Printer Firmware Updates: How to Update Safely (and When You Shouldn't)

To update printer firmware, connect the printer to the internet and use its control panel (look for Firmware Update or Printer Update under Settings, Setup or Maintenance), the brand's app, or the embedded web server. Leave it powered on until it restarts by itself. Install updates for the security fixes, but check the release notes first if you rely on third-party cartridges.

Firmware, driver or app: which one needs updating?

These three words get mixed up all the time, and updating the wrong one can waste an afternoon. Firmware is the software that runs inside the printer itself. The driver lives on your computer and translates documents into something the printer understands. The app is the program or phone app you use to set up the printer, scan and check ink.

A useful rule of thumb: if a problem happens on every computer and phone, suspect the firmware. If it happens on one computer only, it's the driver or app on that machine. Our Windows 11 printer driver guide and Mac printer driver guide cover the computer side.

Why update printer firmware at all?

Most firmware releases are dull, and that's the point. They fix things you only notice when they go wrong:

• Security holes. A network printer runs a small operating system and a web server. Manufacturers regularly patch flaws that could let someone on your network change settings or read stored scans. Our printer security basics guide explains why this matters more than most people expect.
• Wi-Fi and router compatibility. New routers, mesh systems and WPA3 security settings sometimes need newer printer firmware before the connection holds steady.
• Printing from phones. AirPrint and Mopria fixes often arrive as firmware rather than app updates.
• Everyday bugs. False paper jam messages, scan-to-email failures and frozen touchscreens are sometimes fixed in a firmware release.

The one real reason to hesitate is cartridge policy, covered further down. Printers whose supplies carry no chip, such as most ink tank models that fill from bottles, have very little downside to updating.

Before you start: five quick checks

1. Note the current version. Print a configuration or status report from the panel, or look in the printer's information menu. If behavior changes afterward, you'll know which version you came from.
2. Make sure the power is stable. Plug the printer into a wall outlet or surge protector, not a switched power strip someone might turn off. Don't start an update during a thunderstorm.
3. Check the connection. Panel updates download over the internet, so the printer needs a steady Wi-Fi or Ethernet link. A printer showing one bar of signal can stall partway through the download.
4. Clear the queue. Let current jobs finish or cancel them, and don't send anything new while the update runs.
5. Keep the computer awake if you're updating from a computer tool. Plug the laptop in and make sure it won't go to sleep for the next half hour.

How do I update HP printer firmware?

HP gives you three routes, and most models support at least two. Menu names differ between DeskJet, ENVY, OfficeJet and LaserJet lines, so treat the paths below as a guide to what to look for.

From the control panel

On most touchscreen HP inkjets, open Settings or Setup, then look in Printer Maintenance, Tools or Web Services for Update the Printer or Printer Update. On many LaserJets the option sits in a Support Tools or Maintenance menu as a firmware upgrade. The printer checks HP's servers, downloads the file and restarts by itself.

From the HP app

Open the HP app (formerly HP Smart), select your printer, and choose Printer Settings or Advanced Settings. On many models this opens the printer's own web pages, where the firmware option lives. The app may also show a notice when an update is waiting.

From the embedded web server

Type the printer's IP address into a browser on the same network. Our guide to finding your printer's IP address shows where to get it. On many models the path is Tools › Printer Updates › Firmware Updates; others put it under Settings or Web Services. Some newer models ask for a PIN printed on a label on the printer before they let you in.

If the printer has no internet connection, HP publishes firmware for many models on the model's Software and Drivers page at support.hp.com, usually under a Firmware heading. It runs from a computer connected by USB or over the network. More HP-specific help is in our HP printer support hub.

How do I update Canon printer firmware?

Most current PIXMA and MAXIFY models update from their own panel, as long as they're connected to a network with internet access.

1. Press Setup, or tap the Setup or Settings icon on touchscreen models.
2. Choose Device settings.
3. Choose Firmware update, then Install update.
4. If an update is available, follow the prompts on the screen. If not, the printer tells you it already has the latest version.
5. Wait. When the update finishes, the printer turns itself off and back on.

The same Firmware update menu usually has an option to check the current version, and some models also offer an update notification setting there. Canon imageCLASS lasers use different menus, and some take firmware through a utility downloaded from usa.canon.com, so check your model's online manual for the exact steps. Everything else Canon is in our Canon printer support hub.

