How to print a PDF from an Android phone
To print a PDF from an Android phone, connect the phone to the same Wi-Fi as the printer. Open the PDF in an app with a Print command, such as PDFriend or Google Drive, and tap Print. Select the printer, check the paper size, then tap the print button.
What does Android need to print a PDF?
Android prints through a print service. A print service is a part of Android that finds printers and sends the pages to them. You need three things:
- A printer on the same network. Most home and office printers with Wi-Fi work. The phone and the printer must use the same Wi-Fi network.
- A print service. Many phones have the Default Print Service already. It finds many Wi-Fi printers without extra setup. For some printers, install the print app of the printer maker from Google Play.
- An app with a Print command. The app opens the PDF and gives it to the print service.
To check the print services, open the Settings app and search for "Printing". The names and the place of this setting are different on each phone brand. Make sure that at least one print service is on.
How do you print a PDF with PDFriend?
PDFriend has a Print command in three places: in the PDF viewer, in the menu of each file in the file list, and on the screen after you create a PDF. All three open the Android print screen.
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Connect the phone and the printer
Turn on the printer. Connect the phone to the same Wi-Fi network as the printer.
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Open the PDF
Open PDFriend and tap the PDF in the file list. If the PDF is in another place, add it with the Import PDF tool first.
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Tap Print
In the PDF viewer, tap the Print button at the top. The Android print screen opens.
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Select the printer
At the top of the print screen, open the printer list and select your printer. If it is not in the list, tap All printers.
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Set the options and print
Set the number of copies, the paper size and the pages. Tap the round print button.
PDFriend sends the PDF to the print service as it is. It does not change the pages. To print only some pages, choose the pages in the print screen, or first make a new PDF with Extract pages.
Note: remove the password before you print a PDF with a password. In the file list, open the menu of the file, then tap Remove password. Print the unlocked copy. Read how to remove the password from a PDF.
If the device has no Android print system, PDFriend shows "Printing is not available on this device." This is rare on a phone.
Can you print a PDF from Android without an extra app?
Yes, if the PDF is in Google Drive. Open the PDF in the Google Drive app, tap the More menu (three dots), then tap Print. The same Android print screen opens.
Many other apps also have a Print command, often in the More menu or in the Share list. If an app has no Print command, open the PDF in an app that has one.
Which paper size should you choose?
Check the paper size in the print screen before you print. Choose the size of the paper in the printer tray. Most countries use A4. The US and Canada use Letter.
| Paper | Size | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| A4 | 210 x 297 mm | Most countries |
| Letter | 8.5 x 11 in (216 x 279 mm) | US, Canada, some countries in Latin America |
| Legal | 8.5 x 14 in (216 x 356 mm) | Some legal forms in the US |
When the PDF page size and the paper size are different, the print service usually scales the page to fit. The page can then print a little smaller, with white borders. When you make a PDF from images in PDFriend, choose the paper size in the PDF options, for example A4 or Letter. To learn the exact sizes, read PDF page sizes: A4, Letter, Legal and more.
Can you save as PDF instead of printing on paper?
Yes. In the printer list of the print screen, select Save as PDF. Tap the round PDF button, choose a folder and a file name, then tap Save. This saves a copy of the document as a PDF file. It is most useful in apps that print other content, for example a web page in Chrome.
Tip: to save a web page as a PDF, print it from Chrome with Save as PDF. Read how to save a website as a PDF on Android.
Questions and answers
How do I print a PDF from my Android phone?
Connect the phone to the same Wi-Fi as the printer. Open the PDF in an app with a Print command, such as PDFriend or Google Drive. Tap Print, select the printer, then tap the print button.
Why does my phone not find the printer?
Check that the phone and the printer use the same Wi-Fi network. Check that a print service is on in the printing settings of the phone. Some printers need the print app of the printer maker from Google Play.
Do I need a special app to print from Android?
You need a print service, and many phones have one already, for example the Default Print Service. You also need an app that can open the PDF and has a Print command.
Why does PDFriend say that printing is not available?
The app shows "Printing is not available on this device." when the device has no Android print system. This is rare on a phone. It can happen on some devices that are not phones.
Can I print a PDF that has a password?
Remove the password first. In the file list, open the menu of the file, tap Remove password and type the password. Then print the unlocked copy.
Can I print to a PDF file instead of paper?
Yes. In the print screen, select Save as PDF as the printer, tap the PDF button, then tap Save. This is most useful for content that is not a PDF yet, for example a web page or a photo.