AirPrint is a system Apple developed that lets you wirelessly print from your Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iPod without installing any drivers. It also helps your Apple devices find nearby wireless printers, so printing can always be quick and easy!
AirPrint must be built into your printer in order for this quick and easy system to work, though. Below, we’ll tell you how to check if your printer is AirPrint enabled, and what to do if it isn’t.
What You Need for AirPrint to Work
Before you check if your printer has AirPrint capabilities, you’ll want to make sure you have certain things set up first. Without these first steps, you may not be able to access AirPrint even if your printer has it installed.
One of these things is ensuring that your printer is wireless. AirPrint works over Wi-Fi, so if your printer can’t be connected to over Wi-Fi like most of the best printers for Macs, you can be certain AirPrint isn’t enabled on your printer. You can still print from Apple devices to wired printers, of course. You just can’t do so with AirPrint. You’ll need to download drivers or apps to have that work.
Since AirPrint works over Wi-Fi, you need working Wi-Fi as well and you need your Apple device to be on the same Wi-Fi network as your printer. If you’re not on the same Wi-Fi, your iPhone, iPad, or Mac will have trouble finding the printer whether it has AirPrint or not.
Once you have all of this set up, AirPrint should be working, so long as it’s available on your printer. To check if AirPrint is available, read the next few sections.
Does Apple Say Your Printer Is AirPrint Enabled?
The easiest way to see if your printer has AirPrint installed on it is to check with Apple. Apple makes this easy by having an Apple Support webpage that lists all current AirPrint devices. Check out Apple’s list here to see if your printer has AirPrint. We’d recommend hitting Cmd + F on your keyboard and inputting your printer manufacturer and name to find it quickly—it’s a long list!
If your printer is on the list, you’re all set! Check the next section to see how you can go about using AirPrint to print. If your printer is not on the list, check out the next section to see how you can verify if AirPrint is enabled by trying to print with it anyway.
Check for AirPrint by Trying to Print
If you don’t want to bother with Apple’s AirPrint device list, or if you want to verify the list’s accuracy, the next best way to see if AirPrint is enabled on your printer is to try to print while using it.
Since AirPrint allows you to print without downloading any drivers, this means you really just need to try printing anything to your wireless printer from your Mac, iPhone, or iPad without using any apps or making any downloads first. We have a guide that explains how to print on a Mac which should help you get started with that process. If the printer you’re checking for AirPrint is available in the Printer dropdown menu without you installing any drivers, AirPrint is working!
If you don’t see the printer you’re checking for AirPrint, you may need to add the printer to your Mac. If during that process you’re prompted to set up or download a driver, AirPrint is not enabled on your printer. It’s basically the same situation if you’re printing from your iPhone or iPad. Go through the steps for how to print from your iPhone or iPad until you reach the Printer selection menu of the Print Options page.
If the printer you’re verifying for AirPrint is available, congratulations, AirPrint is enabled on your printer! If you don’t find your printer when trying to print from your iPhone or iPad, AirPrint probably isn’t enabled on your printer. You’ll instead need to get the dedicated app from your printer manufacturer to print from your iPhone or iPad going forward.
AirPrint Makes Printing Incredibly Easy
It’s great to have a printer with AirPrint if you have Apple devices like a Mac, iPhone or iPad. You can start printing to it right away so long as the printer and devices are on the same Wi-Fi network, with none of the hassle of downloading any programs or apps.
If your printer doesn’t have AirPrint, it’s thankfully pretty easy to install a driver or get the printer’s app to allow for wired or wireless printing. Follow your printer manufacturer’s instructions to do so. AirPrint just speeds things along, and lets other people with Apple devices to print easily, too.
We hope this article has helped you determine whether or not AirPrint is enabled on your printer. Whether it is or not, at least you know there are other ways of printing from your Apple devices, and next time you’re buying a printer, you know to look for AirPrint to simplify your printing in the future.
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