In short
- Your iPhone and the printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network, and the printer must support AirPrint.
- In almost any app, tap Share, then Print. Choose the printer and options, then tap Print.
- To copy a paper page, scan it with the Notes app first, or use Papiruno's Quick print to scan and print in one go.
Before you start
An AirPrint printer
Look for AirPrint on the box, in the manual or in the printer's specifications. Most wireless printers have it.
The same Wi-Fi
Your iPhone and the printer must be on the same network. A guest network, or a second network name for 5 GHz, can keep them apart.
A printer that's ready
Switched on, with paper and ink, and no error showing on its screen.
What do you want to print?
Choose what you're printing to see the steps. They're nearly the same everywhere: Share, then Print.
Photos
- Open the Photos app and open the photo. To print several, tap Select and tap each one.
- Tap the Share button, the square with an arrow pointing up.
- Scroll down and tap Print.
- Choose your printer, the number of copies and the paper size, then tap Print.
Tip Printing on photo paper? Set the paper size in the print options to match it, such as 4 × 6 in or 10 × 15 cm.
PDFs and files
- Open the Files app and tap the PDF or document to open it.
- Tap the Share button.
- Tap Print.
- Choose the printer and, under Range, the pages you need. Tap Print.
Tip A file attached to an email or a message prints the same way: open it, then tap Share and Print.
Web pages
- Open the page in Safari.
- Tap the Share button. In recent versions of iOS, you'll find it in the ••• menu next to the address bar.
- Tap Print.
- Swipe through the preview, choose the pages you need under Range, and tap Print.
Tip To print just the article, without menus and ads, switch to Reader first, then print.
Emails
- Open the email in Mail.
- Tap the Reply button, the curved arrow at the bottom.
- Scroll down and tap Print.
- Choose the printer and tap Print.
Tip To print only an attachment, tap the attachment to open it, then tap Share and Print.
A paper copy
- Your iPhone can't use the printer's scanner, but its camera can scan the page. Open Notes and start a new note.
- Tap the attachment button (a paperclip, or a camera in older versions of iOS) and choose Scan Documents.
- Hold your iPhone over the page. It captures the page by itself. Tap Save.
- Tap the scan in the note, tap Share, then Print.
Tip In Papiruno, Quick print does it in one go: scan the page and it goes straight to the printer, like a photocopier.
The print options, explained
After you tap Print, these options decide what comes out. Which ones you see depends on your printer.
Printer
Tap it to choose from the AirPrint printers your iPhone can see on the network.
Copies
Tap + or − to print the same thing several times.
Range
Print only some of the pages, such as 2 to 4, instead of the whole document.
Double-sided
Prints on both sides of the paper. It appears only when the printer can do it by itself.
Black & White
Saves colour ink on documents that don't need it.
Paper size and orientation
Shown when the printer reports them. Most printers simply use the paper in the tray.
Check or cancel a print job
While something is printing, open the App Switcher (swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause, or double-click the Home button) and tap Print Center. It shows the job's progress, and Cancel Printing stops it. Print Center only appears while a job is printing.
If your printer doesn't have AirPrint
AirPrint is the only way an iPhone can print on its own. An older printer without it may still print from your iPhone through its maker's app, or from a computer it's connected to. Papiruno, like every AirPrint app, can't print to it.
Does the printer have AirPrint but your iPhone can't see it? Work through these fixes for “No AirPrint Printers Found”.
Print more with less ink
Papiruno is our iPhone app for scanning and printing with AirPrint. Everything above works without it. It adds what the built-in printing can't do:
- Several pages on one sheet: 2, 4, 6 or 9
- Ink saver: lighter pages, with text that's just as readable
- Quick print: scan a page and print it, like a photocopier
- Both sides of an ID card on one page, at true size
- Every scan kept in a library, ready to print again
Scan with your iPhone camera
Questions
Do I need an app to print from my iPhone?
No. If the printer supports AirPrint, your iPhone can print to it with no app, driver or account: tap Share, then Print. Apps like Papiruno add features such as several pages per sheet and ink saving.
How do I know if my printer supports AirPrint?
Look for AirPrint on the box, in the manual or in the printer's specifications. Or just try it: if the printer is on and connected to the same Wi-Fi, it appears under Printer when you tap Print.
Why isn't Print in the Share menu?
Print is usually below the row of apps and contacts, so scroll down. Some apps don't offer it at all. Then save the item to Files or Photos, and print it from there.
Can I print double-sided from an iPhone?
Yes, if the printer can. Tap Print and turn on Double-sided. If you don't see that option, the printer can't print on both sides by itself.
Can I print to a printer that only has USB?
Not directly: AirPrint works over the network. Some computers and routers can share a USB printer so that your iPhone sees it, so check yours. Otherwise, print from the computer.