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AirPrinters and alternatives
iPhone has many tools to share file data without a direct connection, including Airdrop and iCloud. But sometimes you just need a hard copy for a certain job or purpose.
Most people don’t know how to print directly from their iPhones. Sharing and printing on iPhone is easier than ever thanks to applications developed by Apple itself, the most prominent of which is AirPrint – a tool that allows you to print directly from your iPhone or iPad to a compatible wireless printer.
Most iOS apps support printing by default. All you need is an AirPrint-compatible printer. This article will break down how to find the printing options you need, which printers work with AirPrint, and how to print from your iPhone on a non-AirPrint printer.
How AirPrint works
AirPrint works a lot like AirDrop. Whether you’re transferring files or printing them, you can do so without having to download a separate app or log into something. Instead, there’s the Share/Print button you can find in most apps by default; you just need to make sure that your iPhone and printer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
The location of the AirPrint button varies between applications. For most Apple apps like Photos and Safari, tap the Share button (the square with the arrow pointing up) and scroll to the bottom of the options to find prints.
There are some exceptions like Mail, where you have to hit ‘Reply’ to an email to find the Print option. And for third-party apps, it will depend entirely on the developer. Regardless of the application, tapping Print will always open the ‘Printer Preferences’ menu where you will tap ‘Printer Preferences’ to search for compatible printers.
Your iPhone will automatically detect these printers as long as they are both on the same network. If you see the message ‘AirPrint printer not found’, make sure the printer is connected to Wi-Fi, then make sure your phone is on the same network using Settings > Wi-Fi.
Once you’re connected, select your printing options and press Print to get started! Your print job will be sent to the Print Center utility.
To see the progress of the process or cancel it entirely, swipe up from the bottom of the screen – or double-tap the Home button on older phones – to see your most recent apps, including Print Center. Tap it, then tap the print summary to review or cancel it.
The printer is compatible with AirPrint
Apple keeps a list of hundreds of Airprint-compatible printers from Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, Fuji, HP, Konica, Panasonic, Xerox, and most other major brands. Check here and see if the printer you’re using is on the list, or make sure the product you’re planning to buy supports Airprint.
If your printer isn’t on the list – or even if it is – check and see if the manufacturer has its app on the iOS platform. Brother, Canon, HP, and others have their own iOS apps to connect directly to their respective printers.
These apps will make it easy for you to send files directly to your printer and can even give you more advanced printing options than AirPrint.
Your non-AirPrint options
Most people will be able to perform the above steps. For those out of luck who are still trying to get AirPrint working, we’re here to give you some alternatives.
Again, we recommend that you seek out a compatible printing application from the manufacturer. Many people will use the email print option feature, which allows you to email attachments to another email on a dedicated printer and automatically print those files out.
Another option is to make your incompatible printer “become” compatible using Printopia. This Mac app serves as a go-to device between your iPhone or iPad to your printer, while still allowing you to use AirPrint controls without the need for a separate app. You’ll have to pay for it, but at least it’s cheaper than buying a whole new printer.
If not, you can find plenty of paid printing apps on the App Store, some with more printers than AirPrint.
The above connection methods will hopefully help you choose the right printer for your job and needs.