Printing a document or photo from your phone to a Canon printer requires choosing the right communication channel between the two devices. Several methods coexist, but they are not equally effective depending on the phone’s operating system, the model of the printer, and the configuration of the home network. This article compares these methods point by point to identify the one that suits each situation.
Comparison of methods for printing from a phone to a Canon printer
The choice of method depends on three variables: the phone’s operating system (Android or iOS), the generation of the Canon printer, and whether or not a Wi-Fi router is present. The table below summarizes the functional differences.
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| Method | Compatible Android | Compatible iOS | Router required | Initial setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirPrint | No | Yes | Yes | None (automatic detection) |
| Default print service (Android 13+) | Yes | No | Yes | Minimal |
| Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY | Yes | Yes | Yes (or Wi-Fi Direct) | Download + pairing |
| Wi-Fi Direct | Yes | Yes | No | Manual connection to the printer’s network |
| Mopria Print Service | Yes | No | Yes | Plugin installation |
For iOS users, the situation is simple: AirPrint automatically detects the Canon printer as long as both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. No third-party application is necessary. Recent Canon models (PIXMA TS, MAXIFY GX series) all support this protocol.
For those who want to print from a mobile phone to a Canon printer on Android, the situation has changed with recent versions of the system.
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Native Android printing vs Canon PRINT app: what has changed
Since Android 13 and 14, the integrated printing service in the system natively manages the discovery of network printers. The Canon Print Service plugin, once essential for wireless printing, is no longer necessary on recent smartphones for common tasks (PDF documents, web pages, emails).
The Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app remains useful in specific cases:
- Fine management of color settings and print profiles (high-quality photo mode, saturation adjustment)
- Access to Canon proprietary formats and scanning functions from the printer to the phone
- Initial Wi-Fi setup of the printer if it has never been connected to the network
- Printing via Wi-Fi Direct without a router, with step-by-step guidance in the app
Canon has indeed refocused its efforts on this universal app. Several recently released models are no longer compatible with older apps like Easy-PhotoPrint and explicitly require Canon PRINT for mobile setup and printing.
In practice, if you primarily print text documents or web pages, the native Android service is sufficient. For photos or advanced ink and quality settings, Canon PRINT remains essential.
Wi-Fi Direct on Canon printer: printing without a router and its limitations
Wi-Fi Direct allows the phone to connect directly to the printer, bypassing a router. The printer creates its own network, visible in the phone’s Wi-Fi settings. This method works on both Android and iOS.
It has a clear advantage in two situations: the absence of an internet box (second home, construction site) and environments where the home Wi-Fi network blocks communication between devices (client isolation enabled on the router).
However, there are real limitations. The phone loses its internet connection during printing, as it is connected to the printer’s local network. On some recent Android smartphones, the system automatically switches to mobile data, which can interrupt the connection with the printer.
Activating Wi-Fi Direct on a Canon PIXMA
On most PIXMA models, activation is done through the printer’s touchscreen menu: Network settings, then Wi-Fi Direct, then Enable. A network name and password will be displayed. Simply select this network in the phone’s Wi-Fi settings and then start printing from Canon PRINT or from the system’s print service.
On models without a screen, a long press on the Wi-Fi button makes the light blink. The default password is in the manual or on a label stuck inside the cover.
Wi-Fi connection issue between phone and Canon printer: a common cause
A recurring blockage occurs: the phone detects the Wi-Fi network but cannot find the Canon printer. The most common cause is band separation on recent routers.
Canon printers operate on 2.4 GHz. Recent smartphones often favor the 5 GHz or 6 GHz band. When the router separates these bands into two distinct networks, the phone and printer are not on the same logical network, preventing detection.
Canon explicitly recommends, for its recent models, either to disable band separation in the router settings or to force the phone to connect to the 2.4 GHz network during printing. On so-called “smart Wi-Fi” routers that merge bands under the same name, the problem may persist intermittently.
Quick checks before looking further
- Confirm that the phone and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network (same SSID, same frequency band)
- Restart the printer and router if the connection fails after a phone update
- Check in the router settings that client isolation (AP isolation) is disabled
- On Android, check that the default print service is enabled in Settings, then Connected devices, then Printing
The majority of mobile printing failures on Canon can be resolved by aligning the frequency band between the phone and the printer. The problem almost always comes from the network, not the printer or the phone.
One last point to keep in mind: Canon printers connected only via USB do not support mobile printing. If the model does not have a built-in Wi-Fi module, no application or protocol will allow printing from a phone without going through a relay computer.