How to Connect a Printer Wirelessly: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Connecting a printer to WiFi should be a five-minute job. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it takes an hour and three cups of tea. I’ve set up dozens of printers wirelessly over the years, and I’m going to walk you through every method — including the fixes for when things inevitably go wrong.

This guide covers WiFi, WPS, and WiFi Direct setup on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android, with specific steps for HP, Epson, Canon, and Brother printers.

Before You Start

Grab these before you do anything:

• Your WiFi network name (SSID) and password. You’ll need to type this into the printer or the setup app. If you’ve never changed it, check the sticker on the back of your router.
• A device already on your WiFi network. Your laptop, phone, or tablet needs to be connected to the same network you want the printer on.
• The printer powered on and within range of your router. WiFi signal drops through walls — don’t stick the printer three rooms away from your router and expect miracles.

If the printer is brand new, it’s probably already in setup mode and ready to connect. If it was previously connected to a different network (bought second-hand, moved house, changed broadband provider), you’ll need to reset its network settings first. Check the manual for the specific button combination — it’s usually holding the WiFi button for 5-10 seconds.

Method 1: Connect via WiFi (Standard Setup)

This is the most common method and works with every WiFi-enabled printer.

On the Printer (If It Has a Screen)

1. Press the Home or Settings button on the printer’s control panel.
2. Navigate to Network Settings, WiFi Setup, or Wireless LAN Setup (every brand words it differently, which is mildly annoying).
3. Select WiFi Setup Wizard or Wireless Setup.
4. The printer scans for available networks. Select yours.
5. Enter your WiFi password using the on-screen keyboard. This is the tedious bit — typing a 20-character password on a tiny printer touchscreen is nobody’s idea of fun.
6. Wait for the connection to confirm — the WiFi light should turn solid (not flashing).

On the Printer (If It Has No Screen)

Budget printers like the HP DeskJet 2820e don’t have displays, so you do everything through an app on your phone:

1. Download the manufacturer’s app — HP Smart, Epson Smart Panel, Canon PRINT, or Brother Mobile Connect — on your phone.
2. Open the app and tap Set Up a New Printer.
3. The app detects the printer via Bluetooth or WiFi Direct.
4. Follow the prompts to enter your WiFi credentials.
5. The app transfers the details to the printer, and it connects automatically.

This actually works surprisingly well in my experience. The apps have got much better at this over the past couple of years.

Method 2: Connect via WPS (One-Button Setup)

WPS is the fastest method if your router supports it. Look for a button labelled WPS on your router — it’s usually on the back or side.

1. On the printer, press and hold the WiFi button until the light starts flashing (usually 3-5 seconds).
2. Within 2 minutes, press the WPS button on your router.
3. The printer and router negotiate the connection automatically. No passwords needed.
4. When the WiFi light turns solid, you’re connected.

Dead easy when it works. The catch? Some newer routers (especially BT and Sky hubs) have WPS disabled by default for security reasons. You might need to enable it in your router’s admin panel (usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).

Method 3: WiFi Direct (No Router Needed)

WiFi Direct lets you print without a WiFi network — the printer creates its own mini hotspot. Handy in student halls or offices where you can’t access the main WiFi.

1. Enable WiFi Direct on the printer (usually in Network Settings).
2. On your phone or laptop, look for the printer’s network in available WiFi connections (something like “DIRECT-xx-HP DeskJet”).
3. Connect to it using the password shown on the printer’s display or information sheet.
4. Print directly — but heads up, you won’t have internet access while connected to the printer’s network.

I’ve used this a fair bit in temporary setups — printing shipping labels at a mate’s house when I couldn’t get on their WiFi, that sort of thing. If you’re looking for a student-friendly printer, see our guide to the best printer for students.

