# How to connect a Wi-Fi printer to your PC and Mac > Connect the printer to your home or office Wi-Fi network, then add it to your Windows PC and your Mac, with no cables. With an AirPrint-enabled printer you can also print from iPhone and iPad without installing anything. Source: https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/collegare-stampante-wifi Author: SimpleBuild, Build simple. Deliver value. Category: Printers and scanners Procedure verified on: 2026-09-29 Connecting a Wi-Fi printer happens in two stages. First **the printer joins the Wi-Fi network**, from its own control panel, with the WPS button, or with the manufacturer's app. Then **you add the printer to the computer**: on Windows from **Printers & scanners**, on a Mac from **System Settings > Printers & Scanners**. The golden rule: printer and computer must be on the **same Wi-Fi network**. ## Before you start - **Your Wi-Fi name and password.** You need them exactly as they are, with uppercase and lowercase letters. If you don't remember them, look at the label on the modem or read [how to log in to your router](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/entrare-nel-router). - **The printer's manual**, or the model's page on the manufacturer's website. Every brand uses different buttons and menus for Wi-Fi: this guide tells you what to look for, the manual tells you where. - **The printer near the router** during setup. Once it works, you can move it. - **The computer on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network** you're connecting the printer to. If your router has two networks with different names (for example one at 2.4 GHz and one at 5 GHz), check the printer's manual for which one to use. ## Step 1: connect the printer to Wi-Fi There are three ways. Choose the one your printer allows. ### From the printer's control panel If the printer has a screen, look in its menu for the network or wireless settings. There's usually a setup wizard: choose your network's name and type the password. ### With the WPS button WPS (*Wi-Fi Protected Setup*) connects the printer to the router without typing the password. The router needs a WPS button too. 1. Start the WPS connection on the printer: from a button or from the menu, as the manual says. 2. Within about **2 minutes**, press the WPS button on the router. On some routers you need to hold it down for 2 seconds or more. 3. Wait for the printer to confirm the connection: it can take a few minutes. ### With the USB cable and the manufacturer's software (Mac) Apple also mentions this option: connect the printer to your Mac with the USB cable for a moment, install the software that came with the printer, and use its setup assistant to connect it to Wi-Fi. When you're done, unplug the cable: the printer stays connected to the network. ## Step 2: add the printer to the computer ### On Windows 11 1. Select **Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners**. 2. Check whether the printer is already in the list: Windows often finds it and installs it on its own. 3. If it isn't there, next to **Add a printer or scanner**, select **Add device**. ![Diagram of Printers & scanners in Windows 11: the Add a printer or scanner row with the Add device button.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/collegare-stampante-wifi-windows-en.svg) 4. Wait: the list can take a few minutes to fill in. 5. Next to your printer, select **Add device**. 6. After the installation, check Windows Update: there may be updated drivers for the printer. ### On Windows 10 1. Select **Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners**. 2. Select **Add a printer or scanner** and choose the printer when it appears. Support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025: the PC still works, but it no longer gets free security updates. ### On Mac If your Mac and the printer are already on the same network, the printer may be ready without doing anything: try printing and see whether it appears in the **Printer** menu. Otherwise: 1. Open **System Settings**. 2. Click **Printers & Scanners** in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down). 3. Click **Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax**. ![Diagram of Printers & Scanners on Mac: the Default printer row and, below it, the Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax button.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/collegare-stampante-wifi-mac-en.svg) 4. Select the printer in the list and click **Add**. 5. If your Mac offers to download new software, download and install it. On the same screen, from the **Default printer** menu, you can choose which printer to use normally. ### From iPhone and iPad With an **AirPrint**-enabled printer you don't need to install anything: your iPhone or iPad just needs to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the printer. When you print from an app, choose the printer in the print window. ## If it still doesn't work - **The computer can't find the printer.** Double-check that they're on the same Wi-Fi network. Then turn the printer off and on again and try again. - **On Windows the printer doesn't appear in the list.** Next to "The printer that I want isn't listed", select **Add a new device manually** and follow the instructions. - **On Mac it doesn't appear in the list.** You can add it with its **IP address** (a number like 192.168.1.20): the printer's manual explains where to find it. In **Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax**, use the IP address button, type the address and click **Add**. For the protocol, if the printer supports it, choose AirPrint. - **On Windows, "Find drivers" appears.** The printer works, but with fewer features until you install the full drivers: the best way to get them is Windows Update. - **You changed your Wi-Fi password** or your router: the printer needs to be reconnected from step 1. See also [how to change your Wi-Fi password](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/cambiare-password-wifi). - **The printer shows as "offline"**: follow [printer offline on Windows](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/stampante-non-in-linea). - **You also want the scanner** on your all-in-one: see [how to scan a document](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/scansionare-documento). - **In an office with several computers, network printers or a network with special settings**: in these cases it may be worth having a technician set everything up once, so every workstation prints without surprises. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need to install the printer's CD or software? In most cases, no: Windows supports most printers without special software, and on a Mac an AirPrint printer doesn't need drivers. The manufacturer's program can help with the first Wi-Fi connection or for extra features. ### How do I know if my printer is AirPrint-enabled? Apple has a search page for AirPrint-enabled printers by brand and model, linked from the "About AirPrint" article. If yours isn't there, ask the manufacturer. ### Can I use the same printer from several computers? Yes. Once it's on Wi-Fi, every computer and phone on the same network can add it by following the same steps. ## Sources - [Add or install a printer in Windows (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/add-or-install-a-printer-in-windows-cc0724cf-793e-3542-d1ff-727e4978638b) - [Add and manage printers on Mac (Apple Support)](https://support.apple.com/en-us/guide/mac-help/mh14004/mac) - [About AirPrint (Apple Support)](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102895) - [Setting up the connection using WPS push button mode (Canon manual, in Italian)](https://oip.manual.canon/USRMA-0342-zz-SS-itIT/contents/SS729_network_195settingupconnectionusingwpspushbuttonmode.html) - [Troubleshooting offline printer problems in Windows (Microsoft Support)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/printer/troubleshooting-offline-printer-problems-in-windows)