Modern smartphones have eliminated the need to keep a hard copy of a document. But if there is something you need to print, even Android smartphones allow you to do it. Unlike computers, smartphones are highly portable, and using them to print photos or documents can make you less hassle.
Printing from an Android smartphone is pretty straightforward, although it might seem complicated at first. So, as always, here you will find all the information you need. Here are the different ways you can print from your Android device:
Print any document from your Android device (2019)
1. Google Cloud Print
The simplest method is to use the Google Cloud Print feature, which is built into most Android smartphones. For this method, however, you'll need to download the Google Cloud Print app. Before you start printing from your Android smartphone, you will need to add your printer to Cloud Print. Here's how to do it:
- First of all, make sure the printer is connected to your PC or Mac on the same network. So, go to the Google Chrome browser and press the hamburger button at the top right and go to the "Settings".
- Within the Settings page, scroll down and click on "Show advanced settings". Then, look for a subtitle called “Print” and tap on the option Google Cloud Print.
- Now hit on the option "Manage Cloud Print Devices" to open an expanded menu.
- Here, printers connected to the same WiFi network as the user and available for registration will be listed. Select the printer you want to connect to and click "Add new printers".
Note: Make sure the printers are added in Cloud Print via the same Google account you use on your Android device because only then will the printer be synced with your device.
- Once done, the printer will automatically be added to your Google account and you will see it on the “Google Cloud Print” app on your Android device.
Steps to print documents from an Android device
- Open any image or document you want to print on your Android device. Press the button with three points at the top right and select "print".
- The file will then be uploaded to the Cloud Print app. Then, use the drop-down menu from the top and select the printer from which you want to print. Touch the printer icon and the document or image will be printed.
2. Official printer app
You can also use the official printer app of the particular printer you own to print a document or image over WiFi. This definitely is a great way if you don't want to go through the hassle of manually adding printers via Google Chrome. First, you will need to download your printer app or print service plug-in that enables the printer in the Android print menu.
In my case, as you can see, I downloaded the Kyocera app. You can search for apps for different manufacturers on the Play Store. Here are some of the popular ones:
- HP: HP print service plug-in
- Epson: Epson iPrint o Epson Print Enabler
- Canon: Canon PRINT Inkjet / Selphy or Canon Print Service
- Samsung: Samsung Mobile Print Manager o Samsung Print Service Plugin
After installing the appropriate app for your printer, you will need to make sure that your Android device and your printer are connected to the same WiFi network.
3. Using the USB or Bluetooth cable
You can also connect your printer via a cavo USB o Bluetooth, however you will need a printer that supports both parameters. All the latest Android phones support a USB connection to printers. But if you're using an older device, you'll need to download a third-party app like PrintHand to connect with a USB printer.
During our tests, we weren't able to connect any of our phones to the printer via a USB cable, so we decided to use PrintHand to establish a connection. To do this, you will first need to enable app access to print services going up Settings-> Print. Once enabled, the apps allow you to connect to supported printers via WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, Cloud Print, or remotely. The app may ask you to download the relevant drivers, so make sure you do so.
Final report: To connect your phone to a printer via USB, you need a USB 2.0 and USB OTG printer cable. They are available in online and offline stores or you can buy it from us.
If your printer supports Bluetooth, you can use your Android phone to print the document directly or use PrintHand to establish a connection using a similar method.
Have you tried printing from your Android device?
We like CloudPrint a lot because it's natively integrated into Android, but if you're looking for a complete solution, we recommend using your printer's official app.
Well, these are definitely the best ways to print any document or image right from your Android smartphone or tablet, so if you've never tried printing from your Android device, you should! Let us know if you run into any problems, as we are always available to help.
Read also: How to print via Wifi with your smartphone
