Smartphones and tablets have taken over many things from the PC. However, many people still turn on the PC for printing tasks, for example to print concert tickets or photos. Unnecessary, because you can easily perform print jobs from your mobile device.
Tip 01: AirPrint
If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can perform print jobs via AirPrint. One condition is that the printer can handle this technology from Apple. Most modern printers with a wireless network feature support AirPrint. Also read: Printing with your iPhone or iPad without AirPrinter.
It is also important that both devices are connected to the same WiFi network. In addition, you are still dependent on the app developer: as soon as an app supports AirPrint, a print button is available somewhere in the menu. Naturally, the default apps in iOS are equipped with this, such as Safari, Photos, Maps, Mail, and Notes. To do this, tap the share button (square with arrow) and choose Print. Choose the correct printer on the network and determine how many copies you want to print.
If the printer supports double-sided printing, turn this function on if desired. Confirm at the bottom with Print. Third-party apps in which a print button has added value may also have a print button hidden somewhere. Examples include Evernote and Dropbox. If your iPhone or iPad does not recognize the AirPrint device, this feature may still be disabled. In that case, go through the printer settings and activate this function.
Tip 02: Android
Also on Android, a print button is available in many apps, such as in Gmail, Chrome and Photos. Depending on which brand of printer you have, you must first install HP Print Service Plugin, Canon Print Service, Epson Print Enabler, Lexmark Print Service Plugin or Samsung Print Service Plugin from the Play Store. Before installing, please read the description to see if the plug-in is compatible with your printing device.
These plug-ins integrate into Android and make it possible to send wireless print jobs from the mobile operating system. Go to Apps / Settings / Print and enable the newly installed plugin. The name of your printer will now appear on the screen. Tap the icon with the three dots in the top right and choose Institutions. Depending on the printer brand, you can adjust the preferred settings to your liking. For example, in most plug-ins you can indicate whether you want to print double-sided.
Tip 03: Print Settings
After adding a plug-in from your printer to Android, printing is a breeze. Open an app from where you want to print something. In this tip we will take the E-mail application as an example. Open an email and press the button with the three dots at the top right. Through Print tap the arrow at the top right and press the name of the printer. Unlike iOS, in Android it is possible to adjust all kinds of print settings to your liking. Tap the arrow to expand all options. Indicate how many copies you want and which pages you want to print. Furthermore, you adjust the settings Colour, Paper Size and Direction at its own discretion. Press the yellow print button to make a printout.
Tip 04: Google Cloud Print
Another way to send print jobs from Android is through Google Cloud Print. With this universal solution it is possible to make any printer suitable for receiving mobile print jobs. A big advantage is that Google Cloud Print sends print jobs to your printer from an online server. It is therefore not necessary that your smartphone or tablet is connected to the same WiFi network. An internet connection is sufficient to print, so you can also make a printout from work on the printer at home.
You simply add the printer to your Google account. Certain network printers allow you to connect directly to your Google account without using a computer. Check in the manual of the device whether this is the case and how the registration works. If your printer is not immediately suitable, you can still use it with Google Cloud Print. Now only the computer has to be turned on to be able to print. You can easily register your printer from the Chrome browser. Type in the address bar chrome://devices and press Enter. Under the option Classic printers do you choose the option Add Printer. A list of found devices will appear. Make sure there is a checkmark for your printing device and confirm with Add printer(s).
