Support

How can we help?

Answers to common questions about printing, finding your printer, scanning and PRO — or email us and we’ll get you sorted.

Email us

Tell us what happened and include your printer’s make and model, your iPhone or iPad model and iOS version. We usually reply within 1–2 business days.

[email protected]

Write from the app

Open the app, tap the gear icon for Settings, then choose Contact us. Your app version, device type and iOS version are filled in for you.

Printer not showing up?

Start with Finding your printer below. The app also has step‑by‑step help: tap ? at the top of the Printer tab.

Printing

Which printers work with Smart Printer & Scanner?

AirPrint printers on the same Wi‑Fi network as your iPhone or iPad — the same printers iOS itself can print to. Not sure whether yours supports AirPrint? Check Apple’s list of AirPrint printers, or look for “AirPrint” on the printer’s box or in its manual.

A printer that only connects with a USB cable can still be used by sharing it from a Mac or Windows PC — see My printer only has a USB cable.

How do I print a document?
  1. Open the Printer tab and tap Documents.
  2. Pick a file — PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, text or an image — from Files or another app.
  3. Check the preview, then tap Print.
  4. In the iOS print options, choose your printer, the number of copies and other settings, then tap Print.

To print something you scanned with the app, tap My Scans instead, or open the document and tap the printer icon.

How do I print photos?

Tap Photos on the Printer tab, choose photos from your library, then pick a layout:

  • Full page — one photo on each sheet
  • 2 per page or 4 per page — saves paper
  • 4×6 in (10×15 cm) — for photo paper

The preview shows how many sheets you’ll use. For 4×6 photos, load photo paper in your printer first — when the printer reports it, the app picks that paper for you in the iOS print options.

How do I make a copy of a paper document?

Tap Scan & Print on the Printer tab. Scan the page with your camera, check the result, and print it — like a copier in your pocket. The scan is also saved in the app, so you can print it again later.

How do I print text I type or paste?

Tap Text on the Printer tab, type or paste your text, adjust the text size if you like, and tap Print.

Can I print for free?

Scanning documents and QR codes, reading files and organizing your library are free. Finding your printer is free too — and if the app can’t confirm your printer works yet, it offers a free test page before you upgrade.

Printing your own documents, photos, text and scans is part of PRO, with a free trial for new subscribers on selected plans. See What does PRO include?

How do I print a test page?

With PRO, tap the printer bar at the top of the Printer tab to open your printer’s panel, then tap Test page. Not on PRO yet? If the app hasn’t been able to confirm your printer when you go to print, it offers Print a free test page before you upgrade, so you can check that everything works first. The test page prints color bars, a gray scale and an alignment border.

The print came out wrong (margins, size, color or double-sided)
  • Check the paper size and the options in the iOS print dialog — for example, copies, color and double-sided printing, if your printer supports them.
  • Make sure the paper in the tray matches the paper size you chose.
  • Faded or streaky prints usually mean low ink or toner, or that the print head needs cleaning — use your printer’s own maintenance tools.

Finding your printer

Why can’t the app find my printer?

These quick fixes solve most cases:

  1. Use the same Wi‑Fi. Your iPhone and printer must be on the same Wi‑Fi network. Turn off cellular data and any VPN, and avoid separate guest networks.
  2. Wake the printer. Make sure it’s switched on and not in sleep mode — tap its screen or press a button.
  3. Allow Local Network access. In iOS Settings ▸ Privacy & Security ▸ Local Network, turn on Printer & Scanner.
  4. Restart everything. Power-cycle in order: Wi‑Fi router, then the printer, then your iPhone, waiting a few seconds between each.
  5. Move closer to the router. A weak signal can hide the printer. If your router has separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks, try the 2.4 GHz one.

Still not showing up? Tap ? at the top of the Printer tab for step‑by‑step help with your setup:

  • Printer set up in Wi‑Fi Direct or setup mode — it isn’t on your network yet. Use its control panel or the maker’s app to join the same Wi‑Fi as your iPhone.
  • Mesh systems and extenders — make sure both devices use the same network name, not a separate “Guest” or “IoT” network.
  • Printer doesn’t support AirPrint — some printers gain AirPrint in a firmware update; otherwise you can print through a computer.
  • Office and school networks — printers are often kept on a separate network. Your IT team can tell you whether printing from phones is allowed.
Why does the app ask for Local Network access?

iOS asks before any app looks for devices on your Wi‑Fi. The app uses this permission to find printers and to show their ink, paper and print jobs. Everything happens on your own network — see our Privacy Policy.

If you tapped Don’t Allow, you can still print: iOS shows available printers when you tap Print. To let the app find printers for you again, turn on Printer & Scanner in iOS Settings ▸ Privacy & Security ▸ Local Network.

My printer shows “Needs setup.” What does that mean?

The app can see the printer on your network, but iOS can’t print to it directly — usually because it doesn’t support AirPrint, or AirPrint is turned off in its settings. Tap the printer to see what you can do:

  • Double-check AirPrint. Look up your model on Apple’s list of AirPrint printers, and check the printer’s own settings page to see whether AirPrint is turned on. Some printers also gain AirPrint in a firmware update.
  • Print through a computer. A Windows PC or Mac that already prints to the printer can share it with your iPhone using a free tool — see below.
My printer only has a USB cable (or doesn’t support AirPrint)

iPhone and iPad can’t print over a USB cable. You can still print by sharing the printer from the computer it’s plugged into (or any computer that already prints to it) — it then shows up when you tap Print:

  • On a Windows PC: install PaperCut Mobility Print (free), then keep the PC on and on the same Wi‑Fi as your iPhone.
  • On a Mac: install AirPrint Bridge, a free, open-source tool. Turning on Printer Sharing in macOS isn’t enough by itself — this tool is what makes the shared printer visible to your iPhone.

The computer has to stay awake while you print. The app’s help screen links to both tools.

How do I switch to a different printer?

You can pick any printer in the iOS print options each time you print. With PRO, you can also tap the printer bar at the top of the Printer tab and choose Change to set a different printer as your main one.

Ink, paper & print jobs

Why don’t I see ink levels?

Printer status is part of PRO, and it needs Local Network access. Not every printer shares its ink, toner or paper information over the network, and some only report whether a cartridge is empty or not — in that case the app shows what the printer reports, or nothing at all.

The ink levels look wrong

Levels come straight from the printer and may be approximate — especially with refilled or third-party cartridges. Check the printer’s own display or settings page if you need an exact reading.

Can I cancel a print job?

Yes, with PRO. After you print, the app follows your job until it’s done. Open your printer from the printer bar and find the job in the print queue to cancel it. Jobs sent from other devices are shown only as “Another print job” and can’t be canceled from the app. You can always cancel from the printer itself, too.

Scanning & documents

True Scanner is now Smart Printer & Scanner — what changed?

The app has a new name, a new icon and a new Printer tab that finds your Wi‑Fi printer for you. It’s the same app, so updating keeps your documents, folders and PRO purchase. On your Home Screen the app is called Printer & Scanner. The Android app is still called True Scanner.

Where are the scanner and my documents?

Everything from True Scanner is in the Scanner tab — your documents, folders, scanning, signatures and PDF tools. QR codes have their own QR tab, and more PDF tools are in Tools.

How do I scan a document?

Open the Scanner tab and tap the camera button, then point your camera at the page. The app finds the edges and captures automatically, or you can tap the shutter yourself. Scan several pages in a row, then review, reorder and save them as one document.

My scan is blurry or the edges are wrong

Scan in good, even light on a contrasting surface, and hold your phone steady and parallel to the page. If the edges are off, open the page and use Crop to drag the corners into place. A filter such as Magic Color or B&W can also make faint text much clearer.

How does text recognition (OCR) work?

Open a scanned document and tap To Text to pull out its text, which you can then edit, copy or share — this is part of PRO. Recognition runs on your device with Apple’s Vision framework, so your document is never uploaded. The app also reads your scans in the background, on your device, so you can search for documents by the words inside them — that part is free.

How do I sign a document?

Open a page and choose Sign. Draw your signature once and save it, then place and resize it anywhere on the page.

How do I share or export a PDF or JPG?

Open a document and tap Share to send it as a PDF, as JPG images or as a .ZIP file by email, message or any app. Sharing and exporting are part of PRO; scanning and saving documents in the app are always free.

How does iCloud sync work?

If you’re signed in to iCloud, your documents sync across your iPhone and iPad through your own iCloud account. You can turn sync on or off in the app under Settings ▸ Backup ▸ iCloud Sync. We can’t see or access your iCloud data.

PRO & subscriptions

What does PRO include?

PRO unlocks printing (documents, photos, text and scans), sharing and exporting, text recognition (OCR), and your printer’s status — ink or toner, paper, alerts and print jobs — and removes ads. It’s available as a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase, and new subscribers can start with a free trial on selected plans. Prices are shown in the app. See our Terms of Use for details.

I had PRO in True Scanner. Do I still have it?

Yes. Smart Printer & Scanner is the same app with a new name, so your subscription or lifetime purchase carries over automatically. If PRO doesn’t show as active, open Settings (the gear icon), tap Upgrade to PRO, then tap Restore while signed in with the same Apple Account you used to buy it.

How do I cancel my subscription or free trial?

Open iOS Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, choose the app’s subscription and tap Cancel Subscription. To avoid being charged when a free trial ends, cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends. Deleting the app does not cancel a subscription.

How do I restore my purchase on a new device?

Open the app, tap the gear icon for Settings, tap Upgrade to PRO, then tap Restore. Make sure you’re signed in with the same Apple Account you originally used.

How do I get a refund?

Purchases are handled by Apple, so refunds are too. You can request one at reportaproblem.apple.com.

Privacy & permissions

Are my documents uploaded anywhere?

No. Scanning, text recognition and printing all happen on your device and your own network. Your documents are stored on your device and, if sync is on, in your own iCloud account. Read more in our Privacy Policy.

Why do I see ads, and what is the tracking prompt?

Ads help keep the free version free; PRO removes them. Apple’s App Tracking Transparency prompt asks whether ads and ad measurement may use your device’s advertising identifier. Your choice doesn’t change what the app can do, and you can change it any time in iOS Settings ▸ Privacy & Security ▸ Tracking.

Why does the app ask for camera, calendar or contacts access?

The camera is used to scan documents and QR codes. Calendar and contacts access are only requested if you add an event or save a contact from a scanned QR code. You can change any permission in iOS Settings ▸ Printer & Scanner.

Still need help?

Send us a note with your question, your printer’s make and model, and your device details — we’ll get back to you within 1–2 business days.

Email support