The iPad remains an ever-popular mobile tablet. Millions of users across the world use the iPad for many things, ranging from entertainment and communication to general productivity. The latter part of the workforce that uses iPad professionally lauds it for its multitasking features and intuitive additions like QuickNote. If you are part of the generation that gets work done on the iPad, you probably have a few documents lying around on it. However, when the time comes to print them, we usually resort to our PCs. But what if you want to print documents from your iPad? Thankfully, there are multiple ways to do so. Learn how to print from your iPad in this article.
While the easier way to print from an iPad is through Apple AirPrint, we will also detail additional methods in this tutorial. Use the table below to jump to a relevant section.
- What is Apple AirPrint on iPad and iPhone?
- How to Print from Your iPad Using Apple AirPrint
- How to Print from Your iPad Without AirPrint
- How to Print from Your iPad Using a USB Cable
- Alternate Method: Transfer Documents to Your PC
What is Apple AirPrint on iPad and iPhone?
The easiest way to print files and media from the iPad remains Apple AirPrint. AirPrint is a technology that lets users print anything wirelessly without the need of installing any additional drivers or going through multiple setup screens. AirPrint works with many native Apple apps like Mail, Safari, Notes, Maps, and even Adobe Acrobat, among many others.
How to Print from iPad with AirPrint
The following steps will show you how to print from your iPad with AirPrint. However, before we begin, make sure your iPad and AirPrint-supported printer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This way, the iPad will automatically detect your compatible printer. Once that’s out of the way, follow the steps below:
How to Print from Your iPad Without Airprint
Method 1: Use Your Printer’s Official App
If your printer does not support Apple AirPrint, you can still print your documents and photos from your iPad, but it will require a bit more work. Most major printer makers like HP and Canon have apps for iPadOS. They allow their products to print documents without AirPrint support. So if you learn that your printer comes without AirPrint, download these apps and use them on your iPad.
Download and install the app, and then follow the steps below to print a document or photo from your iPad without AirPrint.
Your HP printer has now been set up and is ready for use. Keep reading to learn how to print documents from the app itself.
The first time you click any option, the app will ask you to sign in or sign up. You should either log in or make an account to proceed. Once you have logged in, follow the steps below:
- You will now see a preview of your document, along with Print, Share, and other options. Tap the “Print” button at the bottom.
However, if you don’t want to go through all this hassle, leave the HP Smart app open in the background. Then, go to an app like Safari or Notes and choose the “Print with HP Smart” option after clicking the ellipsis icon (three dots) at the top. It will direct you to the same page you see in Step 6 above.
If your printer does not support AirPrint and doesn’t have an official app, you will need to use third-party software to print documents from your iPad. This software will use your computer and iPad to create a bridge between your printer. It will receive the print commands from your iPad on PC and relay them to your printer.
Download handyPrint for Mac (Free)
This method is heavily reliant on whether your printer will support a direct connection to the iPad. You will also need a USB to lightning cable (or a USB-C cable for new iPad Pro and Air models) to connect your iPad to the printer. To find out if your printer supports a USB connection like that, refer to its instruction manual.
Once a connection has been made, you should be able to print any documents or images by using the iPad’s share button. Just choose the “Print” option from the list, and you will see your printer exactly like the steps above.
If all else fails or if the above methods are too complicated, perhaps you are better off going about printing documents the classic way. We recommend choosing the stack of files you want to print and transferring them to your computer. You can either do this by mailing the files, uploading them to a cloud service like Google Drive, or physically connecting your iPad to the PC.
