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Please log in with your username or email to continue. Facebook Google wikiHow Account No account yet? Create an account Browse Articles Quizzes & Games All Quizzes Hot Community Quizzes Personality Quizzes Dating Simulator Learn Something New Support wikiHow Log in / Sign up Computers and Electronics Computer Peripherals Last Updated: August 14, 2026 Fact Checked Connect a Printer to Wi-Fi Connect on Windows Connect on Chromebook Connect on Android Connect on iPhone & iPad This article was co-authored by Luigi Oppido and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA . Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over 7 years. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,267,627 times. If you need to connect a wireless printer to your Wi-Fi network, don't worry–wireless printers are very easy to set up on any Windows PC, Mac, or Chromebook. And, depending on the printer, you can even print wirelessly from your Android, iPhone, or iPad! This wikiHow guide will walk you through adding your printer to your Wi-Fi network so you can print photos and documents without pesky cords. Connecting a Printer to the Wi-Fi Most wireless printers have a setup app you can download from your device's app store. Using this app will make wireless printer setup a breeze. If your printer has a touch screen or control panel, you may be able to connect to a network directly from the printer. Once your wireless printer is connected to your Wi-Fi network, you can add it to your printer list on Windows , Mac , Android , iOS , and Chromebook . Set Up a Wireless Printer 1 Place the printer within range of your wireless router. Nearly all modern printers have Wi-Fi capability, allowing you to set them up without connecting to any of your computers. The printer will need to be in range of your wireless router in order to connect to it. If your printer does not have wireless capabilities, you will need to connect it to your computer using a USB cable. If your printer does not have wireless capabilities, you will need to connect it to your computer using a USB cable. 2 Power on the printer. You'll be connecting to the wireless network directly from the printer, so you don't need to connect it to a computer first. [1] X Research source Advertisement 3 Install your printer's app (if available). If you have an HP, Canon, Epson, or Brother printer, you can usually connect your printer to Wi-Fi using your printer's dedicated app. Once you install the app on your phone, tablet, or computer, you can open it, and the on-screen instructions will walk you through connecting your printer to Wi-Fi. If you're using a computer, you may need to connect the printer to the computer using a USB cable during initial setup. [2] X Research source Some common apps: HP app: iPhone/iPad / Android / Windows / Mac Canon PRINT app: iPhone/iPad / Android / Windows / Mac Epson Smart Panel app: iPhone/iPad / Android / Windows / Mac Brother Mobile Connect app: iPhone/iPad / Android / Windows / Mac HP app: iPhone/iPad / Android / Windows / Mac Canon PRINT app: iPhone/iPad / Android / Windows / Mac Epson Smart Panel app: iPhone/iPad / Android / Windows / Mac Brother Mobile Connect app: iPhone/iPad / Android / Windows / Mac 4 Connect the printer to your wireless network. Every printer has a different connection process. If you installed your printer's app, launching it will usually walk you through the wireless setup process. If not, you can usually connect it to your Wi-Fi network if you know the Wi-Fi network name ( SSID ) and password. [3] X Research source If your printer has a touchscreen panel, navigate the menus and look for a Network or Wi-Fi option. Refer to the printer's documentation for the exact location. If your printer and router support WPS (push-to-connect), press the WPS button on your printer (or using the touchscreen), then press the WPS button on your router within two minutes. The connection will be made automatically. [4] X Research source Some wireless printers may require you to connect to a computer first to set up the wireless connection. You can typically plug the printer into your computer using a USB cable, then use your printer's software to configure its Wi-Fi connection. After configuring its wireless connection, you can disconnect it from your computer and place it where you want. EXPERT TIP Brandon Phipps Technology Specialist Brandon Phipps is a Technology Specialist based in Bakersfield, CA. He is the owner of Second Star Technologies and specializes in Managed IT Services for small and mid-sized businesses in Bakersfield, CA. With over 23 years of experience, he offers expert cloud computing, cybersecurity, and network management solutions. Brandon is a committed community member and coach who leads and innovates in tech and sports coaching. His dedication to local businesses and communities is evident in his hands-on, tailored approach to IT solutions. Brandon Phipps Technology Specialist Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) can quickly add a printer to the network. This feature connects your printer to a wireless network without needing a