HP “Setup PIN not found” — add printer without PIN (Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct & USB)

Joe B.

Expert ★★★★★ 27,853 satisfied customers

Specialities: HP printers, HP Smart, Windows/macOS, Wi-Fi/WPS, Embedded Web Server (EWS)

Fix HP Setup PIN not found — connect without PIN (use USB setup, EWS, push-button WPS, or Wi-Fi Direct; works on Windows 11/10 & macOS)

Technician

Hey! We’ll add your HP printer without the setup PIN. A couple of details so I pick the fastest path:
• Model (DeskJet/ENVY/OfficeJet/LaserJet), and are you using HP Smart on Windows/macOS/iPhone/Android?
• Does the router support WPS push-button? (Not the 8-digit WPS PIN.)
• Can you plug in a temporary USB cable? USB-first + EWS join is the most reliable way to bypass a missing WPS/Setup PIN.

Customer

HP OfficeJet 8025e. HP Smart asks for a “Setup PIN” or WPS PIN, but nothing shows on the printer. The router has a WPS button. We can use USB if needed.

Technician

Understood. On many HP models the WPS/Setup PIN is temporary (90 seconds), appears on the screen only during WPS-PIN mode, and may never show if the device is in Wi-Fi Direct or has not entered WPS. That’s why HP Smart says “Setup PIN not found.”
We’ll skip the PIN entirely and connect using one of three PIN-free methods:
1) USB + EWS (join Wi-Fi from the printer’s web page).
2) WPS Push Button (no PIN).
3) Wi-Fi Direct + add printer locally, then switch to infrastructure Wi-Fi.

Customer

Let’s try the USB + EWS option. What do I do step by step on Windows 11?

Technician

Step 1 — USB first, then join Wi-Fi in the Embedded Web Server (no PIN)
1) Connect a USB cable PC ⇄ printer and power-cycle the printer.
2) Install HP Smart or HP Easy Start; when asked for Wi-Fi, choose Continue with USB / Temporary USB.
3) Open the printer’s EWS: in HP Smart click the device → Advanced Settings, or browse to http://192.168.XXX.XXX once the device gets an IP over USB-to-host/WS discovery.
4) In EWS → Network → Wireless Setup Wizard, select your SSID, enter the Wi-Fi password, save. The printer joins Wi-Fi without any setup PIN.
5) Unplug USB; in Windows go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → Add device and add the HP via IPP/AirPrint or Standard TCP/IP.

Customer

If that fails, can I use the router’s WPS button without a PIN?

Technician

Step 2 — Use WPS Push-Button (no PIN required)
• On the printer, open Wireless or Setup → Wi-Fi Protected Setup → choose Push Button (not PIN).
• Within 2 minutes press the router’s WPS button. The printer will display “Connected” and receive an IP address.
• Add it in Windows/macOS or in the HP Smart app. If your router blocks WPS, the USB+EWS method remains best.

Customer

We don’t want to change router settings. Could we print over Wi-Fi Direct and skip the network for now?

Technician

Sure. Wi-Fi Direct creates a private HP network (e.g., DIRECT-xx-HP-8020).
• Print the Information/Network Configuration page from the printer panel; it lists the Wi-Fi Direct name and password.
• Join that SSID on your PC/phone, then add the printer in HP Smart / Printers & scanners.
• Later, switch to infrastructure Wi-Fi via EWS so everyone in the office can see it. Disable Wi-Fi Direct if you don’t need ad-hoc printing.

Customer

Where would the 8-digit “WPS PIN” show if we ever needed it?

Technician

On models that support it, go to Wireless → Wi-Fi Protected Setup → PIN. The printer generates an 8-digit code that’s valid ~90 seconds and shows on the panel or prints on the Network Config page. Many owners never see it because they aren’t in WPS-PIN mode. Again—you don’t need this for the methods above.

Customer

If HP Smart still refuses to find the printer, any resets we can do safely?

Technician

Try these safe options:
• Restore Network Defaults (from the printer panel) then repeat USB+EWS or WPS Push-Button.
• Ensure the Wi-Fi band is 2.4 GHz (many HP consumer models don’t join 5 GHz). Turn off “AP isolation/guest network.”
• Temporarily disable VPN and firewall during discovery in HP Smart.
• On Windows 11, remove stale queues in Printers & scanners and re-add via IPP/AirPrint or Standard TCP/IP with the printer’s IP.

Customer

Connected with USB+EWS — no PIN needed. HP Smart added it over Wi-Fi and prints fine. Anything else to lock it in?

Technician

Final checks:
• Give the printer a static IP (set in EWS or router DHCP reservation).
• Update printer firmware in HP Smart.
• If you used Wi-Fi Direct temporarily, disable it to avoid users connecting to the wrong SSID.
• Create a desktop shortcut to the EWS for quick admin access.

Customer

Perfect — printer online without any Setup PIN. Thanks!

Technician

Summary: If HP Setup PIN not found, skip the PIN. Connect via USB + EWS, or use WPS Push-Button, or Wi-Fi Direct and then join your Wi-Fi. Add the device in Windows/macOS/HP Smart using IPP or TCP/IP and reserve a static IP. Need help walking through it live? Open the chat.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when HP Smart shows “Setup PIN not found”: connect the printer without a PIN using USB + EWS Wireless Setup or WPS Push-Button. As a fallback, print via Wi-Fi Direct then switch to your Wi-Fi. Add the printer in Windows/macOS with IPP or Standard TCP/IP and reserve a static IP.

FAQ

Step-by-step (Windows 11)

1. Connect the printer with USB and open HP Smart → Advanced Settings (EWS).
2. In EWS run Wireless Setup, select your SSID, enter Wi-Fi password, apply.
3. Unplug USB and Add device in Windows via IPP/AirPrint or Standard TCP/IP.
4. Alternative: WPS Push-Button (no PIN) or Wi-Fi Direct then migrate to Wi-Fi.

Note for macOS

1. Use the HP Smart app or Add Printer → AirPrint/IPP after the printer joins Wi-Fi from EWS.
2. If discovery fails, add by IP (hostname/IP) and select AirPrint or HP driver.

Sources

• HP — Connect a printer using Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)
• HP — Use the Embedded Web Server (EWS)
• HP — Wi-Fi Direct printing

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