Print from iPad

All models of Apple tablet including the newest ones i.e iPad Air and Retina iPad mini bring to bear the Apple’s proprietary technique namely AirPrint for wireless hard-copy printing on AirPrint-enabled printers right from native iPad’s apps such as Safari, Mail, Photos, iBooks, as well as from dozens of third-party apps with built-in printing. This technique allows printing from iOS device with no software to download, no drivers to install, and no cables to connect. The only requirement is that AirPrint-enabled printer (Brother DCP-J525W , HP LaserJet P1102w HP Photosmart 6510 e-AiO B211a, Lexmark Pro915, to name only a few) must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the iOS device and DOES NOT connected to computer via USB.

With AirPrint your iconic tablet automatically locates and connects AirPrint-enabled printers on your Wi-Fi network providing they have power and turned on. This turns the printing from iPad into procedure that even your grandma would love – simply open the doc (photo) you want to print, tap the appropriate button responsible for action in app you use and tap the print button in following submenu. The FlowChart below gives an example of sequence to print the Pages doc.

iPad / iPad Air / iPad mini AirPrint Flowchart

(Mind you, moving mouse / taping over the image will zoom its parts. Left click will trigger magnifier.)

So, printing from Apple tablet on AirPrint-enabled printers is a piece of cake. But what If you don't have this kind of printer, do not want to buy a new one and still need to print from Apple tablet . One way to do this is installation on your computer a special software that will emulate an AirPrint feature for those printers that are either connected to your MAC / PC via USB / Bluetooth/ WiFi or being on network you are in. Good representatives of such software are Printopia (for Mac) and AirPrint Activator (Mac /Windows). It goes without saying that printers must be shared over network to be visible from iPad.

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