Are you having trouble printing documents from your phone using the HP Print Service Plugin? How can you fix the issue and start printing your documents?
HP Print Service Plugin is a mobile phone app that allows you to print wirelessly from a mobile to an HP printer. It is a handy tool, as it saves you the trouble of transferring your files to a computer when printing.
Unfortunately, some users have complained of issues when printing, the most common one being when the plugin cannot find an HP printer, even when they are close together.
The most common reason why the HP Print Service Plugin app has trouble finding your printer is due to a network issue. In this case, a poor network makes it impossible for your smartphone and printer to communicate.
However, that is not the only reason.
Reasons why the HP Print Service Plugin cannot find the printer?
These are some of the common issues that could cause the HP Print Service Plugin app not to find your printer:
- If your phone and printer are not on the same wireless network
- There is a poor network connection between the router and your phone or printer
- If the print service is not enabled on your phone
- If the printer is not on or is in sleep mode
- A glitch in on one of the connected devices
How to fix HP Print Service Plugin cannot find a printer problem?
Here are some troubleshooting tips and solutions you can use to fix the issue with the HP Print Service Plugin:
1. Check that the printer is turned on
If your printer is offline, the HP Print Service Plugin will not find it. Therefore, before anything else, make sure that it is on.
The app will also have an issue finding the printer is in sleep mode. If you have not used your printer for several minutes, you should wake it by pressing the power button.
NOTE: Sometimes, the HP Print Service app might indicate that the printer is offline even when it is ready. You should power off the printer and then start it again when this happens.
2. Check that the printer and your phone are on the same network
To print the files on your phone on an HP Printer, they must be on the same wireless network. Therefore, if your phone is connected to a different network from your printer, it will not find it.
So, before trying anything else, check to ensure that you have connected both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
3. Check that you have a strong Wi-Fi signal on both the printer and the phone
You don’t need a strong internet connection, as your phone and printer will communicate wirelessly through the router.
However, it would help if you had a strong wireless signal on your phone and the printer for this to work.
Therefore, if the HP Print Service Plugin can’t find your printer, you should check whether both devices are receiving a strong signal. If not, move them closer to the router and try finding the printer again.
4. Check that the print service is enabled on your phone
Another reason you might be getting the printer cannot be found in the printing service is not enabled on your phone. In this case, you should enable it and try printing again.
To enable the print feature, go to Settings on your phone and search for “HP Print Service.” If the plugin is off, tap “ON” to enable it.
5. Restart all the connected device
To print the files on your phone wirelessly, your phone, router, and HP printer must be communicating without any issues. If there is a glitch in any device, you will likely experience problems printing.
Fortunately, you can quickly fix any temporary glitches and bugs causing the problem by restarting all your devices.
For example, when restarting your router and printer, use a power cycle reset to clear any errors.
For the power cycle reset, turn off both devices and unplug them from the power outlet. Then, wait about 30 seconds to one minute and plug them back in. Finally, turn them on and try printing your files.
6. Clear cache and data on the HP Print Service Plugin
Corrupted app data and cache files are another reason your Android phone cannot find an HP printer. You can fix this problem by deleting the HP Print Service Plugin data and cache files.
To clear the data and cache:
- Go to Settings, then Apps on your phone, and select the HP Print Service Plugin (for some phones, you might need to go to Settings > Storage, then select the app from the list.)
- Tap on the app to open an info page
- Use the “Clear Data” and “Clear Cache” options to delete the accumulated data and cache.
With the data and cache cleared, you will have removed any corrupted files and settings, and you can try printing again.
7. Remove your printer from Print Service Plugin then add it again
If you still have issues finding your printer, you can remove it from the plugin and manually add it.
Here’s a guide for removing a printer from HP Print Service Plugin:
- Launch the HP Print Service Plugin and go to the Menu icon
- Tap on Add Printer, then select Manage Printers
- Tap and hold on to the printer you want to remove, then select “Forget Printer” to remove it.
After removing your printer, you can now add it again.
Follow these steps:
- First, go to Settings on your phone and select “Connected Devices.”
- Go to Connection preferences > Printing
- Tap “Add Service” and add your printer
With any luck, after removing and adding your printer, any settings that were making it impossible for the print plugin will clear. So you can now go to the files you want to print and try printing again.
Is there an HP Print Service Plugin for iOS?
The HP Print Service Plugin is an Android app that links your phone with an HP printer. But is there something similar for iOS phones?
While the app is not supported on Apple phones, there are similar apps you can use, such as the HP Smart app, which links your iOS device with an HP printer.
Conclusion
The HP Print Service Plugin is an excellent mobile app for when you want to print your files directly from your Android phone.
However, you might experience an issue where the plugin can’t find your printer from time to time. You can fix the problem with the troubleshooting tips and solutions above.
You can also try a few alternatives if you still have trouble finding your printer. One is using another HP printing app, such as the HP Smart app.
You can also print using Wi-Fi Direct or connect your phone to the printer using a USB cable.
