6 Simple Ways to Print a Document From Any Device

Do you have important documents or school assignments to print? You can easily print a file if you have a computer or phone and a working printer. Be sure your printer is connected to your computer or phone, and if it's wireless, make sure it's on the same Wi-Fi network. You'll be able to print a variety of files, such as PDFs, Word documents, images, Excel spreadsheets, and more. This wikiHow will show you how to print a document using a Windows or Mac computer, as well as on Android, iPhone, and iPad.

Ways to Print a Document

Windows and Mac users can press Ctrl+P/Cmd+P to open the print dialog.
You can also go to File > Print on a computer.
Tap the three-dot icon in the corner and tap Print to open the print dialog on Android, as long as you have a Wi-Fi printer or use an OTG cable on an HP printer.
Tap the Share icon, then choose Print to print on an iPhone or iPad, as long as your printer supports AirPrint.

Method 1

Method 1 of 6:

Using a Keyboard Shortcut (Windows & Mac)

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Make sure that your printer is connected and turned on. If your printer connects over Wi-Fi, this will mean making sure that you're on the same Internet network as your printer; otherwise, you'll need to plug your printer's USB cable into your computer.^{[1]
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- Check your printer's manual to confirm how to set it up if you haven't already done so.
- Be sure to update your printer drivers.
- Don't have a printer? Find out where wikiHow readers go to print documents for free at our "Where can I print something near me for free (don't own a printer)" forum!
This is the keyboard shortcut to open the print menu. This shortcut will work in most programs that allow you to open and print documents, including word processors, your internet browser, and your computer's built-in photo viewer.

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Choose your print settings. The print settings will vary depending on what type of document you're printing, what type of printer you have, and what operating system you're using. Jump to our sections on using Windows or using Mac for more in-depth instructions.
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Click Print. Your file will be sent to your printer and should begin printing within a few seconds.

Method 2

Method 2 of 6:

Using Windows

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Open the document you want to print. This could be a PDF, Word document, Excel spreadsheet, or even photos. If you're opening a PDF, it might open in your web browser.
- Use the File Explorer to find the file if needed.^{[2]
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- Make sure your printer is turned on and connected before continuing.
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Click File > Print. Alternatively, if you're using a program with a dedicated print button, you can click that instead. For example, if you open a PDF and it opens in your web browser, there will be a button with a printer icon at the top of the page. This will open the print dialog.
- Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + P to open the print dialog in most programs that can open files and documents.
3
Select your printer. Click the "Printer" drop-down box, then click your printer's name.
- If you don't see your printer, you'll need to add it.
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Select a number of copies. In the "Copies" box, type in the number of copies of the document that you'd like to print.^{[3]
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- This is different than the number of pages.
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Edit other print settings. The menu for each document type will vary, but you'll have the following options for most documents:^{[4]
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- Orientation/Layout: Determine whether your document is oriented vertically (portrait) or horizontally (landscape).
- Color: Decide between printing in black and white or including color printing. You must have colored ink in your printer to print in color.
- Number of sides/Two-sided: Choose single-sided printing to print one sheet of paper per page, or choose double-sided printing to use both sides of a piece of paper. If you don't have a printer that can print double-sided automatically, you'll need to flip the papers and print the back sides after the fronts are printed.
It's either at the bottom of the window or at the top of the window. Your document will begin printing.

Method 3

Method 3 of 6:

Using a Mac

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Open the document you want to print. This could be a PDF, Word document, Pages document, or even pictures.
- Use Finder to find the file if needed.
- Make sure your printer is turned on and connected before continuing.
- Click File > Print. Alternatively, if you're using a program with a dedicated print button, you can click that instead. For example, if you open a PDF and it opens in your web browser, there will be a button with a printer icon at the top of the page. This will open the print dialog.
- Alternatively, you can press Cmd + P to open the print dialog in most programs that can open files and documents.
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Select your printer. Click the "Printer" drop-down box, then click your printer's name in the drop-down menu.
3
Select a number of copies. Choose the number in the "Copies" field.
4
Edit other print settings. Click Show Details to expand the "Pages" settings.
- Pages: Select pages to print. If you leave "All" selected, your entire document will print.
- Print in Color: Toggle this on to print in color. If you want to print in black and white, turn this option off.
- Double-sided: If you want to print something double-sided, turn this option on. If you don't have a printer that can print double-sided automatically, you'll need to flip the papers and print the back sides after the fronts are printed.
- Paper size: Use this option to scale your printer's margins up or down for different paper sizes.
- Orientation: Determine whether your document is oriented vertically or horizontally.
It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. Your document will begin printing.