How do I update Epson printer firmware?

From the control panel

On many EcoTank, Expression and WorkForce models with a screen, open Settings, look for Firmware Update, and choose Update. Business models often put it under Settings › General Settings › System Administration. The printer needs an internet connection, and some models can also check for new firmware on a schedule and let you know.

With Epson Software Updater

Epson Software Updater installs alongside the driver on Windows and macOS. Open it, select your printer, check the box next to the firmware item, and click install. It works over USB or the network, which makes it the usual route for printers without a screen.

From Web Config

Web Config is Epson's browser-based settings page, reached by typing the printer's IP address into a browser. On many models the path is Device Management › Firmware Update, then Start.

If an Epson shows a Recovery Mode message after an interrupted update, go to our page on Epson recovery mode after a failed firmware update instead of repeating the steps here.

How do I update Brother printer firmware?

Brother supports three methods, depending on the model:

• The machine's control panel (network models). On touchscreen models, look under Settings or All Settings for Machine Info, then Firmware Update. On button models, use the arrow keys to reach Machine Info, press OK, then select Firmware Update. The machine needs internet access.
• The Firmware Update Tool. Download it from the Downloads section for your exact model at support.brother.com. On Windows, Brother asks that the Full Driver & Software Package is installed first. On a Mac, the machine and the computer need to share a USB cable or the same network.
• A phone or tablet. Some network models can be updated from a mobile device.

A USB-only Brother with no network connection can only be updated with the computer tool. The rest of Brother's software is covered in our Brother printer support hub.

Should I turn off automatic firmware updates?

Most printers now install firmware on their own, often overnight. On HP models the setting is usually called something like Printer Update or Auto Update, with choices along the lines of install automatically, notify only, or don't check. Canon, Epson and Brother offer similar notification settings on many models. For most households, the right answer is to leave automatic updates on.

There are three situations where switching to notify-only makes sense:

• You use third-party cartridges in an HP printer. HP Dynamic Security is firmware that checks cartridge chips, and an update can stop compatible cartridges that worked the day before. Our guide to HP cartridge problems and Dynamic Security explains the messages and your realistic options, and our third-party ink and toner guide covers the other brands. Printers enrolled in HP+ are expected to stay connected and current, so this choice isn't really open to them.
• A shared office printer in a busy week. An update takes the printer out of action for a few minutes, sometimes longer, and can change how some features behave. Set notify-only and install on a quiet afternoon.
• A release with reported problems. Now and then a release causes Wi-Fi or scanning trouble and the manufacturer replaces it. Waiting a week or two after a new release comes out is reasonable.

Whatever you choose, don't leave a networked printer unpatched for years. If you switch automatic updates off, set a reminder to check every few months and read the release notes before you install.

What if a firmware update fails or the printer is stuck in update mode?

The rule that matters most: never turn a printer off while firmware is being written. Manufacturers warn that interrupting an update can permanently damage the printer, because the memory being rewritten is the part the printer needs to start. A progress bar that seems frozen for five minutes is normal.

1. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last visible progress before assuming anything is wrong. Some updates restart the printer more than once.
2. If the download failed and you see an error message rather than a frozen screen, the old firmware is usually still in place. Check the Wi-Fi signal and try again later, since update servers can be busy right after a release.
3. If the screen has been frozen for more than an hour with no lights changing, turn the printer off with its power button, wait 60 seconds, and turn it back on. Many printers resume or restart the update by themselves.
4. If it starts in a recovery or update mode, connect it to a computer by USB and run the brand's computer tool: Epson Software Updater, the Brother Firmware Update Tool, or the HP firmware download for your model. Where a model has a recovery mode, this is what it's for.
5. If nothing responds at all, stop. Repeated power cycling won't help, and a factory reset can't reach a printer that won't start.

A printer that fails during an official update while still under warranty is the manufacturer's problem, so contact them before paying for any repair. Out of warranty, weigh the cost honestly with our guide on whether a printer is worth repairing. Never install firmware from a third-party site that promises to unlock cartridges or roll back a version; that's the quickest way to turn a recoverable printer into scrap.

If you would rather have someone go through the settings and run the update with you, our independent remote printer support plan covers every printer in your home or office, and we'll tell you honestly if a stalled printer isn't worth saving.