Chromebook Won’t Connect to Printer—How to Fix

Evan Gower August 27, 2019

Printers have come a long way from expensive and complicated contraptions to streamlined and affordable accessories almost every computer owner has. However, as much as it feels good to buy a printer and unpack it, failing to connect it to a Chromebook can feel quite disappointing. There are several things you can try, though. Let’s check them out.

Chromebook Won’t Connect to Printer—How to Fix

Connect Your Printer to the Internet

Even printers can connect to the internet nowadays. If yours can connect to a wired or wireless network, it’s important to do this first.

Turn on the printer.
Connect it to your home network.
Note: Make sure to consult your printer’s user manual to see how to connect it to the internet.
Sign in to your Chromebook and hook it up to the same network as your printer. You won’t be able to connect them otherwise.
Next, click on the time in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
A window will pop up. Select the Settings. They’re located on the top of the window and are represented with a gear icon.
Scroll all the way down and choose “Advanced.”
This will expand the settings. Find the “Printing” section and go to “Printers.”
Click on the “Add Printer” button.
Find your printer in the list of devices and click on the “Add” button.

If your printer can’t connect to Wi-Fi, but your network is working properly, try turning the printer off and on again. Alternatively, you can try resetting your wireless network again.

Connect Your Printer Without Internet

If you want to connect your printer to your Chromebook without using the internet, you can skip the step where you connect it to your home network. Start with clicking on the time on your Chromebook’s screen and proceed with the method described in the previous section.

Signing in to your Chromebook if you haven’t already and click on the time in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Open the Settings.
Click on the “Advanced” button to expand them.
Under the “Printing” section, select “Printers.”
Click on the “Add Nearby Printers” button to quickly add a printer. Should you not see your printer on the list, choose “Add Manually.”
Type the required printer information: give your printer a name and type its IP address in the “Address” field. The most common protocol is “IPP,” so try going with that first. Typically, the queue is “ipp/print.”
Finally, click on “Add.”
If your Chromebook does not support the printer, follow the steps outlined in the PPD files and printer configuration. Chromebook will ask you to choose the printer’s manufacturer and model number. Check the printer’s label or user manual for this info.
If your printer’s not fully supported, you can take the advanced setup route. Browse the printer info for “emulation” or “printer language.” Next, pick the “Generic” option. Finally, click the “Add” button.

Note: If the problem persists, find the PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file. While following the previous steps, you will see the “Or specify your printer PPD” option and a box next to it. Here’s where the “Browse” button is. Click on it, find the corresponding PPD, and choose “Open.”

Update Your Chromebook

Your Chromebook might refuse to cooperate because you haven’t updated the operating system in a while.

If your Chromebook is set to download updates automatically, there will be an “Update” notification followed by an arrow pointing up in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Click on it and select “Restart to Update” to finish the installation process. Your Chromebook will then reboot.

Check for Updates Manually

Click on the time and enter the Settings.
Click the three horizontal lines in the top-left corner.
Choose “About Chrome OS.”
Select “Check for updates.” If an update is available, it will start installing automatically.
The “Restart” button will appear in the previous button’s place once the update has been installed. Click on it to finish installation process and reboot your Chromebook.

Connected Printer Issues

If you managed to connect your printer, but it still doesn’t work as it should, there’s one more thing you can try.

In the bottom-right corner of the screen, click on the time.
Select the gear icon to open the Settings.
Scroll to the bottom and choose “Advanced.”
Go to the “Printing” section and choose “Printers.”
Look for your printer’s name and click on the “More” button (the three dots). From there, select “Edit.”
See if you’ve misspelled any part of the printer information. If there aren’t any typos, remove your printer and add it again. To do this, click on “More” and select “Remove.”
Next, set it up again.

Printing a Page

If you’ve successfully connected your printer, the only thing that remains is to test it. This is done by printing the first page.

Press Ctrl + P while viewing a document.
Look for the “Destination” section and click on the down arrow button next to it.
Choose “See more…”
Select your printer. If it doesn’t show up on the printers list, click on “Manage.”
Finally, click on the “Print” button.

Prepare Your Paper

If your Chromebook can’t connect to your printer, don’t worry, there are numerous solutions. Make sure to apply them in succession. If nothing works, you can always seek help from the printer’s manufacturer.

How is your printer performing? Maybe you know a method we’ve missed? Let us know about what you think in the comments below.