How to Store and Print Photos With Your iPhone® or Android® Phone

Everyone has an amazing camera with them these days thanks to our smartphones, and it’s not uncommon for most to accumulate thousands of photos in a short period of time.  If your phone is starting to get sluggish due to an overload of photos, it’s probably time to download a photo storage app.   Not only will it free up a considerable amount of space on your phone, it’s nice to have a backup of all your memories too, just in case your phone decides to bite the dust.  Printing some of those favorite memories is equally important.  With such an overabundance of photos, it’s easy to neglect the ones that capture truly memorable moments.  Turning your digital accounts into something tangible is incredibly satisfying, and with a number of apps to choose from, printing photos from your phone is easier than ever.  In this quick guide, we go over some of the top of photo storage apps available today and our favorite printing apps too, so you can manage, print and share all of your favorite photos in just a few simple taps.  Download options and step-by-step instructions are provided for both iPhone and Android phones, let’s get started!

Start With a Photo Storage App

All of the photo apps listed here essentially do the same thing…store your digital photos!  We’ve gone ahead and broken down a few key features of each app.  If you take a lot of photos, be sure to pay attention to storage capacity, as some apps are more generous with their space than others.  Once you’ve decided on a storage app, keep reading to learn how to print your photos directly from your smartphone.

Shutterfly^®

• Free unlimited photo storage
• Easy to upload, view, manage and share photos
• Connects directly to your Shutterfly account, so you can create photo books and gifts directly from your phone

Download Shutterfly for iPhone or iPad here.

Download Shutterfly for Android here.

Flickr^®

• 1,000 GB of free storage
• Quickly edit, crop or add filters to your photos
• Join the Flickr community to discover millions of groups and photos shared by others

Download Flickr for iPhone or iPad here.

Download Flickr for Android here.

Apple iCloud^®

• The first 5 GB is free! Prices range from there, up to 2TB for $9.99/month
• iPhone photos sync directly with iCloud so your photos are safely backed up
• Create a shared album to share select photos with other iPhone users

Activate Apple iCloud for iPhone or iPad here.

Google Photos^®

• Free unlimited photo storage
• Automatic albums creates a custom album just for you with all of your best shots. You can invite friends to add their photos too.
• 14 innovative photo filters make your photos look great instantly!

Download Google Photos for iPhone or iPad here.

Download Google Photos for Android here.

How to Print Photos from Your Smartphone or Tablet

Now that your photos are safely stored, how do you start printing your favorites from your smartphone? There are many printing apps you can download to print wirelessly from your iPhone or Android phone.  Almost every major printer manufacturer has their own app and both Apple and Google offer their own printing apps too.  All of the apps mentioned here are free to download.  To start, we will jump into Apple’s AirPrint and Google’s Cloud Print, since those are by far the most versatile printer apps available.  Both of these  apps are not tied to a specific printer manufacturer, so if you have multiple printers, it may be easier to switch across printer brands using one of these two apps. We also go over the essential features and installation instructions of each printer manufacturer app, including the HP epPrint, Canon Print app, Epson iPrint, Brother iPrint&Scan and the Lexmark Mobile print app.  Step-by step instructions are provided for both iPhone and Android smartphone owners.

Apple AirPrint^®

Download Apple AirPrint for iPhone or iPad here.

Apple AirPrint is designed for iPhone, so of course it is going to work seamlessly with your device.  As long as your phone and printer are connected to the same wireless network, printing documents or photos should be incredibly easy.   The instructions here are for a Brother MFC printer, but the set up should be similar no matter what printer you own.  A list of printers that are compatible with the Apple AirPrint app can be found here.

Printing with your iPhone

1. Make sure your Brother printer and iPhone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Bring up the document or photo you would like to print
3. Select the “share” icon and then tap “print” on the menu
4. Choose the printer you would like to use and select “print” to start printing.

Google Cloud Print^®

Download Google Cloud Print for Android here.

Setting up your phone for Google Cloud Print isn’t quite as simple as Apple’s AirPrint.  First, you need to make sure you have a Gmail account.  Then, you need to make sure you have Google Chrome installed on your phone.  It’s a bit more of a process to get things up and running, but if you are a Google fan and use Google Drive or Google Photos often, it’s worth the extra effort.  Detailed installation instructions are below.  The instructions here are for a Brother MFC printer, but the set up should be similar no matter what printer you own.  If you have a question about set up, consult the Google cloud print help page.  

Printing with your Android Phone

1. You will need to have a Google account in order to use Google Cloud Print. You can create a free Google account and Gmail address here.
2. Make sure your Brother printer and Android phone are connected to the same wireless network
3. Download the Google chrome web browser for your phone.
4. Sign into Google chrome using your Google account credentials
5. Under the “settings” menu select “show advanced settings”
6. Scroll down to “Google Cloud Print” and select “manage”
7. Select the printer you would like to print with by clicking “register.”
8. Confirm your Google Cloud Print registration on your printer’s display screen and start printing.

HP Smart^®

Download the HP Smart app to print documents, photos, web pages and emails directly from your smartphone in just a couple of taps. You can also troubleshoot printer issues, view ink levels and adjust printer settings.  Away from your printer and still need to print?  Connect to thousands of HP public print locations worldwide at places like FedEx Kinkos, UPS and dozens of airport lounges.

Printing with your iPhone

Download the HP Smart app for iPhone or iPad here.

1. Make sure your HP printer and iPhone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Open the web browser and go to 123.hp.com
3. Download the HP ePrint from the app store.
4. Tap the app to open the printer remote
5. Tap “Get Started” on the welcome screen.
6. The app will search for your HP printer on your wireless network
7. Select the printer you would like to connect to the app and select “OK”
8. Tap “OK” to give the app access to your photos
9. Tap the “Home” icon and click the check box to acknowledge that you have read the app’s terms and agreements. Tap, “Continue” and you are all set!