Method 4

Method 4 of 6:

Using Android (Wi-Fi)

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Choose your printer as your default printing method. First, make sure your Android and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network. Then, go to Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Printing > Add service and choose your printer.
- You can also use an HP printer with a cable if you have a USB printer cable and a USB OTG (on-the-go). Check out how to do this below.
- Google's Cloud Print service was discontinued in 2020, so you can no longer use it to print on your Android.^{[5]
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Open the document you want to print. This could be in your web browser or Android Files app.
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Tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner. This will open a menu.
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Open the printer menu. Depending on the app you're using, you might see Print in this menu. In other apps, like Chrome, you will have to tap Share before you can tap Print.^{[6]
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Choose your printer. The option to do so is at the top of the screen. If you only have one printer or you've used this printer on your Android before, it may auto-populate.
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Change your print settings. To do so, you may have to tap the down arrow to expand the options. You can choose how many copies you want to print, whether to print them in color, and more.
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Tap Print. Your document will begin printing in a few seconds.

Method 5

Method 5 of 6:

Using Android (OTG Cable)

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Plug your phone into your printer. To do this, you'll need a printer cable and an OTG (on-the-go) cable. Printer cables have a square-ish-shaped plug on one end and a USB-A plug on the other end. OTG cables have a USB-A port on one end and a USB-C plug on the other end.
- To plug your phone into your printer, first plug the square end of the printer cable into the back of your printer.
- Then, plug the USB-A side of the printer cable into the OTG cable's USB-A port.
- Finally, plug the USB-C side of the OTG cable into your Android.^{[7]
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Tap OK on the HP Print Service Plugin pop-up. Once you plug your phone into your printer, your phone will ask if the HP Print Service Plugin should be opened when you plug this device into your phone.
- If this pop-up doesn't come up, make sure your printer is on.
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Open the document you want to print. This could be in your web browser or Android Files app.
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Tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner. This will open a menu.
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Open the printer menu. Depending on the app you're using, you might see Print in this menu. In other apps, like Chrome, you will have to tap Share before you can tap Print.^{[8]
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Choose your printer. The option to do so is at the top of the screen. If you only have one printer or you've used this printer on your Android before, it may auto-populate.
7
Change your print settings. To do so, you may have to tap the down arrow to expand the options. You can choose how many copies you want to print, whether to print them in color, and more.
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Tap Print. Your document will begin printing in a few seconds.

Method 6

Method 6 of 6:

Using an iPhone or iPad

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Make sure your printer and iPhone/iPad are connected to the same network. To print from your iPhone, you must have a Wi-Fi printer that also supports AirPrint. If you're not sure, check your printer's box or manual; it should indicate whether the printer supports AirPrint.^{[9]
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Open the file or document you want to print. This can be in your Files app or in the Photos app.
- If you want to print a photo you found online, you'll need to save it to your Photos app first. To do this, long-press on the photo, then click the Save to Photos button.
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Tap Share. The share button will look like a square with an arrow pointing up, located at the bottom of the page.
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Tap Print. You'll have to scroll to find it. It's in a section of options near the bottom of the Share screen.
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Choose your printer. The option to do so is at the top of the screen. If you only have one printer or you've used this printer on your iPhone or iPad before, it may auto-populate.
- Your iPhone or iPad will automatically detect AirPrint-eligible Wi-Fi printers on the same network as your device and within range. If you don't see your printer, make sure of the following:
  - The printer is on.
  - The printer is on the same network as the iPhone/iPad.
  - The printer supports AirPrint.
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Change your print settings. You can choose how many copies to print, whether to print in color, and more.
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Tap Print. Your document will begin printing in a few seconds.

Community Q&A

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Question

Can I print on an Asus laptop?

Community Answer

Yes. You can print on almost all laptops. If you have a good printer and a newer model laptop, you should be able to print wirelessly.

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How do I print if there is no file icon to click on?

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You can use "control + p" to print the document.

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Question

Can I print from an iPad?

Community Answer

Yes. If you are using Word or Pages on iPad, you can go to file, and then print. If you wish to print a picture, you can click on share, and then select the print option.

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If you're unsure about your printer settings or your document's appearance, try printing only the first page to get an idea of how it will look when printed.

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Always keep spare cartridges of ink or toner with your personal printer. If a printer is low on ink or toner, the document will not print correctly.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

It’s frustrating to run into printing issues with your own computer. If you’re struggling to print correctly, just toss the document on a thumb drive and hit up your local library. They’ll print the document out for you.
If you ever have to print something on the road, ask whoever is at the hotel desk. They’ll either print the document for you or direct you to a conference room where you can print the document.

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