Print from phone to a USB-only printer — bridge options that work

Joe B.

Expert ★★★★★ 27,853 satisfied customers

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

Print from Android or iPhone to a USB-only printer — OTG cables, Lightning/USB‑C adapters, Wi‑Fi bridges, AirPrint/Mopria solutions

Technician

Hey! Let’s connect your phone to that USB‑only printer. Tell me your phone type — Android or iPhone — and the printer brand (HP, Epson, Canon, Brother, etc.). We’ll choose the fastest working bridge: USB OTG cable, Lightning to USB Camera Adapter, a USB‑to‑Wi‑Fi print server, or an AirPrint/Mopria bridge.

Customer

Android phone (USB‑C). Old Brother USB printer at home. No Wi‑Fi on the printer. I need to print PDFs from my phone.

Technician

Great — Android is the easiest path. Most Android devices support USB OTG printing via Mopria Print Service or brand apps (Brother iPrint&Scan, HP Smart, Epson iPrint, Canon PRINT). You connect a USB‑C OTG adapter to your phone and plug the printer’s USB cable into it. If the model supports IPP‑over‑USB (IPP‑USB) or has a Mopria driver, Android will detect it and let you print PDFs, emails, and photos from your phone directly.

Customer

What exact cable do I need? And will it also work for HP and Canon at the office?

Technician

Hardware checklist for Android USB printing:
• USB‑C OTG (On‑The‑Go) adapter or cable. Search terms: “USB‑C OTG adapter for printing”.
• The printer’s existing USB‑A to USB‑B cable (square connector at the printer).
• Install Mopria Print Service (universal) or the brand app: Brother iPrint&Scan, HP Smart, Canon PRINT, Epson iPrint.
This approach works for most HP/Epson/Canon/Brother USB printers. If your model is older and not recognized, we’ll fall back to a Wi‑Fi print server or Raspberry Pi AirPrint/Mopria bridge.

Customer

What about iPhone? My partner uses an iPhone 14 and wants to print too.

Technician

iPhone/iOS doesn’t natively support direct USB printing to classic printers, even with Apple’s Lightning to USB Camera Adapter or a USB‑C to USB adapter. The reliable path is to create a wireless bridge that looks like AirPrint to the iPhone:
• Wi‑Fi print server with AirPrint support or a router that shares a USB printer over the network.
• A small computer (e.g., Raspberry Pi print server) running CUPS + Avahi to expose an AirPrint bridge for your USB printer.
• Some brand apps (HP Smart, Canon PRINT, Brother iPrint&Scan) can act as a relay when the printer is attached to a PC/Mac — iPhone prints through the app to the USB printer.

Customer

I’d prefer something plug‑and‑play. Is there a device I can buy that makes a USB printer wireless?

Technician

Yes — get a USB to Wi‑Fi/Ethernet print server. Look for features like AirPrint, Mopria, or IPP support. You plug the printer’s USB into the server, connect the server to your Wi‑Fi, and both Android (Mopria) and iPhone (AirPrint) can print. This is the most universal bridge for a USB‑only printer without keeping a PC on.

Customer

Can I use my Windows laptop as the bridge instead of buying hardware?

Technician

Absolutely. Options:
• Windows: install the vendor driver for the USB printer, then enable Printer Sharing. Android phones can print via IPP or brand apps. For iPhone, add a lightweight AirPrint bridge utility that advertises the shared printer on your network.
• macOS: add the USB printer in System Settings → Printers & Scanners, enable Share this printer and Share over AirPrint (CUPS/Bonjour). iPhone and iPad will see it as a normal AirPrint device.

Customer

Will Android always print over OTG? I heard some phones limit power to USB devices.

Technician

Good point. Some phones limit power on the USB‑C port. Choose an OTG adapter with Power‑Delivery pass‑through so you can charge while printing. Steps:
1) Install Mopria Print Service or your brand’s app.
2) Connect the USB‑B cable → OTG adapter → phone.
3) Accept the “Use device” prompt → pick the printer → Print from Android (PDF, photo, web). If the device isn’t detected, use a powered USB hub or move to the Wi‑Fi print server option.

Customer

Any special tips for HP, Epson, Canon, Brother when printing from phone?

Technician

Brand tips:
• HP: Use HP Smart on Android/iOS. With a USB printer, HP Smart works via a shared PC/Mac or a USB print server that supports AirPrint/Mopria.
• Epson: Epson iPrint can print through a networked print server. Old USB‑only models often work well with Mopria over OTG on Android.
• Canon: Canon PRINT + AirPrint bridge works reliably. Many Canon USB lasers support PCL and are easy to share via CUPS.
• Brother: iPrint&Scan recognizes many USB models via OTG/Mopria. For iPhone, a Bonjour/AirPrint bridge is the quickest win.

Customer

Security wise, is a print server safe? I work with client docs.

Technician

Yes — choose a modern IPP print server and lock it down. Use WPA2/3 Wi‑Fi, change default passwords, and enable IPP‑Everywhere with AirPrint only on your LAN. For home offices, a Raspberry Pi print server running CUPS is secure when kept updated and firewalled. Avoid exposing printing services to the internet.

Customer

Perfect. What’s the fastest setup you recommend for us right now?

Technician

Quick plan: For your Android, buy a USB‑C OTG adapter and use Mopria Print Service — you’ll be printing in minutes. For the iPhone, add a small Wi‑Fi print server (or share the printer from a Mac via AirPrint). This gives you a durable, brand‑agnostic way to print from phone to a USB‑only printer. Need help choosing a model or configuring CUPS? Open the chat.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted paths to print from a phone to a USB printer:
• Android — use a USB‑C OTG adapter + Mopria Print Service or brand app.
• iPhone/iPad — use a Wi‑Fi USB print server or Mac/CUPS AirPrint bridge (iOS doesn’t support direct USB printing).
• For mixed environments, deploy a Raspberry Pi print server exposing AirPrint, Mopria, and IPP‑Everywhere to all devices.

FAQ

Step‑by‑step (Android OTG)

1. Install Mopria Print Service (or brand app) from Google Play.
2. Connect the printer’s USB‑B cable to a USB‑C OTG adapter, then to the phone. Use a PD/charging OTG if possible.
3. Approve the device prompt → choose the printer → print a PDF/photo from Android.
4. If not detected, try a powered hub or move to a Wi‑Fi print server solution.

Step‑by‑step (iPhone via AirPrint bridge)

1. Option A: connect the printer to a USB Wi‑Fi print server that supports AirPrint and join it to your network.
2. Option B: plug the USB printer into a Mac, enable Printer Sharing and AirPrint in CUPS/Bonjour.
3. On iPhone/iPad open Share → Print and pick the AirPrint printer; test with a 2‑page PDF.

Sources

• Mopria — Print from Android
• Apple — About AirPrint
• CUPS — Common UNIX Printing System
• HP — Drivers & Software
• Brother — iPrint&Scan

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