Print from Android phone - how it works

All you need to print from your mobile phone or tablet is an app. Numerous printer manufacturers already offer Android apps in the Goolge Play Store. We show you how to print from your mobile phone.

Android: Apps from printer manufacturers

If you're the lucky owner of a network printer supported by the manufacturer's printer app on the Play Store, the next steps are very easy. The manufacturer usually states in the app description whether your printer is compatible with the app offered.

• Download the appropriate printer app from the Google Play Store. The quickest way to find it is to type the name of the manufacturer (HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, etc.) in the search bar.
• Then set up the app by searching the network for your printer. Note: Some routers split WLAN and LAN into two separate networks by default, so that a printer connected via the LAN cable cannot be found with the Android device connected via WLAN. As a rule, this can be easily changed on the router.
• If the printer is found, you can already use it. Which formats are printed depends on the app. While Canon's app "Canon Printservice" only prints photos (JPEG, PNG), "HP ePrint" also puts all office formats on paper.

Mobile printing: third-party applications

If you have a printer that cannot be connected to the network or for which the manufacturer does not offer an app, you still have third-party printer apps. For this you need a printer server or a switched on PC if the printer is not connected to the network.

• The PrintBot app prints the most important office formats such as PDF or DOC as well as image files. The monthly workload in the free version is limited to three files up to a size of one MByte. The setup can be tricky if you have to share the printer with a Windows PC, because the LPD protocol must first be installed on your computer.
• Cloud Print also puts all important office formats and images in JPEG format on paper. The printer app uses the Google Cloud Print Service to send the data to your printer. If your printer already supports Cloud Print, you don't need a PC to print with your Android device.

Android printing: the best printers for this purpose

In addition to using apps, many manufacturers offer other ways.

• Among other things, you can create your own email addresses at HP, Brother and Epson, which are retrieved from the printer. If you send a file to this address by email, the printer will automatically receive and print it out.
• Printing via NFC is also possible on some devices. For this you also need an additional app on your mobile phone. Instead of sending the data to the printer via the WLAN, hold your cell phone briefly at a specific point on the printer to send it to the printer.
• Our top list, which is always up-to-date, shows you which devices have the corresponding functions for printing via Android and which bring your documents and photos particularly well to paper. It starts from less than 100 euros.

Computer cannot find network printer: You can do that

You can easily print documents and pictures on the computer with a simple key combination. You will find out what that is in the next practical tip.