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How to Connect a Printer to Alexa
Print recipes, shopping lists and more with Amazon's smart assistant
By Ruben Circelli Ruben Circelli Editor University of Massachusetts, Boston Ruben Circelli has been a freelance technology writer and editor since 2014. His work has appeared on dozens of sites, including Komando.com, Twinfinite, and TheGamer. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on April 13, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart Home Amazon Smart Home: Alexa & Amazon Echo Your Best Year Ever: College Tech Tips Appliances & Lighting Google What to Know
First, make sure your Alexa and your printer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.Then, ask Alexa to Discover my printer and confirm when it detects your device.Once connected, you can use Alexa's printing features or rely on Alexa Skills. This article explains how to connect a printer to an Alexa device. Doing so will let you print documents with voice commands. As you might expect, connecting Alexa to a printer is done over Wi-Fi, so you'll need a wireless printer to be able to connect to your Alexa. You'll also need both your wireless printer and your Alexa to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network, so you can't just print something using the Alexa app on your phone when you're away from home. How to Connect a Printer to Alexa
Before we dive, you'll need to have a wireless printer connected to your home Wi-Fi network. To get a wireless printer up and running, follow our step-by-step guide to wireless printing. Not all wireless printers work with Alexa, but many do. The process of connecting your wireless printer to your Alexa is quick, so it's easy to try to see if yours works, but you can also check with Amazon to see if your printer works with Alexa. With a working Alexa and wireless printer both connected to the same network, you're ready to begin connecting your printer to Alexa, and the good news is that this will usually take only seconds. Make sure your printer is powered on before you begin. Some wireless printers will hibernate or fully power off, disconnecting from Wi-Fi, when not in use. It's important the printer be on and connected to the internet. The easiest way to connect Alexa to your printer is to say "Alexa, discover my printer." Alexa will take a few moments to search for your printer before prompting you once its discovered one. If you're having trouble connecting to your printer with voice commands, you can open the Alexa app, go to the Devices tab, tap +, and then select Printer. Tap your printer to connect to it. After the pairing process is finished, your printer will be connected to Alexa. You can now ask Alexa to print items for you, which can include shopping lists, to-do lists, recipes, and more. Amazon has a full list of Alexa's printer commands on its site. Depending on your printer, there may be a dedicated Alexa Skill for your printer that offers additional functionality. This will vary printer-to-printer, and depending on the brand, the features on offer will vary. Need more help, check out our article on using Alexa Skills. Different printers often have different settings which can interfere with Alexa connecting to a printer. So, depending on your personal setup, you may have to change a printer setting or two. Luckily, Amazon has a robust printer settings FAQ page (scroll down a bit once you click) with information about which printer settings you'll need to have enabled. What Can Alexa Print
Alexa can print a good variety of material, but the most useful stuff to print is often Alexa's own content, such as your Amazon shopping list or a to-do list you can setup with Alexa. Printable content like crossword puzzles and coloring pages usually isn't much easier to print with Alexa when you can go online and choose a crossword puzzle or coloring page to print yourself. Much of Alexa's printable content comes from third-parties, though, and perhaps the most popular use for Alexa's printing feature is printing recipes. Amazon has partnered with companies like Allrecipes to offer printable content through their Alexa Skills. FAQ How do I print my Alexa shopping list? Once you've connected Alexa to your printer, you can just ask for physical versions of your shopping and to-do lists. Say, "Alexa, print my shopping list," and it will print a copy. Why won't Alexa print my shopping list? If your printer is compatible with the digital assistant, and it's not working, you can troubleshoot issues with Alexa to get it working. Some fixes include making sure your internet is active, ensuring Alexa and your printer are on the same Wi-Fi network, and resetting your modem or router. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Add and Connect a Printer to Your Chromebook How to Connect Alexa to Your Computer How to Find the Printer on Your Network in Windows 10 How to Make Alexa the Center of Your Smart Home How to Connect a Printer to a Laptop How to Fix It When Alexa says the Echo is Offline How to Play SiriusXM On Alexa How to Use the Amazon Alexa App to Set Up Shopping Lists How to Print in Black and White on Mac How to Move With Alexa How to Put an Echo Dot in Setup Mode How to Make Calls Through Your Echo Using Amazon's Alexa How to Connect a Smart Plug to Alexa How to Travel With Alexa How to Fix 8 Common Alexa and Amazon Echo Issues How to Connect Nest Thermostat to Alexa Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies