You don’t install a printer on an iPhone the way you do on a computer. iPhone prints with AirPrint, Apple’s built-in wireless printing, so there’s no driver to download and no printer list in Settings. To print, put your iPhone and an AirPrint printer on the same Wi-Fi network, open what you want to print, tap the Share button (or the app’s menu button), tap Print, tap No Printer Selected, choose your printer, and tap Print.
These steps work on any iPhone running a current version of iOS. The iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max run iOS 27 and use exactly the same steps as newer models. The menu names below come from Apple’s AirPrint support article and the iOS 27 iPhone User Guide.
Contents
- What “adding a printer” means on iPhone
- What you need before you print
- Step 1: Connect the printer to Wi-Fi
- Step 2: Print from your iPhone
- Where Print is in common apps
- Print options you can change
- Check or cancel a print job
- If your printer doesn’t appear
- If your printer doesn’t support AirPrint
- Frequently asked questions
What “adding a printer” means on iPhone
On a Windows PC or a Mac, you add a printer once and it stays in a list. iPhone works differently:
- There is no printer setup screen. Settings has no Printers section.
- The printer is found when you print. Each time you open the print screen, iPhone searches the Wi-Fi network for AirPrint printers and lists the ones it finds.
- AirPrint needs no driver. Apple describes AirPrint as a way to print full-quality output without downloading or installing drivers.
So “adding” a printer really means two things: getting the printer onto the same network as the iPhone, then choosing it on the print screen. After you’ve picked it once, the print screen usually shows that printer again the next time it’s available.
What you need before you print
- An AirPrint printer. Apple says AirPrint is built into most popular printer models. Look for “AirPrint” or “Works with Apple AirPrint” on the box, in the manual, or on the manufacturer’s spec page. Apple’s About AirPrint page links to a search tool for AirPrint-enabled printers. Apple notes that printers listed as USB-only support driverless printing only from a Mac over USB, not from an iPhone.
- The printer on your network. AirPrint works over Wi-Fi or a wired network connection. A printer connected by Ethernet cable to the same router still works.
- The iPhone on the same Wi-Fi network. Open Settings > Wi-Fi and check the network name next to the check mark. It must be the same network the printer uses.
- An app that can print. Apple’s own apps, such as Mail, Photos, and Safari, can print, and so can many App Store apps. Apple notes that not every app supports printing.
- Paper and ink or toner loaded, and the printer turned on and awake.
Step 1: Connect the printer to Wi-Fi
Skip this step if the printer already prints from other devices on your Wi-Fi.
How you join a printer to Wi-Fi depends on the model, so the printer’s manual is the final word. Apple’s article on connecting an AirPrint printer to Wi-Fi lists the common methods:
- Built-in display: on a printer with a touchscreen or control panel, open its wireless or network settings, choose your Wi-Fi network name, and enter the Wi-Fi password.
- WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup): if the printer supports WPS, you press a button on the router and the printer to connect them. Apple says to check your router’s documentation for how to add a WPS printer.
- Setup from a Mac: Apple describes connecting the printer to a Mac with a USB cable, using the printer’s setup software to join it to your Wi-Fi network, then unplugging the cable. Some printers offer other setup methods, such as the maker’s app; check the manual.
When the printer is connected, its wireless light usually stays on, or its screen shows the network name. Many printers can also print a network configuration page that shows the network it joined.
Step 2: Print from your iPhone
These steps are the same on the iPhone 13 and later models.
- Open the item. Open the app and the photo, document, email, or web page you want to print.
- Open the share or actions menu. Tap the Share button (a square with an arrow pointing up). In some apps the print option is behind a different button instead, such as a More button (three dots) or an actions button. Apple’s guide says the button depends on the app.
- Tap Print. You may need to swipe up on the menu to see it. The Print Options screen opens with a preview of the pages.
- Choose the printer. Tap No Printer Selected at the top. iPhone searches the network and lists AirPrint printers. Tap your printer’s name. If you printed before, your last printer may already be selected; tap its name to pick a different one.
- Set the options. Choose the number of copies and any other settings shown, such as the page range. See the next section for what each option does.
- Tap Print in the upper-right corner. The job is sent to the printer.
The first page usually comes out within a few seconds to a minute, depending on the printer. If nothing prints, check Print Center (below) to see whether the job is waiting.
Where Print is in common apps
| App | How to get to Print |
|---|---|
| Photos | Open a photo, tap Share, then Print. For several photos, tap Select, tap each photo, then tap Share and Print. |
| Safari | Open the page, tap Share, scroll down, then tap Print. |
| Open the email, tap the reply arrow, then tap Print. For an attachment, open it, tap Share, then Print. | |
| Files | Open the file, tap Share, then Print. |
| Notes | Open the note, tap Share or the More button, then Print. |
| Other apps | Look for Share, More (three dots), or an actions menu. If Print isn’t there, check the app’s help pages. |
If an app has no Print option, try sharing the item to Files or Photos and printing from there. For emails you want to keep rather than print, see our guide to saving an email as a PDF on iPhone. To print a paper document you scanned, first scan it with your iPhone, then print the scan from Notes or Files.
Print options you can change
The Print Options screen only shows settings that both the app and the printer support, so your list may be shorter or longer than this:
- Copies: use the plus and minus buttons.
- Range: print all pages or only some pages. Tap page thumbnails in the preview to include or skip pages, where the app allows it.
- Black & White: appears on color printers that support it.
- Double-sided: appears only if the printer supports two-sided printing.
- Paper size and layout: some apps and printers show paper size or layout settings.
If an option you expect is missing, the printer or app doesn’t offer it over AirPrint. The printer maker’s own app may expose more settings.
Check or cancel a print job
When a job is waiting or printing, an app called Print Center appears in the App Switcher. Apple’s iPhone User Guide describes it as the place to check and cancel jobs.
- Open the App Switcher. On an iPhone 13 or any iPhone with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom edge and pause in the middle of the screen.
- Tap Print Center. A badge on its icon shows how many documents are in the queue.
- To stop a job, tap it, then tap Cancel Printing.
If Print Center doesn’t appear, the queue is empty: the job either finished or was never sent. Pages the printer has already started can’t be recalled.
If your printer doesn’t appear
If the print screen keeps searching or says no AirPrint printers were found, work through these checks in order:
- Confirm AirPrint support. A printer without AirPrint won’t appear, even if it’s on your Wi-Fi. Check the model in Apple’s AirPrint search or the manual.
- Wake the printer. Turn it on, wake it from sleep, and clear any error on its screen, such as a paper jam or empty tray.
- Check the printer’s network. On the printer’s screen or network report, confirm it’s connected and see which network it joined.
- Check the iPhone’s network. In Settings > Wi-Fi, make sure the iPhone is on that same network, not cellular data and not a guest network. Guest networks and some public networks keep devices from seeing each other.
- Restart both devices. Turn the printer off and on and wait until it reconnects. Restart the iPhone, then try again.
- Move closer to the router. A weak signal at either device can stop discovery.
- Update software. Update iOS in Settings > General > Software Update. Check the printer maker’s support site for a firmware update.
Two setups never work with AirPrint, according to Apple: a printer plugged into the USB port of an AirPort Base Station or AirPort Time Capsule, and a printer connected to a computer with Bluetooth. In both cases, the printer has to join the network itself, over Wi-Fi or with a network cable to the router.
Print is missing from the menu: swipe up on the Share menu, since Print is often below the first rows. If it still isn’t there, the app may not support printing.
The job prints blank, faded, or streaky pages: that’s usually a printer supply problem, such as low ink or a dried print head, not an iPhone setting. Print a test page from the printer’s own menu to check.
If your printer doesn’t support AirPrint
You still have options, but they depend on the printer maker:
- The printer maker’s app. Many printer manufacturers offer a free iPhone app on the App Store. These apps can find the printer on Wi-Fi and print photos and documents, and some add scanning and ink-level checks. Search the App Store for your printer brand, or check the maker’s support page for your exact model.
- Wi-Fi Direct. Some printers can create their own small wireless network. You join it from Settings > Wi-Fi on the iPhone. The printer’s manual explains whether the model supports this and whether AirPrint works over that connection.
- Email or cloud printing. Some printers have their own email address or online service run by the maker. You send a file to it from any device.
- Print from a computer. Send the file to a computer that’s already set up with the printer, using AirDrop, email, or iCloud Drive, and print from there.
None of these work on every printer. Check the maker’s instructions for your exact model before buying an app or accessory.
Frequently asked questions
Where are printer settings on iPhone?
There aren’t any. iPhone doesn’t keep a printer list in Settings. You choose the printer on the Print Options screen each time you print.
Does the iPhone 13 support AirPrint?
Yes. AirPrint is built into iOS, and the iPhone 13 runs iOS 27. The steps are the same on every current iPhone.
Can I print from my iPhone without Wi-Fi?
Not with standard AirPrint on a home network, which needs both devices on the same network. Some printers support Wi-Fi Direct, which creates a direct wireless connection. Check your printer’s manual.
Can I print from my iPhone with a USB cable?
Apple’s AirPrint article covers only Wi-Fi and wired network connections. Some printer makers support a USB connection to an iPhone through an adapter, but it isn’t universal. Check the maker’s instructions for your model.
Can I print from my iPhone over Bluetooth?
Not with AirPrint. Apple says printers connected to a computer over Bluetooth can’t use AirPrint.
How do I print double-sided from my iPhone?
On the Print Options screen, turn on Double-sided if it appears. If it doesn’t appear, your printer doesn’t offer two-sided printing over AirPrint.
Why does my iPhone remember an old printer?
The print screen keeps the last printer you used. Tap the printer name on the Print Options screen and pick a different one. There’s no list to delete printers from.
Can I print to a printer at work or school?
Yes, if it’s an AirPrint printer on the network you’re connected to. Some organizations block printing from personal devices or use their own print system, so ask the network administrator.
Next step
Send a one-page test from Photos or Safari. When it prints, every app with a Print option can use the same printer whenever your iPhone is on that Wi-Fi network. If you also use a Windows PC, see how to add a printer to Windows 11.
Matthew Simpson has been creating online tutorial for computers and smartphones since 2010. His work has been read millions of times and helped people to solve a number of various tech problems. His specialties include Windows, iPhones, and Google apps.