computer or network name and password. Instead, you will use the WPS button or the WPS PIN (unique code used for device connection). If your printer has a touchscreen panel, navigate the menus and look for a Network or Wi-Fi option. Refer to the printer's documentation for the exact location. If your printer and router support WPS (push-to-connect), press the WPS button on your printer (or using the touchscreen), then press the WPS button on your router within two minutes. The connection will be made automatically. [4] X Research source Some wireless printers may require you to connect to a computer first to set up the wireless connection. You can typically plug the printer into your computer using a USB cable, then use your printer's software to configure its Wi-Fi connection. After configuring its wireless connection, you can disconnect it from your computer and place it where you want. Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) can quickly add a printer to the network. This feature connects your printer to a wireless network without needing a computer or network name and password. Instead, you will use the WPS button or the WPS PIN (unique code used for device connection). Connect to the Printer on Windows 1 Click the Windows Start menu and select Settings . As long as your computer is connected to the same wireless network as your printer, it'll be easy to connect it to Windows. [5] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source If your computer and printer are not on the same Wi-Fi network, you won't be able to add your printer to Windows. If your computer and printer are not on the same Wi-Fi network, you won't be able to add your printer to Windows. 2 Click Bluetooth & Devices . If you're using Windows 10, click Devices instead. 3 Click Printers & scanners . It's in the right panel on Windows 11, and in the left panel on Windows 10. 4 Click Add device . You'll see this in the upper-right corner on Windows 11. Your computer will start scanning for printers, scanners, and other devices. 5 Click Add device on your printer. When your computer discovers the printer, it will be listed below "Add printers and scanners." It will most likely be listed as your printer's manufacturer and model. Clicking Add device adds your printer to your computer. [6] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source If your printer is not listed, click Add a new device manually (Windows 11) or The printer that I want isn't listed (Windows 10). This displays options to help you find an older printer, or add a shared printer by name, IP address, wirelessly, or locally using manual settings. Select an option and follow the instructions to connect your printer. If your printer is not listed, click Add a new device manually (Windows 11) or The printer that I want isn't listed (Windows 10). This displays options to help you find an older printer, or add a shared printer by name, IP address, wirelessly, or locally using manual settings. Select an option and follow the instructions to connect your printer. 6 Click Print to print a test page. Once the printer is added, you may see the option to print a test page. If you don't, click the printer's name, then click Print test page . Connect to the Printer on a Mac 1 Click the Apple menu and select System Settings . As long as your Mac is connected to the same wireless network as your printer, you'll be able to add it to your Mac in System Settings. [7] X Research source You must have an AirPrint, HP-Jetdirect (Socket), Line Print Daemon (LPD), or Internet Printing Protocol (IPP)-enabled printer to connect it to your Mac. Fortunately, this includes most modern printers. If you haven't updated your Mac recently, do so before you proceed. Go to A pple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates. You must have an AirPrint, HP-Jetdirect (Socket), Line Print Daemon (LPD), or Internet Printing Protocol (IPP)-enabled printer to connect it to your Mac. Fortunately, this includes most modern printers. If you haven't updated your Mac recently, do so before you proceed. Go to A pple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates. 2 Click Printer & Scanners . You'll find this in the left sidebar. If you don't see it, scroll down a little. [8] X Research source 3 Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax . Your Mac will attempt to find any networked printers. After a few moments, you should see your wireless printer as long as your Mac is connected to the same Wi-Fi network. For some printers, you may need to connect your printer to your Mac with a USB cord and install the drivers that came with the printer or from the manufacturer's websites. Then connect your printer to the wireless network. Once it is connected, you can disconnect the USB cable. For some printers, you may need to connect your printer to your Mac with a USB cord and install the drivers that came with the printer or from the manufacturer's websites. Then connect your printer to the wireless network. Once it is connected, you can disconnect the USB cable. 