Before you start
You’ll need:
- An Android phone or tablet. The screens look a little different between Samsung, Google Pixel, and Motorola, but the steps are the same.
- The PDF — in your email, in the Files app, or shown in a web browser.
- A Wi-Fi printer that supports Google Cloud Print or Mopria. Almost all printers sold in the last 8 years do. If you’re not sure, don’t worry — we’ll tell you what to do.
The steps
Open the PDF
- From Gmail: Open the email, tap the attachment at the bottom, and it will show the PDF.
- From Google Drive: Open the Drive app and tap the file. It will open automatically.
- From your Downloads: Open the Files (or My Files) app, tap Downloads, and tap the PDF.
Tap the menu button (three dots)
Look at the top-right corner of the screen. You’ll see three small dots stacked on top of each other — that’s the menu. Tap it once.
A list of options will slide in. Depending on your phone you’ll see things like Share, Save, Search, and Print.
Tap Print
Tap Print. A preview screen will appear with the word “Print” at the top.
Pick your printer at the top of the screen
At the top of the print preview screen you’ll see a drop-down that says either Save as PDF or your printer’s name.
Tap the drop-down. Your phone will show a list of printers it can see on the network. Tap the one you want.
Adjust the settings
A small arrow beside the printer name (or the word More) opens the full settings:
- Copies — how many sets of pages.
- Paper size — usually Letter in the USA, A4 in Canada and the UK.
- Color / Black and white.
- Pages: All / Range — type a range like
1-3if you only want certain pages.
Tap the yellow printer button
The big round button at the top-right of the preview is the Print button — it looks like a printer icon inside a colored circle. Tap it once. Your phone will spin for a few seconds and then the printer should start.
If you don’t see your printer
Don’t panic. Do this:
Install the "Mopria Print Service"
Open the Google Play Store on your phone, search for Mopria Print Service, and install it. It’s free and made by most major printer companies. It’s the bridge that lets Android phones find modern printers.
Or use your printer brand's app
If your printer is an HP, Epson, Canon, Brother, or Samsung, search the Play Store for that brand’s app. Install it and open it once — it will find your printer and after that the printer shows up in every Android print screen.
Try printing again
Open your PDF, tap the three-dot menu, then Print. Your printer should now appear in the list. Tap it and continue from step 5 above.
Common problems
What’s next
If the PDF is actually a web page someone sent you, our save a web page as a PDF guide shows a clever trick: you can save any web page as a PDF first, then print the PDF. It often looks much better than printing the web page directly.