Adding the Printer on Windows 10/11

Once the printer is on your WiFi network:

1. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Click Add device. Windows scans for printers on the network.
3. Your printer should pop up in the list. Click Add device next to it.
4. Windows downloads and installs the appropriate driver automatically.
5. Print a test page to check: right-click the printer > Printer properties > Print Test Page.

If the Printer Doesn’t Appear

This happens more often than it should. Don’t panic.

• Click Add manually (or “The printer that I want isn’t listed”).
• Select Add a printer using a TCP/IP address.
• Enter the printer’s IP address. To find this, print a network configuration page — usually by holding the Information or i button on the printer for a few seconds.
• Windows will detect the model and install drivers.

I’d say about one in four printers I’ve set up needed this manual step. It’s a bit fiddly, but it works every time.

Adding the Printer on macOS

1. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners (or System Preferences on older versions).
2. Click the + button to add a printer.
3. Your WiFi printer should appear in the Default tab. Select it.
4. macOS uses AirPrint or downloads the appropriate driver via Software Update.
5. Click Add to finish.

Mac is usually the easier setup, honestly. AirPrint handles most modern printers without any faffing about with drivers.

Printing from iPhone or iPad (AirPrint)

AirPrint is brilliant — no app needed, no drivers, nothing to install:

1. Open whatever you want to print — document, photo, webpage.
2. Tap the Share button (the square with an upward arrow) or find Print in the menu.
3. Tap Select Printer — your AirPrint-compatible printer appears if it’s on the same WiFi.
4. Choose copies, page range, etc.
5. Tap Print.

All printers I recommend on this site support AirPrint. If your printer doesn’t show up, double-check it’s on the same WiFi network as your iPhone. That’s the number one cause of “it’s not finding my printer” — they’re on different networks.

Printing from Android

Android supports wireless printing via Mopria Print Service (pre-installed on most phones since Android 8):

1. Open the file you want to print.
2. Tap Menu (three dots) > Print or use Share > Print.
3. Select your printer from the dropdown.
4. Adjust settings and tap Print.

If the printer doesn’t appear, grab the manufacturer’s app from the Play Store:

• HP Smart for HP printers
• Epson Smart Panel for Epson printers
• Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY for Canon printers
• Brother Mobile Connect for Brother printers

Brand-Specific Setup Instructions

HP Printers

HP printers use the HP Smart app for setup and ongoing printing. Fair warning: the app will try hard to get you to create an HP account and sign up for Instant Ink. You can skip both.

1. Download HP Smart from the App Store, Play Store, or Microsoft Store.
2. Open the app and sign into (or create) an HP account. (HP+ models require this. Standard models don’t, but the app nags you.)
3. Tap Add Printer or the + icon.
4. The app detects your printer via Bluetooth. Tap on it.
5. Follow the prompts to connect it to your WiFi network.

HP-specific tip: If the printer was previously set up on a different network, hold the WiFi and Cancel buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds to reset network settings. The WiFi light will flash, meaning it’s back in setup mode. This has saved me a few times.

For help choosing between HP and Epson, read our Epson vs HP printers comparison.

Epson Printers

Epson printers use Epson Smart Panel (newer models) or Epson iPrint (older models).

1. Download Epson Smart Panel from your app store.
2. Open the app and tap Start setup or Add a product.
3. The app finds the printer via Bluetooth or WiFi Direct.
4. Enter your WiFi credentials when prompted.
5. The printer connects and the app confirms setup.

Epson-specific tip: On EcoTank models like the Epson EcoTank ET-2860, you can press the WiFi button for 3 seconds to enable WPS mode, or 5 seconds for WiFi Direct. Quicker than using the app if your router supports WPS.

Canon Printers

Canon printers use the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app.

1. Download Canon PRINT from your app store.
2. Open the app and tap Add Printer.
3. Select Register Printer > Printer Setup.
4. Choose Connection via Wireless Router for standard WiFi setup.
5. Follow the steps to connect the printer to your network.