4 Select your printer and click Add . After a few moments, your printer will be added to your Mac. The next time you print something, choose this printer's name from the "Printer" menu. 5 Print from your Mac. To test out your new printer, open an app you want to print from, such as Pages or Preview, click the File menu, and select Print . If your new printer doesn't appear next to "Printer," click the menu to select it. Choose your printing preferences and click Print to send the document to your printer. [9] X Research source Connect to the Printer on Chromebook 1 Open your Chromebook's settings. As long as you've connected your Chromebook to the same Wi-Fi network as your wireless printer, connecting to the printer will be easy. Start by clicking the time at the bottom of the screen and selecting Settings . [10] X Research source 2 Select Printers & Scanners under "Device." A few different options will appear. [11] X Research source 3 Click Print . Your Chromebook will begin to scan for printers on the same network. It may take a few moments for your printer to appear. 4 Select your printer and click Save . This saves your printer to your Chromebook settings. 5 Print from your Chromebook. In the app or document you want to print from, press Ctrl + P to open the print dialog. The printer you added should already be selected, but if it's not, select it from the "Destination" menu, then click Print . [12] X Research source Connect to the Printer on Android 1 Open the Settings app . You can do so by tapping the gear icon in your app list, or by swiping down from the top of the home screen and tapping the gear icon. [13] X Research source Make sure your Android phone or tablet is connected to the same wireless network as your printer. Otherwise, you won't be able to add your printer to your Android. Make sure your Android phone or tablet is connected to the same wireless network as your printer. Otherwise, you won't be able to add your printer to your Android. 2 Tap the magnifying glass icon . It's in the upper-right corner of the Settings menu. This allows you to quickly search for different menu items in the Settings menu. 3 Type print in the search bar. This shows where the printing option is in the Settings menu.

4 Tap Printing . This opens the Printing menu, which allows you to select a print service plugin. Alternatively, you can look for your printer settings in Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Printing or Settings > Printing . [14] X Research source Alternatively, you can look for your printer settings in Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Printing or Settings > Printing . [14] X Research source 5 Tap the toggle switch to turn a print service plugin on. Most Android models have the Default Print Service plugin. Tap the toggle switch next to this to turn it on. [15] X Research source Alternatively, you can tap Download Plugin to open the Google Play Store and download a third-party print service plugin. Many printer manufacturers, such as HP, Canon, Brother, and Lexmark, have their own print service plugin you can use. Tap the third-party plugin you want to use and tap Install. Alternatively, you can tap Download Plugin to open the Google Play Store and download a third-party print service plugin. Many printer manufacturers, such as HP, Canon, Brother, and Lexmark, have their own print service plugin you can use. Tap the third-party plugin you want to use and tap Install. 6 Tap the print service plugin you want to use. All installed print service plugins are listed in the Printing Settings menu. This scans for printers connected to your wireless network. [16] X Research source 7 Tap your printer. This connects your printer to your Android phone or tablet. 8 Print from your Android. If an app you are using supports printing, you can find the option to print by tapping the Share icon (or the menu icon), then tapping Print . [17] X Research source Not all apps support printing. However, you can take screenshots and print those. Not all apps support printing. However, you can take screenshots and print those. Connect to the Printer on iPhone or iPad 1 Determine if your printer supports AirPrint. This feature allows iOS devices to send print jobs directly to the printer. You can look up your printer model on Apple's website , or look for the AirPrint logo on your printer. [18] X Research source Some printers need to be configured to use AirPrint first. AirPrint printers need to be connected to the same wireless network as your iOS device. If your printer doesn't support AirPrint, you'll need to find a printing app from your printer's manufacturer. Some printers need to be configured to use AirPrint first. AirPrint printers need to be connected to the same wireless network as your iOS device. If your printer doesn't support AirPrint, you'll need to find a printing app from your printer's manufacturer. 