How to print from your phone

When you need to go to court or tribunal, you may have evidence on your phone that you need to print out. If you do not know how to print from your phone, this guide will explain the different ways you can.

If you do not have access to a printer yourself, go to your local library. If you do not have a nearby library you could also try print and copy shops, newsagents, or shops like Ryman or Staples. You could also check with family and friends to see if they have a printer that you can use.

If you find a family member or a friend with a printer, it may be easier to send the document to them as an attachment in an email so they can print it. If do not know how to do this, see Email to a computer.

If you will be printing the document yourself, whether it is your printer or someone else’s computer such as a friend’s or the library’s, follow the relevant steps for your phone brand in the sections below.

Printing from your phone is possible from most smartphones. Most modern printers have Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth, or require you to download a printer app to your phone. This allows you to send a document from your phone to a printer wirelessly. If your printer has none of these features, you will need to connect your phone to the printer using a USB cable. This guide explains the steps for each of these ways. For newer models of phones like Android 12+ and iPhone iOS 15+, the steps may be even easier. 

October 2024

Most smartphones use Android, these will be the phones that use the Google Play Store.

Connecting to the printer

Make sure that the relevant wireless feature (Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) is turned on both your phone and the printer.

If you are using Wi-Fi

Check that your phone and the printer are connected to the same WiFi.

If you are using Bluetooth 

You need to pair your phone with the printer.

1. Turn on the bluetooth on your phone and printer
2. Go to Settings > Connected devices > Pair new devices.
3. Tap your printer. You should now be paired.

If you are using your Printer’s App

1. Settings > Connected Devices > Printing > Default Printing Service.
2. Tap ‘Add service’. The Google Play store will automatically open.
3. Find the name of your printer’s app.
4. Install it.
5. Return to the ‘Default Printing Service' page and you should find the printer’s app on the list.

Please note that your printer’s app may have additional steps. For example, many new printer apps like HP Smart or Canon Print offer direct cloud-based printing (sometimes called remote printing). 

Cloud printing is the ability to print documents or photos from any device like a smartphone, tablet or computer over the internet without needing a direct connection to the printer via a cable or the same wifi network. The document is sent to a cloud-based service, which then sends it to the printer. This allows you to print from anywhere, as long as you have internet access and the printer is connected to the cloud. Google Cloud Print was discontinued in 2020, but many printer manufacturers now offer their own cloud printing services like HP ePrint, Canon Cloud Print or Epson Connect, allowing you to print remotely from any location.

If you are using a USB cable 

1. Check if your printer has a USB port.
2. If it does, you can use your charger cable to connect to the laptop. 
3. If it does not, then you need a specific cord that should have come with your printer. You are also likely to need something called an OTG USB which will allow you to connect your phone to the chord. Place the OTG USB adapter on the USB part of the cord.
4. Turn on your printer and connect the USB to the USB port and the other end to your phone.
5. When a message pops up that a device has been connected, tap ‘OK’.

Printing the file

1. Open the file you would like to print.
2. Tap the menu button. It looks like or .
3. Tap “Print”.
4. Tap the drop-down arrow. It's located near the top of your screen.
5. Tap the printer you would like to print from. If you cannot see your printer on the list, and you have an Android 8 or higher, you may need to turn on ‘Default Printing Service’. Go to Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Printing > Default Print Service. From here, turn it on and repeat these steps.

   6.    Tap ‘OK’ or the printer icon.

Android 12+

Most modern Android phones (12+) have a built-in print service called ‘Mopia Print Service’ which means you will not need to download any other apps to print from your phone. This makes the printing process easier for you.
If you have this version of Android phone you can follow these steps to print your documents:

1. Verify the Mopria Print Service by going to the Settings on your Android Phone.
2. Tap Connected Devices or Connection Preferences.
3. Look for Printing or Default Printing Service and you should see Mopria Print Service or a similar in-built print service already listed.
4. Make sure your phone and printer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
5. Alternatively, if you are using Bluetooth, you can pair your phone with the printer by going to Settings and then selecting Bluetooth.
6. Select the document you wish to print (e.g. a PDF or an image). Tap the three dot menu in the corner of the screen (or you can look for the share button).
7. Select Print from the options.
8. A list of available printers should appear, including the ones that will work with Mopria Print Service on your phone. You can select your preferred printer from the list.
9. You can add the number of copies you would like and change the colours etc.
10. Tap Print on the Printer icon. 