Printing with your Android Phone

Download the HP Smart app for Android here.

1. Make sure your HP printer and Android phone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Install the HP Print service plugin from the Google Play store.
3. Enable the plugin from the printer settings menu on your smartphone
4. Open the file you want to print, touch the menu icon that looks like three dots in a row, and tap print.
5. Select the printer you would like to use and tap “Print.”

Canon^® Print App

Print documents and photos from almost anywhere with the Canon Print app.  Conveniently set paper sizes, adjust print settings or print up to 20 pages at once all from the comfort of your smartphone.  Password protect essential files with app’s built in security features or store print data in your printer for future use.  A list of Canon printers that are compatible with the Canon Print app can be found here.

Printing with your iPhone

Download the Canon Print app for iPhone or iPad here.

1. Make sure your Canon printer and iPhone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Confirm that the Wi-Fi light on the printer is blinking
3. Install the Canon Print app from the app store.
4. On your iPhone’ settings, go to “Wi-Fi” and connect to the network created by your Canon printer.
5. Open the app. Your printer should appear at the top of the screen.
6. You are all set, now you can start printing.

Printing with your Android Phone

Download the Canon Print app for Android here.

1. Make sure your Canon printer and Android phone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Confirm that the Wi-Fi light on the printer is blinking
3. Install the Canon Print app from the Google Play store.
4. Open the app. Your printer should appear at the top of the screen.
5. You are all set, now you can start printing.

Epson^® iPrint

Epson’s iPrint app lets you print, scan and share documents and photos from your phone, including email attachments and files from DropBox, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive.  Adjust the resolution and enhance photos using the app’s photo editing software, or easily add a border to a picture. A list of Epson printers that are compatible with the Canon Print app can be found here.

Printing with your iPhone

Download the Epson iPrint app for iPhone or iPad here.

1. Make sure your Epson printer and iPhone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Install the Epson iPrint app from the app store.
3. Open the app and select your printer from the printer menu.
4. Select your desired document and start printing.

Questions about Epson iPrint?  Visit their FAQ page for iPhone here.

Printing with your Android

Download the Epson iPrint app for Android here.

1. Make sure your Epson printer and Android phone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Install the Epson iPrint app from the Google Play store.
3. Open Epson iPrint and select your printer
4. Tap the “share” icon, select “Epson iPrint” and start printing.

Questions about Epson iPrint?  Visit their FAQ page for Android here.

Brother^® iPrint&Scan

Brother’s iPrint&Scan app makes it easy to print and scan your essential files and favorite photos.  You can also scan and save files directly to your smartphone and print directly from DropBox, Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive.  Printing different media types like card stock or photo paper is a breeze; just select the paper type, media size and send to the printer.

Printing with your iPhone

Download the Brother iPrint&Scan app for iPhone or iPad here.

1. Make sure your Brother printer and iPhone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Install the Brother iPrint&Scan app from the app store
3. Press the settings icon on your printer’s display
4. Select “all settings” and then press the down arrow to select “network.”
5. Press “Wi-Fi direct,” then select “Manual” and “On” to turn on Wi-Fi direct
6. Your printer’s network name and password will display on the screen
7. Open your phone’s wireless settings and select the network connection that is affiliated with your Brother printer.
8. Type in the network password to connect your iPhone to the wireless network.

Questions about Brother iPrint&Scan?  Visit their FAQ page for iPhone here.

Printing with your Android Phone

Download the Brother iPrint&Scan app for Android here.

1. Make sure your Brother printer and iPhone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Install the Brother iPrint&Scan app from the app store
3. Press the settings icon on your printer’s display
4. Select “all settings” and then press the down arrow to select “network.”
5. Press “Wi-Fi direct,” then select “Manual” and “On” to turn on Wi-Fi direct
6. Your printer’s network name and password will display on the screen
7. Open your phone’s wireless settings and select the network connection that is affiliated with your Brother printer.
8. Type in the network password to connect your iPhone to the wireless network.

Questions about Brother iPrint&Scan?  Visit their FAQ page for Android here.

Lexmark^® Mobile Print

Send documents and photos from your phone to your Lexmark printer with the Mobile Print app.  Lexmark offers a variety of print settings, including dual sized prints, page count, and page adjustment.  .  A list of Lexmark printers that are compatible with the Lexmark Mobile print app can be found here.

Printing with your iPhone

Download the Lexmark Mobile Print app for iPhone or iPad here.

1. Make sure your Lexmark printer and iPhone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Install the Lexmark Mobile Print app from the app store.
3. Open the app and select “add a device.”
4. Tap “search” to search for printers on your wireless network
5. Tap “set up for sharing,” then select “more” and enable the Lexmark Print app.
6. Tap “done” and start printing.

Printing with your Android Phone

Download the Lexmark Mobile Print app for Android here.

1. Make sure your Lexmark printer and Android phone are connected to the same wireless network
2. Install the Lexmark Mobile Print app from the Google Play Store
3. Open the app and select “add a device.”
4. Click “search” to search for printers on your wireless network
5. Select your printer.
6. Download the Lexmark Print Service Plugin from the Google Play Store.
7. After the download is complete, enable the Lexmark Print Service Plugin on the Lexmark Mobile Print app.
8. Select “done” and you are ready to start printing.

We hope you found this guide useful.  If you have any additional smartphone printing tips or questions about setting up your specific printer, let us know.  Apps and printers are updated frequently these days, we will do our best to keep this guide current, so you can keep your phone and printer running smoothly.