Need to print directly from your iOS device through the nearby printer without linking Mac at all..?? Not an issue. For smart phones and tablets, portability has always been on focus especially when this includes printing. Apple has a proprietary wireless printing technology known as AirPrint. You can buy AirPrint compatible printer and can print wirelessly from any iOS device at a touch of a button. If you want to know which printers are AirPrint compatible then you can check the list of printers available on Apple’s website.
Printing from iOS devices without including Mac is a very useful feature to have because it’s possible that when we need printout we don’t have laptops or Mac nearby. But what if you don’t have a printer compatible to AirPrint..? Don’t worry. There is the range of options that enable you to print wirelessly to any printer from your iOS device with or without AirPrint.
Here we will show you how to print from your iOS device to any printer wirelessly or across a network using AirPrint or third-party apps.
Printing from AirPrint Compatible Printer
AirPrint is the technology that enables Apple devices to print over Wi-Fi to suitably equipped printer, which was introduced by Apple. Various printers’ supports AirPrint but it’s always worth checking to ensure that printer is iOS compatible or not, before buying it.
The option to print from iOS will be available above the “share” button in any application that supports printing including safari and mail. The printer should be connected to the same network and configured correctly. Your iOS device will find it without further prompting.
Print an email from iOS devices with AirPrint
  • Open the mail app and then open the email you want to print. If you need to print the attached document then click on the attachment to open it inside the mail app.
  • Now tap on share. If you don’t see it, slide up to the top of mail message to reveal it.
  • Make sure your AirPrint is displayed in the printer area. If not tap printer and choose your AirPrint printer from the list of printers.
  • Tap print.
Print from safari using iOS device through AirPrint
  • Open the safari app and then navigate to the desired web page.
  • Tap share
  • On the third column you will see a list of actionable settings. Click on the printer logo.
  • Make sure your AirPrint printer is displayed in the printer area. If not, tap printer and choose your AirPrint device from the list of printers.
  • Select which webpage you want to print.
  • Tap print.
Printing from Printer not supporting AirPrint
What if your printer doesn’t support AirPrint..? If you have Mac, you still can share your printer with your iPad or iPhone and print via AirPrint through your computer.
If you connect your printer to a Mac, you can then install an app that enables you to use AirPrint on an iOS device to print directly to the printer. Different apps are available that allows you to do this. Here are some mentioned below:-
  • Connect your printer to Mac with Print n Share
  • Print over Wi-Fi from iOS device using HandyPrint
  • Printing wirelessly with Printopia
You will need to have you Mac switched on to use AirPrint in this way, but it’s an easy option for wireless printing throughout the house for any printer.
If you want your printer away from Mac, you can try using an Apple AirPort base station. You can locate this anywhere in the house and connect the printer to the USB Port. This enable your Mac to print anywhere in the house, however you still need to install one of the above apps to print from an iOS device.
How to add iOS AirPrint support to any Printer
There are devices like Lantronix xPrintServer that you can connect to any printer to enable AirPrint printing. With a device like the XPrintServer you can print from iOS device directly to a printer.
Now even printers that don’t directly support AirPrint, but have network capability. Check the documentations to see if you can print by email. Or look on the iOS App store to see if any custom app is available for your printer.

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