With the iPhone, you can print with AirPrint through Wi-Fi. Most printers will be AirPrint enabled. Airprint is Apple’s built-in technology allowing you to print directly from your phone without having to download any extra apps.

Connecting to the printer

If you are using AirPrint

Check that your phone and the printer are connected to the same Wi-Fi. 

If you are using Bluetooth 

You need to pair your phone with the printer.

1. Turn on the bluetooth on your phone and printer.
2. Go to Settings > Bluetooth.
3. Tap on your printer. You should now be paired. 

If you are using your Printer’s App 

1. Download your printer’s app in the App store.
2. Open the app and turn on your printer’s Wi-Fi.
3. Come out of the app and go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
4. Click on your printer. You may need to tap ‘Other Networks’.

Please note that your printer’s app may have additional steps. 

If you are using a USB cable 

1. Check if your printer has a USB port.
2. If it does, you can use your charger cable to connect to the laptop. 
3. If it does not, then you need a specific cord that should have come with your printer. You will also likely need an OTG USB which will allow you to connect your phone to the chord. Place the OTG USB adapter on the USB part of the cord.
4. Turn on your printer and connect the USB to the USB port and the other end to your phone.
5. When a message pops up that a device has been connected, tap ‘OK’.

Printing the file 

1. Open the document you want to print.
2. Tap the “share” icon. It will look like    .
3. You should then see the word “Print” or  a print icon.
4. Tap “Select Printer” and choose the printer you need to print from.
5. Adjust settings like the number of copies, paper size, colour options etc.
6. Tap “Print” in the upper-right corner.

If for some reason this does not work, you can email a document or photo to yourself and use a computer at the library, internet cafe, or one a computer a friend has access to.

Go to the file and click the “share” icon. The share icons can look like any of these symbols depending on the device you are using. 

    

Android

• Open your email app (Gmail, Outlook, or any other app you use).
• Compose a new email by tapping the ‘Compose’ button, usually found at the bottom right hand corner.
• Attach the file by tapping the paperclip icon (usually near the top of the screen or under the ‘Attach’ option.
• Select the location of your file e.g. ‘Files,’ ‘Photos,’ or ‘Drive.’
• Choose the file you want to send and type the email address you want to send it to and tap ‘Send.’

iPhone

• Open the Mail app or any other email app you use.
• Compose a new email by tapping the ‘Compose’ button, usually found at the bottom right hand corner.
• Tap and hold within the body of the email until you see a pop-up menu. Select “Insert photo or video,’ or tap the arrow to find ‘Attach file.’
• If you’re file is in Files or iCloud, select ‘Attach File’ and browse for it.
• Choose the file you want to send and type the email address you want to send it too and tap ‘Send.’

You may need to provide evidence of who you have been speaking to on the phone on how many times you have tried contacting them.

The easiest way to do this is by taking a screenshot of your call log.

Open the phone app, this is normally a telephone symbol. You should see your most recent calls and your call history as you scroll down.

Once you have followed the steps below, your screenshots will be in your photos, and you can print these using the steps above.

On iPhone 8 and earlier (iPhones with Touch ID)

Press and hold the power button on the right side and click the home button at the same time.

On iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR and higher  (iPhones with Face ID)

Press and hold the side button on the right side and click the volume up button at the same time.

 Android

• For most Android phones, you can hold down the power and volume-down buttons at the same time.
• If it doesn’t work, try to press and hold the power button for a few seconds. Then, tap ‘Screenshot’.
• On some, you can also pull down the notification panel (drag your finger down the screen from the very top) and tap the “screenshot” icon.
• If you have an Android 11 and older, and these have not worked, try pressing the power and home buttons at the same time.

You can now print this out, by following our guide to printing from your phone.

Android 12+ - scrolling screenshots

• On newer Android phones, from the Android 12 onwards, you can take scrolling screenshots. This is where you can capture a full page or conversation rather than taking multiple separate screenshots. This is useful if you need to show long call logs or chat histories or save long webpages or documents.
  Press and hold the power and volume down button at the same time, or depending on your device you could also swipe down the notification panel (drag your finger down the screen from the very top) and tap the screenshot button.
• Once the screenshot is captured, a screenshot toolbar will appear at the bottom of your screen. You will see options to share, edit and delete.
• If your phone supports scrolling, you will see a button that says capture more or a scroll button.
• Tap on the capture more button or the scroll button and you will be able to capture as much of the page you want.
• Once you’ve selected the area you want to capture, tap save. The full, scrolling screenshot will be saved to your photos or gallery app under the screenshots folder. 

Voice Assistants

Voice assistants like Google Assistant for Android phones or Siri for iPhone can help carry out printing tasks if you provide voice commands.

Using Google Assistant

• To activate Google Assistant say ‘Hey Google’ or press and hold the home button.
• Say ‘Print my document,’ or ‘Print this page.’
• Google Assistant will search for the nearest connected printer through wifi or Bluetooth and tell you the options for printing. It may ask you what printer you would like to choose. You can say which printer name you want to use or select it from the list that appears.
• Google Assistant then confirms by saying, ‘Printing now,’ and the document is sent to the printer.

Using Siri

• Activate Siri by saying, ‘Hey Siri,’ or pressing the side button.
• Say ‘Print this document,’ or ‘Print this photo.’
• Siri will check any nearby Airprint-enabled printers connected to the same wifi network.
• If more than one printer is available, Siri will ask which printer to use and you can tell Siri which one you want to use.
• Siri will confirm this by saying ‘Printing now.

You can now print this out, by following our guide to printing from your phone.

• Wi-Fi - stands for ‘wireless fidelity’. Allows electronic devices to connect to other devices wirelessly through the internet.
• AirPrint - a feature only available on Apple products like an iPhone. Allows your Apple device to connect to a printer wirelessly through the internet
• Bluetooth - a wireless feature that lets you send and receive things, such as sending a document to a computer, between devices. Bluetooth is an ‘open’ feature meaning you just need to turn it on for it to work. 
• USB OTG - the extra part that needs to be attached to the USB cord which allows your phone to connect to the printer. Acts as an adapter.
• Touch ID - Using your fingerprint on your home button to unlock your phone
• Face ID - Using your camera to scan your face to unlock your phone
• Voice assistants - this is a built-in feature on smartphones that allows you to carry out tasks and control their devices through voice commands. Google Assistant is on Android phones and Siri is on iPhones. Voice assistants can help with many different things like sending messages, making calls, setting reminders and using apps. You can also use the voice assistant to help you print documents, search for information and control other devices. 
  
• Cloud Printing – is the ability to print documents or photos from any device like a smartphone, tablet or computer over the internet without needing a direct connection to the printer via a cable or the same wifi network. The document is sent to a cloud-based service, which then sends it to the printer. This allows you to print from anywhere, as long as you have internet access and the printer is connected to the cloud. Google Cloud Print was discontinued in 2020, but many printer manufacturers now offer their own cloud printing services like HP ePrint, Canon Cloud Print or Epson Connect, allowing you to print remotely from any location.

Disclaimer

The information in this guide applies to the UK.

The law is complicated. We recommend you try to get advice from the sources we have suggested.

The cases we refer to are not always real but show a typical situation. We have included them to help you think about how to deal with your own situation. 

Acknowledgement

This guide was written and produced by Advicenow and updated thanks to funding from the Ministry of Justice.

October 2024