2 Open the item you want to print. Unlike other devices, you don't actually have to add your printer to your iPhone or iPad –you can just select it when it's time to print something. You can print from the Photos app, the Mail app, and many others. Not all apps support AirPrint, but most apps from Apple and other major developers do. You'll be most likely to find AirPrint options in apps that can open documents, email, and pictures. [19] X Research source If an app doesn't support printing, you can take screenshots and print those. Not all apps support AirPrint, but most apps from Apple and other major developers do. You'll be most likely to find AirPrint options in apps that can open documents, email, and pictures. [19] X Research source If an app doesn't support printing, you can take screenshots and print those. 3 Tap the Share icon. This will open the app's sharing screen. [20] X Research source 4 Tap Print . You may need to scroll down the list to find it. This will open your printer options. 5 Select your printer and tap the Print icon. If your printer isn't found automatically, tap the Printer menu, then select it from the list. Once selected, tap the icon of a printer to print. [21] X Research source Question How can I tell if my printer is wireless? Community Answer Check your box for the word wifi or a wifi logo or type in your model number on Google to find the specifications for your printer. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 10 Helpful 18 Question Can I print from my laptop via a wireless printer connection? Community Answer Yes. Once you have the printer setup and connected to the wireless network, just install the drivers on your laptop. As long as your laptop is connected to the same network as your printer, you should be able to send print jobs to your printer over the network. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 12 Helpful 25 Question What should I do if my printer isn't listed? Community Answer Make sure the printer has been properly installed and setup. Also, make sure you have the correct drive for the printer installed on your computer. If the printer still isn't showing up, you may have a network problem. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 10 Helpful 10 If you get a "printer offline" error, you'll need to pinpoint the exact cause to fix the error and complete your setup. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 4 Tips from our Readers If you see other printers in your area when you’re trying to set up the connection, you can always ask your neighbors if they’d be willing to print something for you. Most people will happily print a resume or something small like that for a member of their community. Don’t try connecting to random printers that pop up in your WiFi network or Bluetooth menu. A lot of hackers and scammers will set up fake connections to try and lure unsuspecting users into connecting to their network so they can steal their info. You Might Also Like ↑ https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-connect-a-wireless-printer ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102410 ↑ https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-connect-a-wireless-printer ↑ https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_1780623-1698506-16 ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/install-a-printer-in-windows-cc0724cf-793e-3542-d1ff-727e4978638b ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/add-a-printer-or-scanner-in-windows-14d9a442-0bcb-e11c-7a6c-63f00efae79f ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-ph/guide/mac-help/mh14004/mac ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-ph/guide/mac-help/mh14004/mac ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/print-documents-mh35838/mac ↑ https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/7225252?hl=en ↑ https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/7225252?hl=en ↑ https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/7225252?hl=en ↑ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10003387/ ↑ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10003387/ ↑ https://support.google.com/android/answer/10177839?hl=en ↑ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00085562/ ↑ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00085562/ ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/109349 ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/printers-iph92628b8f/ios ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/109349 ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/109349 About This Article 1. Power on the printer. 2. Select the Wi-Fi option on the printer. 3. Select and connect to your wireless network. 4. On your PC, open Control Panel . 5. Click View devices and printers . 6. Click Add a printer . 7. Select the printer. Did this summary help you? Yes No Send fan mail to authors Reader Success Stories Debbie T. Sep 21, 2016 "Thanks so much for this! We had a very frustrating afternoon following our printer's instructions for this. I read your article & you instructed to push the WPS buttons in the opposite order and it worked! Brilliant!" ..." more Is this article up to date? Quizzes & Games You Might Also Like Trending Articles Trending Articles Take the Quiz. Face the Truth. 🔥 Decode Yourself 🧩 Featured Videos Hot Takes Only 🔥 Your Daily Dose of Fun 🎉 Computers and Electronics Computer Peripherals Do Not Sell or Share My Info Not Selling Info wikiHow Tech Help Pro: Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve