HP Smart / Epson iPrint app won’t print — iOS/Android troubleshooting

Joe B.

Reviewed for technical accuracy

Specialities: Windows 11/10, macOS (Sonoma/Ventura/Monterey), iOS/Android, Printers, Networking, Office Equipment

HP Smart app not printing on iPhone/Android — Epson iPrint can’t find printer, AirPrint/Mopria issues

Technician

Hey! We’ll get mobile printing working. Tell me the app (HP Smart or Epson iPrint), your phone (iOS/iPadOS or Android), and what you see: printer unavailable, not on same network, job stuck, or AirPrint/Mopria not showing.

Customer

iPhone 14, HP Smart. The app says Printer not found. It used to work. AirPrint also doesn’t list the printer in other apps.

Technician

Got it. When HP Smart can’t find the printer on iOS, the usual causes are: the phone and printer are on different bands (2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz), Local Network permission for HP Smart is off, mDNS/Bonjour is blocked by VPN/Private Relay, or the printer is on Wi‑Fi Direct instead of your router. We’ll fix discovery and AirPrint first.

Customer

What should I check on the iPhone?

Technician

Fix HP Smart not printing on iPhone/iPad (AirPrint):
1) Go to Settings → HP Smart → enable Local Network & Bluetooth permissions.
2) Turn off VPN and iCloud Private Relay temporarily (they break Bonjour).
3) Ensure iPhone and printer are on the same Wi‑Fi SSID (prefer 2.4 GHz). Avoid guest/isolation networks.
4) Restart both devices; power‑cycle the router and printer.
5) In the HP Smart app, tap + Add Printer → choose the printer under Wi‑Fi (not Wi‑Fi Direct). If missing, connect via Set Up a New Printer and rejoin the network.
6) Try printing from Photos/Files using the Share → Print AirPrint sheet — if it appears here, HP Smart will follow.

Customer

That brought the printer back in AirPrint, but jobs still fail from HP Smart with an error. Any app reset?

Technician

Yep — do a clean app refresh to clear corrupted queues:
• HP Smart (iOS): Sign out → delete the app → reboot iPhone → reinstall → sign in. Re‑add the printer.
• Check the printer’s Web Services / ePrint and firmware update in HP Smart → Printer Settings — outdated firmware can block mobile print.
• If your router has AP/Client Isolation, turn it off so AirPrint (mDNS) can traverse the LAN.

Customer

Thanks. What about my Android tablet with an Epson printer? The Epson iPrint app says “Printer unavailable” and Google’s Print shows nothing.

Technician

On Android the discovery stack uses Mopria Print Service. Here’s the quick path:
1) In Settings → Connected devices → Printing turn Mopria Print Service ON (or install from Play). Disable old vendor services that clash.
2) Open Epson iPrint → Printer is not selected → Search. Choose the device under the same Wi‑Fi SSID (not Wi‑Fi Direct unless you intend direct mode).
3) Give Storage/Photos permissions so iPrint can access files. Then App info → Storage → Clear cache (and data if needed).
4) Apps → Print Spooler → Clear cache / Force stop to unstuck jobs.
5) Update printer firmware via Epson iPrint → Maintenance and ensure the router allows mDNS across bands.

Customer

My Epson appears only as Wi‑Fi Direct. Should I use that?

Technician

Wi‑Fi Direct is fine for one‑off prints, but it disconnects your phone from the internet and some apps fail. Prefer connecting the printer to your router’s Wi‑Fi (2.4 GHz). Use iPrint → Set Up or the printer’s control panel to join the network, then search again. This restores reliable Mopria and AirPrint discovery.

Customer

HP Smart still shows the printer but prints are very slow or stuck in queue.

Technician

Slow/stuck jobs usually mean network congestion or spooler glitches:
• Move the printer closer to the router; avoid extenders that block Bonjour/mDNS.
• Give the printer a static/reserved IP in the router to stabilize connections.
• On iOS/Android, force‑quit HP Smart, toggle Airplane mode 10s, then retry.
• Power‑cycle printer → wait until it gets an IP → print a Network Status report → verify it’s on the same subnet.

Customer

Any brand‑specific tips for the apps themselves?

Technician

HP Smart: Sign in with your HP account so the app can sync the printer; enable Web Services/ePrint and update firmware. In Advanced Settings (opens the Embedded Web Server) verify the wireless channel and DNS are valid.
Epson iPrint: Turn on Remote Print only if you need cloud printing. For local printing, keep it off and ensure Mopria is the only active print service. Grant Location permission on Android 12+ (required for Wi‑Fi discovery).

Customer

What if none of this works? Can I still print somehow?

Technician

Sure — two fallback paths:
• Use the printer’s Wi‑Fi Direct temporarily from HP Smart/Epson iPrint to finish urgent jobs.
• Or print from a PC/Mac on the same network and share to the printer; mobile devices can send files to that computer (Files/Drive/Dropbox) until we sort out AirPrint/Mopria.

Customer

Great — the app prints now from both iPhone and Android. Thanks!

Technician

Summary: If HP Smart or Epson iPrint won’t print, fix discovery first: same Wi‑Fi SSID, enable Local Network (iOS) or Mopria Print Service (Android), disable VPN/Private Relay, and update printer firmware. Clear the app cache/reinstall, and avoid Wi‑Fi Direct unless needed. Need hands‑on help? Open the chat.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when HP Smart / Epson iPrint app not printing (iOS/Android): ensure phone and printer are on the same Wi‑Fi, enable Local Network or Mopria Print Service, turn off VPN/Private Relay, update firmware, and reinstall/clear cache for the app. Use Wi‑Fi Direct only as a temporary fallback.

FAQ

Step‑by‑step (iOS/iPadOS)

1. Enable Local Network & Bluetooth for HP Smart/Epson iPrint.
2. Disable VPN/Private Relay and connect to the printer’s Wi‑Fi network (same SSID).
3. In the app tap Add Printer and select the device under Wi‑Fi (not Wi‑Fi Direct).
4. Reinstall the app if jobs fail; then update printer firmware.

Step‑by‑step (Android)

1. Install/enable Mopria Print Service and disable conflicting print services.
2. Connect to the same SSID as the printer; avoid guest networks.
3. Grant iPrint/HP Smart Storage & Location permissions; clear Print Spooler cache.
4. Update printer firmware from the app and retest.

Sources

• Apple — About AirPrint and printer discovery
• HP — HP Smart app help & printer setup
• Epson — iPrint app: setup & troubleshooting
• Mopria — Android Print Service

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