How to print from Xiaomi phone to printer via WiFi: the complete guide

Xiaomi’s modern smartphones have evolved into powerful multimedia centers capable of performing tasks that previously required a computer, one of which is wirelessly printing documents and photos directly from a gallery or file manager. Many users are still looking for ways to connect through USB-cables or send files to PCs without knowing that WiFi Direct or cloud printing solves the problem with a couple of clicks.

However, the process is not always smooth due to the differences in communication protocols between the Android operating system and the firmware of the printing devices. Owners of Redmi and Poco devices often find that the printer is simply not visible in the list of available devices, due to the features of the MIUI or HyperOS shell, which require manual activation of certain printing services.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of connection, from built-in system tools to specialized applications manufacturers. IP-Address and what hidden router settings can block the connection.A deep understanding of these nuances will save you hours of troubleshooting.

Preparation of equipment and compatibility check

Before you go to software settings, you need to make sure that the hardware is physically ready for wireless data exchange. The key requirement is that both devices are on the same LAN, which means that your Xiaomi smartphone and printer must be connected to the same router running at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.

Note that some older printer models do not support the current WPA3 encryption standards that can be enabled by default on new routers, in which case the device simply will not be able to log in, and it is recommended to temporarily switch the router to mixed protection mode or to allocate a guest network with simpler security protocols for the periphery.

It's also worth checking the firmware version of the printer itself. Manufacturers often release updates that eliminate mobile compatibility bugs. If your printer has a control screen, find Settings → Network → Software Update and run the check. Without the current firmware, even the most powerful smartphone will not be able to "friend" the device with the system.

⚠️ Warning: Make sure your router has turned off Client Isolation, which prevents devices within the same WiFi network from seeing each other, making printing impossible even if both devices are connected.

If a router broadcasts two networks with the same name (Smart Connect), try to separate them by giving different names for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, and connect both devices to the 2.4 GHz network, as it has better range and compatibility with older technology.

Use of the built-in Android printing plugin

The Android operating system that powers Xiaomi smartphones has built-in support for the Mopria printing standard, a universal protocol that allows you to send documents to printers from most popular brands without installing additional drivers, and in most cases, the system automatically detects a compatible device on the network.

To activate this feature, go to the phone settings. The path may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but it usually looks like this: Settings → Connection and Sharing → Print. Here you will see a list of available plugins. By default, the default is "Default Print Service" or "Mopria Print Service".

• 📱 Make sure the switch opposite the print service is green.
• 🔍 Click on the service name and select “All printers” to run a forced search.
• 📡 If the printer is found but has a status of "Waiting", check if it requires input. PIN-smartphone-screen.

If the standard service doesn’t see your device, you may need an advanced plugin. In the print menu, click the menu button (three dots) and select “Download the plugin.” Google Play Store will open, where you can find official apps for HP, Canon, Epson or Brother. Installing such a plugin adds specific control commands necessary to properly work your model.

⚠️ Warning: After installing a third-party print plugin, be sure to restart the smartphone.Without restarting, the system can continue to use old cached data about available devices.

Official applications of printer manufacturers

When Android’s built-in tools are unstable or require advanced functionality (such as printing on two sides or selecting a tray), the best solution is to install a native application from the printer manufacturer, which is designed specifically to interact with a particular hardware and bypass many system limitations.

Owners of technology HP should be installed HP Smart. It automatically scans the network, finds the printer, and offers cartridge calibration directly from the phone screen. PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY, which also allows you to scan documents using the phone's camera as a printer scanner control interface.

Epson users need Epson iPrint, Brother owners need Brother iPrint & Scan, and the setup process is unified: once launched, the app will request permission to access the local network and geolocation, and Android needs geolocation to accurately determine the WiFi network to which the phone is connected.

In Xiaomi phone settings (Applications → Application Management → [Application Name] → Permissions), you can restrict only WiFi and storage access by disabling unnecessary features if they are not used for printing.

Configure via WiFi Direct and Direct Connection

There's a scenario where the router is unavailable or the network is overloaded, and in this case, WiFi Direct technology comes to the rescue, which allows you to create a direct wireless connection between the phone and the printer, bypassing the router, and the printer acts as an access point.

To activate this mode, the printer usually requires you to click the "Wireless" button or go to the network menu and select "WiFi Direct". The device screen or printed network configuration report will show the network name (SSID) and password. This data must be entered in the WiFi settings on your Xiaomi.

Once connected, the phone can tell you that "the Internet is gone." That's fine, because the channel is busy transmitting data to the printer. You can agree to use a network without the Internet. Now, when you try to print, the phone will use this channel.

The advantage of this method is that it can transfer large files, such as high-resolution photos, at a high speed, but the downside is that you can't access the Internet from your phone while you're printing, if you only have one WiFi module in your device and it's switched to a printer.

⚠️ Note: When connecting via WiFi Direct, do not try to use mobile internet at the same time to download heavy files. Channel bandwidth may not be enough, and printing will be interrupted with a timeout error.

Solving Visibility and Connection Problems

Even when set up correctly, there can be situations where devices can't see each other. Often the problem lies in the MIUI power saving settings. The system can aggressively "sleep" the background processes of the print service, considering them inactive. To fix this, find a print service (for example, Mopria) in the list of applications, go to the Battery and select "No Limits" mode.

Another common reason is different subnet addresses, so make sure that both devices are on the same subnet, for example, 192.168.1.X. If the router gives out addresses from different bands for different frequencies, the print won't work. IP-Address in WiFi settings on your phone.

For advanced users, a ping command will be a useful tool. Open a terminal or a special application (for example, Termux) and try pinging. IP-The printer's address. On the command line, it looks like this:

ping 192.168.1.105

If packets are lost (100% loss), then there is no physical connection, and the problem is at the level of the router or WiFi drivers. If the packets are coming, but the printer is not printing, the problem is in the software or the driver.

Printing through cloud services and virtual printers

Modern ecosystems allow you to print even without a direct connection to your home WiFi. Services like Google Cloud Print (although support is gradually being phased out, analogues work) or HP ePrint allow you to send documents to the printer via the Internet from anywhere in the world. The printer must be registered in the manufacturer's cloud and have constant access to the network.

Virtual printers like PrinterShare are also popular, and it’s a proxy app that can be installed on both your phone and your computer (or directly to the printer if it’s on Android TV/Box) and creates a virtual channel that allows you to transmit data even over Bluetooth or an OTG cable if WiFi is not available.

However, it is worth considering the delay: in cloud printing, the document is first uploaded to the server, processed and then sent to print. For confidential documents, this method may not be desirable for data security reasons.

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Use PDF to print complex documents, which saves layout no matter what application you use to print, and ensures that the text does not "go" on paper.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The main secret of successful printing is finding devices in the same subnet and not isolating customers on the router. 90% of problems are solved by checking these two parameters.