Canon-specific tip: On PIXMA models like the Canon PIXMA TS5350i, hold the WiFi button until the icon flashes, then press the Colour button, then the WiFi button again to enter WPS mode. Or use the “Cableless Setup” option in the Canon PRINT app — it’s usually the easier route.

Brother Printers

Brother printers use Brother Mobile Connect (newer) or Brother iPrint&Scan (older).

1. Download Brother Mobile Connect from your app store.
2. Open the app and tap Set Up a New Device.
3. Select your printer model.
4. Follow the prompts for WiFi setup.

Brother-specific tip: Many Brother laser printers have a physical WiFi button. Press it once for WPS, hold for 3-5 seconds for WiFi Direct. Brother’s setup process is arguably the most straightforward of the lot — no account needed, no subscription push. Just connect and go.

Troubleshooting: Printer Not Found or Offline

This is where most people end up. Here are the fixes for the most common problems.

”Printer not found” on the Network

1. Check both devices are on the same WiFi network. This is the number one issue. Dual-band routers broadcast separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks. Most printers only support 2.4GHz — make sure your computer or phone is on the 2.4GHz band during setup. I can’t stress this enough.
2. Restart everything. Printer, router, and your device. Power them all off, wait 30 seconds, turn them back on in order: router first, then printer, then your device.
3. Disable your VPN. VPNs can block local device discovery. I’ve wasted twenty minutes troubleshooting before realising my VPN was the problem. Twice.
4. Check router settings. Some routers have “AP isolation” or “client isolation” enabled, which prevents devices from seeing each other. Disable this in your router’s admin panel.

Printer Shows as “Offline”

1. Print a network test page from the printer itself to confirm it’s actually connected to WiFi.
2. Remove and re-add the printer in your computer’s printer settings. Sometimes Windows just loses the plot.
3. Restart the Print Spooler (Windows): Search for “services” in Start, find Print Spooler, right-click and select Restart.
4. Check for IP address changes. If your router assigned a new IP to the printer, Windows gets confused. Consider assigning a static IP to the printer in your router’s DHCP settings — this prevents the problem recurring.

Prints Are Stuck in the Queue

This is annoying but fixable:

1. Open Settings > Printers & scanners > select your printer > Open print queue.
2. Cancel all pending jobs: Printer menu > Cancel All Documents.
3. If they refuse to cancel (it happens), restart the Print Spooler service or delete files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS\.
4. Re-send your print job.

WiFi Keeps Disconnecting

• Move the printer closer to the router or get a WiFi extender. Printers have weaker WiFi antennas than your phone.
• Update the printer firmware via the manufacturer’s app or website.
• Switch to 2.4GHz if you’re on 5GHz — 2.4GHz has better range through walls, and most printers only support this band anyway.

WiFi Printing Security Tips

Worth spending two minutes on this — wireless printers can be a security hole if left on default settings:

• Change the default admin password on your printer’s web interface (type the printer’s IP address into a browser to access it).
• Disable unused protocols like FTP, Telnet, or SNMP in network settings.
• Keep firmware updated — manufacturers patch security vulnerabilities regularly.
• Use WPA2 or WPA3 encryption on your WiFi network. If your router still uses WEP, change it immediately — it’s about as secure as leaving your front door open.
• Disable WiFi Direct if you don’t use it, as it creates an additional access point.

Summary

Connecting a printer wirelessly boils down to three steps:

1. Connect the printer to your WiFi network (via screen, app, or WPS button).
2. Add the printer on your computer or phone.
3. Print a test page to confirm it works.

When it goes smoothly, it takes five minutes. When it doesn’t, the troubleshooting section above should sort you out. The most common culprit is always the same — your devices are on different WiFi networks or different bands. Check that first and you’ll save yourself a lot of grief.

If you’re shopping for a new wireless printer, all the models I recommend — including options in our Epson vs HP comparison — support straightforward WiFi setup with companion apps that handle the heavy lifting for you.