Independent printer help. Not affiliated with any printer manufacturer.

Quick fix

Check that your iPhone, iPad or Mac is on the same Wi-Fi network as the printer, not a guest network, and turn off any VPN. Then restart the printer, wait until it's fully ready and try again. AirPrint printers normally appear within a few seconds once both devices can see each other on the network.

Didn’t work? Go to the full steps

You might see

  • The print screen says No AirPrint Printers Found
  • The printer appears on some devices but not others
  • It shows up sometimes and vanishes at other times
  • A Mac lists the printer but says it's offline or not connected
  • The printer works from Windows but not from Apple devices

Usually caused by

  • Device and printer on different networks
  • Guest Wi-Fi or client (AP) isolation
  • A VPN, firewall or content-filter app
  • Router or mesh settings blocking Bonjour discovery
  • AirPrint or Bonjour turned off on the printer
  • Printer asleep or not connected to Wi-Fi

Step-by-step fix

Work through the steps in order and check each one off. Most people are printing again before the last step.

On the printer and router

0 of 5 steps tried

  1. Confirm the printer is on your network

    Print a network configuration page from the printer's menu. It should show a connected status, your Wi-Fi name and an IP address. Most wireless printers from the last decade support AirPrint, and Apple's support website keeps a list of compatible printers if you're unsure about yours.

  2. Check AirPrint and Bonjour are on

    Open the printer's built-in web page by typing its IP address into a browser, then look under Network, Protocols or AirPrint. Make sure AirPrint, Bonjour (sometimes listed as mDNS) and IPP are enabled. They're usually on by default, but a security setting or a reset can turn them off.

  3. Leave guest networks and isolation

    Guest networks, and router settings called client isolation or AP isolation, stop devices on the same Wi-Fi from seeing each other. Put the printer and your Apple devices on the main network, or turn isolation off for it in the router's app.

  4. Check mesh, extender and smart-device networks

    AirPrint finds printers with Bonjour, a local announcement that some routers, extenders and separate smart-device networks don't pass between bands or units. Put the printer and your device on the same network name. If your router has multicast or mDNS settings, read the router's help pages before changing them.

  5. Restart the router and printer

    Turn the printer off, restart the router and wait until the internet is back. Then turn the printer on and wait until it's fully ready before searching again.

Common questions

Do I need an app to use AirPrint?

No. AirPrint is built into iPhone, iPad and Mac, so an AirPrint printer on the same network should appear in the Print screen without extra software.

Why does my printer appear and then disappear?

Usually the printer is going to sleep, dropping off Wi-Fi, or being moved between mesh units or bands. Lengthen its sleep timer and reserve its IP address in the router.

Can I use AirPrint without a router?

On many printers, yes. If your printer offers Wi-Fi Direct, join its DIRECT- network on your iPhone or iPad and the printer usually appears as an AirPrint printer.

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