Printing documents or photos directly from your phone can be incredibly convenient. Whether you need to quickly print a boarding pass, a photo from your gallery, or an important document, connecting your HP printer to your phone via WiFi offers a seamless solution. This guide will walk you through the steps on how to connect your HP printer to WiFi using your phone, allowing for easy and efficient mobile printing.
While using a mobile hotspot to connect your printer might seem like a viable option, it’s generally not recommended due to limited bandwidth. Mobile hotspots often lack the stable and robust connection needed for reliable printer communication. Instead, HP printers offer a feature called HP Wireless Direct, which enables you to connect your phone directly to your printer’s WiFi network without needing a traditional wireless router. This method is secure and straightforward, perfect for printing on the go or in environments without a standard WiFi network.
Here’s how to connect your HP printer to WiFi on your phone using HP Wireless Direct:
Steps to Connect Your HP Printer to WiFi on Your Phone
Follow these simple steps to establish a connection between your HP printer and your phone using HP Wireless Direct:
Step 1: Enable HP Wireless Direct on Your Printer
First, you need to activate HP Wireless Direct on your HP printer. The location of this setting may vary slightly depending on your printer model, but it’s usually found within the printer’s control panel.
- Locate the Wireless Direct icon: On many HP printers, you’ll find a dedicated HP wireless direct icon () on the control panel. It often looks like a WiFi symbol with a small arrow pointing directly to it.
- Navigate through the menu: If you don’t see the icon, navigate to the Network Setup or Wireless Settings menu on your printer’s control panel.
- Turn on Wireless Direct: Look for the Wireless Direct option and select it to turn the connection On.
- Enable Security (Recommended): For a more secure connection, choose On with security. This will require a password for devices to connect. Note down the security passcode displayed on the printer screen and touch OK.
Step 2: Connect Your Phone to the Printer’s WiFi
Now that Wireless Direct is enabled on your printer, you need to connect your phone to the printer’s dedicated WiFi network.
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Open your phone’s WiFi settings: Go to Settings on your phone and tap on Wi-Fi.
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Select your HP printer: From the list of available WiFi networks, look for a network name that starts with HP-Print-xx-[your printer model name]. Tap on this network to connect.
Note: If you don’t see your printer name, ensure your phone is close to the printer as you might be out of the HP Wireless Direct signal range. Move closer and refresh the WiFi networks list.
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Enter the security passcode (if prompted): If you enabled security in Step 1, you’ll be prompted to enter a password. Use the security passcode you noted from the printer control panel and tap Join or Connect.
Step 3: Print from Your Phone
With your phone connected to the printer’s WiFi, you can now print documents and photos.
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Open the file to print: Open the photo or document you wish to print on your phone.
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Find the print option: Tap Print from the app’s menu (often found in the three-dot menu or share icon) or the action menu.
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Select your printer: Choose your printer model from the list of available printers.
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Tap Print: Initiate the print job by tapping the Print button.
Note: If your app doesn’t natively support printing, you can install the HP ePrint mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for broader printing compatibility.
Step 4: Reconnect to Your Regular WiFi
After you have finished printing, remember to switch your phone back to your usual WiFi network to regain internet access.
- Go back to WiFi settings: Return to the Wi-Fi settings on your phone.
- Select your regular WiFi network: Choose your usual WiFi network name and tap to reconnect.
By following these steps, you can easily connect your HP printer to WiFi on your phone using HP Wireless Direct. This method provides a convenient and secure way to print directly from your mobile device whenever you need to. For a visual guide, you can also check out HP’s YouTube video on mobile printing via Wi-Fi Direct: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbLYfMCQ3WM&ab_channel=HPSupport. For more advanced mobile printing options, visit the HP Mobile Printing page: https://www.hp.com/us-en/printers/mobility/wireless-direct-printing.htm
