove the item from the spool request and stop the printing request.

Note that you will not see Print Center when there are no documents currently in printing status. This means the documents are successfully sent to your printer for printing.

Final Words

If you are not able to use the above explained methods, then search for a printer app from App Store. Almost all companies offer their own app or you can also install a generic app to setup the printer in iPhone. You can check out our article on how to use HP Smart app in iPhone for setting up HP printers. The advantage of using app is that you can manage printing, scanning and other activities within the app instead searching for the default iOS print option.