How to connect Xiaomi mini printer to your phone: 5 ways + error solving

Xiaomi has released several compact printer models that allow you to print photos directly from your smartphone, from the popular Mi Portable Photo Printer 2 to the newer Printody P1 and Lofree Dot Matrix Printer. These devices work wirelessly, but their connection often raises questions — especially for users who face compatibility problems or synchronization errors.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to connect Xiaomi mini printers to Android and iOS phones, including nuances for specific models. You will learn how to properly configure a connection via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct and even USB-OTG, And what to do if the printer is not defined by the system, and we'll focus on some common errors, like code. E-02 Bluetooth Pairing Failed and how to eliminate them.

We warn you beforehand that the connection process may vary depending on the printer firmware and the version of the phone’s operating system. If you’re using Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO based on MIUI, some steps will be simplified with built-in drivers. iPhone owners will need an additional app – read about this in the relevant section.

Compatibility: What printer and phone models are supported

Before you connect, make sure your Xiaomi mini printer is compatible with your phone. Most devices work with Android 6.0+ and iOS 11.0+, but there are nuances:

• 📱 Mi Portable Photo Printer 2 officially supports Android 7.0+ iOS 12.0+. On older versions, failures when printing through the Mi Home application are possible.
• 🖨️ Printody P1/P2 — Android requires 8.1+ iOS 13.0+ for full-fledged work with color prints.
• 🔌 Lofree Dot Matrix Printer – compatible only with Android (no iOS support due to Apple’s restrictions on point-matrix printer drivers).

Also check if your phone has Bluetooth 4.0+ (mandatory for all printer models) and Wi-Fi Direct support (necessary for some print modes).

Xiaomi printers do not support connecting to a MacBook or Windows PC directly. Printing from a computer will require an intermediate device (smartphone or tablet) with the application installed.

2. Connection via Bluetooth: step-by-step instructions

This is the most versatile method that works on all Xiaomi printer models.

1. Turn on the printer with a long press on the power button (the indicator should flash blue).
2. On your phone, activate Bluetooth in settings or through the notification panel.
3. Open the Mi Home app (for Mi Portable) or Printody (for printers of the same name).
4. In the Devices section, click Add (+) and select your printer model.
5. Follow the on-screen hints: Confirm the pairing on the printer (button) and phone.

If the printer is not displayed in the list of available devices:

• 🔄 Restart the printer and phone.
• 📱 Remove the printer from the list of associated devices in Bluetooth settings and repeat the search.
• 🔋 Check the printer battery (at a level below 20%, the connection may be interrupted).

⚠️ Note: The Bluetooth Pairing Failed error may appear on the iPhone after pairing. Solution: Press the button on the printer for 10 seconds to reset the settings, then reconnect.

3. Connect via Wi-Fi Direct (Android only)

This method allows you to print without an application, directly from a gallery or documents, suitable for Mi Portable Photo Printer 2 and Printody P1:

1. Turn on the printer Wi-Fi Direct mode (press the power button for 3 seconds until the indicator starts flashing green).
2. On the phone, open Settings. → Wi-Fi and find a network called MiPrinter_XXXX or Printody_XXXX.
3. Connect to this network (password is usually 12345678 or specified in the instructions).
4. Open the gallery, select a photo, and click "Print." Your device will appear in the printer list.

Limitations of the method:

• 📵 During printing, the phone will be disconnected from the Internet (Wi-Fi Direct creates a local network).
• 🖼️ Not all applications support direct printing – you may need to save a file to.jpg.

4. Connect via USB-OTG (for Android)

This method will come in handy if Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is not working, and you will need a USB-OTG cable (Type-C or Micro-USB depending on the phone) and the original printer cable.

Instructions:

1. Connect the printer to the phone via OTG-cable.
2. There will be a notification on the phone «USB-It's connected. Press it.
3. Select the File Transfer Mode (MTP).
4. Open the Mi Home or Printody app and the printer will be automatically determined.

⚠️ Note: On some phones (such as Samsung Galaxy) S22) You may need to include the debugging option USB In Settings → For developers, without it, the printer doesn't recognize.

💡

If the phone can’t see the printer through the OTG, try using an externally powered hub – some models require extra power to run smoothly.

5. iPhone (iOS) connection: features and workarounds

iPhone owners only have Bluetooth available - Wi-Fi Direct and USB-OTG are not supported due to Apple's restrictions.

1. Install the Mi Home or Printody app from the App Store.
2. Turn on Bluetooth on your iPhone and printer.
3. In the app, click Add Device and select your model.
4. Confirm the pairing on the printer (button) and on the phone (pop-up window).

If the printer is not connected:

• 🔄 Reinstall the app and restart the iPhone.
• 📱 In Bluetooth settings, remove the printer from the list of devices and repeat pairing.
• 🔋 Make sure the printer has enough charge (on iOS, there are often errors at battery levels below 30%).

Critical information: Xiaomi printers do not support printing via AirPrint on iPhone. To print documents (.pdf,.docx) first export them to the image (.jpg) through the Files app.

Typical errors and their solutions

Even with the right connection, there can be failures. Let's take a look at the most common ones.

If the printer prints stripes or pale colors:

• 🎨 For Mi Portable Photo Printer 2: Clean the print head with a napkin dipped in isopropyl alcohol (do not use water!).
• 🖨️ For Printody. P1: Check the level of ink in the cartridge (Settings menu) → Ink level in the annex).

💡

If the printer produces an E-02 error, but there is paper, the sensor is a problem. Gently blow the tray with compressed air (for example, a can of keyboard cleaning).

7. Update of printer firmware

Outdated firmware can cause connection failures to update the software:

1. Connect the printer to your phone via Bluetooth.
2. Open the Mi Home (or Printody) app.
3. Go to the device section → Settings → Update the firmware.
4. If a new version is available, click Update and wait until it is completed (don’t turn off the printer!).

⚠️ Note: When updating the Lofree Dot Matrix Printer firmware through USB-OTG Turn off the phone from charging. Simultaneous power from two sources can damage the printer controller.

After the update, the printer will automatically restart. If the process is suspended during the Preparation for Update stage:

• 🔄 Force the printer to restart (press the power button for 15 seconds).
• 📱 Reinstall the Mi Home app.
• 🔌 Try updating your firmware via another phone (for example, on Android if you were originally using iOS).

FAQ: Frequent questions about connectivity