Connect Your Brother Printer to Your Phone Guide

Understanding Brother Printer Mobile Connectivity

Brother printers have become increasingly compatible with mobile devices over the past several years. Most modern Brother printer models support wireless printing through various connection methods. This guide covers the main ways to connect your Brother printer to a smartphone or tablet, whether you use Android or Apple iOS devices.

Free Guide to Home Improvement Discount Resources →

Brother offers several connectivity options depending on your printer model. The most common methods include using the Brother Print Service Plugin for Android, the AirPrint feature for Apple devices, or connecting through the Brother iPrint&Scan application. Some older Brother models may have limited mobile support, while newer models often come with multiple connection options built in.

Understanding which connection method works for your specific printer model matters before you begin. Brother printers manufactured after 2015 typically have stronger mobile printing support than older models. You can find your printer model number on the device itself, usually on the front panel or back of the unit. The model number typically starts with "HL-," "MFC-," or "DCP-" followed by numbers.

Mobile printing through Brother printers works differently than printing from a computer. Your phone or tablet sends print jobs wirelessly over your home network or through cloud services. This means both your printer and mobile device need to be connected to the same network for many connection methods to function.

Practical takeaway: Locate your Brother printer model number and check the Brother website's specifications to see which mobile printing methods your particular model supports.

Preparing Your Printer and Phone for Connection

Before attempting to connect your Brother printer to your phone, you need to prepare both devices. Start by ensuring your Brother printer has power and is turned on. Place the printer in a location where it will remain during your setup process. Moving the printer frequently during initial connection can cause problems with network detection.

Learn About iCloud Subscription Options and Plans →

Check that your printer has been set up with basic functions working properly. This means ensuring it has paper loaded, toner or ink cartridges installed, and that you can print successfully from a computer if one is available. A printer that doesn't work with wired connections often won't work with wireless connections either.

Next, confirm your home Wi-Fi network is functioning properly. You'll need your Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and password. These are the same credentials you use to connect other devices like laptops or tablets to your internet. If you don't remember your Wi-Fi password, you can usually find it on your router device or in your router's settings through a web browser on any connected device.

On your mobile device, make sure you're using a recent version of the operating system. For Android devices, go to Settings and check for system updates. For Apple devices, go to Settings, then General, then Software Update. Running current software versions helps ensure compatibility with the Brother printer connection process.

Clear any existing Brother applications from your phone if you've tried connecting before without success. Go to your phone's app store or settings and remove old versions of Brother iPrint&Scan or other Brother apps. You'll install fresh versions as part of the connection process.

Practical takeaway: Write down your Wi-Fi network name and password, confirm your printer works with basic functions, and update your phone's operating system before beginning the connection process.

Using the Brother iPrint&Scan Application for Mobile Printing

The Brother iPrint&Scan application represents one of the most straightforward ways to connect most Brother printer models to your phone. This application works on both Android and Apple iOS devices. Begin by opening your phone's app store—the Google Play Store for Android or the Apple App Store for iOS devices.

Learn How to Make Your Own Stickers →

Search for "Brother iPrint&Scan" in your app store. Look for the official Brother application with the Brother logo. Install the application on your phone following the standard app installation process. The installation typically takes one to two minutes depending on your internet speed.

Once installed, open the Brother iPrint&Scan application. The app will show you options to search for your printer on your network. Tap the option to search for or add a printer. The app will scan your Wi-Fi network for available Brother printers. If your printer is powered on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your phone, it should appear in the list of available printers.

Select your printer from the list. The app may ask you to confirm the connection or enter your Wi-Fi password. After confirmation, your printer should now appear as connected in the application. You may see a confirmation message or your printer's name displayed prominently in the app interface.

From this point, you can print photos, documents, or web pages directly from your phone using the Brother iPrint&Scan app. Open any document or photo on your phone, look for a share or print option, and select the Brother iPrint&Scan application as your printing destination. Select your connected printer and confirm the print settings, then send the job to your printer.

Some Brother models may require your printer to be connected to your Wi-Fi network before the app can find it. If the app doesn't locate your printer initially, check that your printer's Wi-Fi is turned on. Most Brother printers have a wireless button or icon on the control panel. Press this button to ensure wireless connectivity is active.

Practical takeaway: Install the Brother iPrint&Scan app from your phone's app store, open it to search for your printer, select your printer from the list, and use the app to send print jobs from your phone.

Connecting Through Apple AirPrint for iPhone and iPad Users

Apple devices including iPhones and iPads can print to many modern Brother printers through a feature called AirPrint. This method doesn't require installing a separate app if your Brother printer supports AirPrint. Check the Brother website's specification page for your printer model to confirm AirPrint compatibility. Brother's MFC and HL series models manufactured after 2013 generally support AirPrint.

Get Your Free Guide to Penis Enlargement Methods →

To use AirPrint, first ensure your Brother printer and your Apple device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This is the same network you use for internet on both devices. Open any document, photo, or webpage on your Apple device that you want to print. This could be a photo in your Photo app, a document in Mail, or a webpage in Safari.

Look for a Share button, which typically appears as a square with an upward arrow. In some applications like Mail, this button is called the Action menu. Tap this button to reveal sharing options. Scroll through the options until you see a Print option or an AirPrint option. Tap this option.

Your device will search for available AirPrint-compatible printers on your network. After a moment, you should see your Brother printer listed by name. Tap on your printer to select it. You'll then see print options where you can adjust the number of copies, select color or black and white printing, and adjust page range if applicable.

After setting your print preferences, tap the Print button. Your print job will be sent to your Brother printer wirelessly. The printer should begin printing shortly. You can verify the print job was successful by checking if the document exits from your printer.

If your printer doesn't appear in the AirPrint list, restart both your printer and your Apple device. Ensure both devices remain connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Some routers have separate network bands for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz connections; if your devices are on different bands, they may not communicate properly.

Practical takeaway: For iPhone and iPad users with compatible Brother printers, use the built-in Share and Print options to print through AirPrint without needing a separate app.

Setting Up Android Mobile Printing with Brother Print Service Plugin

Android phone users have another option beyond the Brother iPrint&Scan app. The Brother Print Service Plugin allows you to print from any Android application using your system's standard print function. This plugin works on Android 4.4 and later versions. Check your Android version by going to Settings, then About Phone, then scrolling to find Android Version.

How to Find Passport Application Appointments Near You →

First, install the Brother Print Service Plugin from the Google Play Store. Open the Play Store app, search for "Brother Print Service," and install the official Brother plugin. This differs from the iPrint&Scan app—this plugin integrates with your Android system's printing settings rather than operating as a separate application.

After installing the plugin, go to your Android phone's Settings. Look for an option called "