Although we live in a digital world, we still need to print things, whether it’s email, documents, photos, webpages, etc. Apple eases the process with the option to print wirelessly from your iPhone or iPad. This is possible through either the AirPrint feature that’s supported by many printers or by using some other compatible WiFi printer. It’s incredibly useful when you don’t want to connect wires or don’t have a computer at hand. Keep reading to learn how to print from iPhone and iPad with or without AirPrint.

With the growing popularity of wireless printers, the old ideas about having a printer connected to a computer are long gone. AirPrint takes this a step further by making it quick and easy to print directly from your iPhone or iPad with just a few taps.

Here’s what you need to make use of this feature:

Then, just follow the steps below.

1. Set Up Your Printer

Use your printer’s manual to set it up correctly, turn it on, and connect to a reliable WiFi network.

Please note that it might take some time for the printer to detect the WiFi network, and it’s recommended that it is placed as close as possible to the router.

2. Connect your iOS Device to the Same WiFi Network

Go to Settings → Wi-Fi and connect to the same network. If you run into any issues, restart your device and try again or troubleshoot WiFi connectivity.

Make sure your device is within the range of your printer.

3. Launch AirPrint

The AirPrint option on the iPhone/iPad is located on the Share screen of all compatible apps such as Safari, Notes, and Photos.

Just tap the Share icon and then select the Print option.

tap on share and tap on print in safari on iphone

Note: In the Mail app, you have to tap on the Reply button and then select Print.

tap on reply and choose print in mail app on iphone

4. Select a printer.

select-printer-on-iphone

5. Customize the options.

You can set different factors such as the number of copies, page range, Single-sided/Double-sided, B/W or color, etc.

6. Tap on Print in the top-right corner.

customize option and tap on print to print from iphone with airprint

Pro Tip: If you want to print a conversation from the Messages app, you can take screenshots of the same and then print them from the Photos app.

How to View or Cancel the Print

While your job is printing, you can view or cancel it through the App Switcher.

  1. Launch the App Switcher and tap on the Print Center to view your print job.
  2. If you want to cancel it, tap on the Cancel Printing.

    cancel the print using app switcher on iphone

How to AirPrint from iPhone or iPad without Connecting to the Network

Sometimes, your iPhone or iPad may not be connected to the WiFi network, but you might want to print something urgently. In such situations, it’s possible to connect directly to the printer that is compatible with AirPrint.

  1. Go to Settings → WiFi.
  2. Under Choose a Network, tap on your printer name.
  3. Now, your device will connect to the printer to let you print wirelessly. Follow the usual steps to access the Print option through the Share sheet, as explained above.

In case your printer does not support AirPrint, it’s still possible to get hard copies directly from your iPhone or iPad. Keep reading to know more.

Several printer manufacturers offer multiple ways to print from mobile devices thanks to the direct wireless access point. Besides, they also provide a fully customized app to let you get the job done efficiently.

We have an Epson printer, and we are going to demonstrate the printing using its companion app. The process may not be 100% the same for all the printers, but it’ll be along the same lines. Refer to your printer’s user manual and follow the steps below:

  1. Download the companion app for your printer (we are using Epson Print) and follow the on-screen instructions to set it up.
  2. In the app, select what you want to print from the options given.

    open printer app on iphone and select preferred option

  3. Tap on the file location and find the relevant file, open file and tap on Select. Then, tap on Next.

    tap on file location select file and tap on next on iphone

  4. Check out the customization options at the top-right corner to adjust the different print settings.
  5. Once you are satisfied, go ahead and hit the Print button.

    customize print settings and tap on print in printer app on iphone

Additionally, several iOS printing apps are compatible with a wide range of wireless and USB printers.

Did you know that Google makes it easy to print from any of its apps such as Chrome, Google Docs, and Gmail? This feature is known as Google Cloud Print, and here’s how to use it.

1. Make sure you have a Google account

In case you do not have one, go to www.google.com and click Sign Up. Follow the on-screen instructions to create your account.

2. Get the PrintCentral Pro app on your iPhone

There’s no iOS app yet for Google Cloud Print. But fortunately, you can download PrintCentral Pro instead to get the job done which costs $5.99

3. Select a File to Print

Open the PrintCentral app and tap on the menu at the top left. Select what you want to print, such as an email, document, or image.

To print an email, you will have to add your email account, while documents must be added to iCloud. Images will require you to allow access to your photos.

Once you’ve found what you want to print, tap on the printer icon in the top-right corner.

4. Add a Printer

Now you will see a page called Printer (WiFi). Tap the + sign at the top right corner and then select Google Cloud Printing.

You will need to enter your Gmail id as the username and then tap the blue Save button.

5. Tap the Print button.

If everything is working right, you will see a print page with the file you’re trying to print displayed at the top of the screen. There will be an option to change the printer settings if needed, and you can also save the file to Google Drive if you want.

To proceed with the job, tap on Print at the bottom of the screen. Alternatively, you choose to Preview or Print Later.