ChromeOS printing Download and Setup Guide
How Chromebooks add printers and scanners without drivers
Representative photo — Adrian Sulyok
ChromeOS handles printing entirely through open standards. A Chromebook discovers network printers that support IPP Everywhere or Mopria, adds them with no driver, and prints from Chrome and Android apps. Scanning works the same way through the built-in Scan app using eSCL. This is why there are almost no manufacturer printer apps for ChromeOS: there is nothing for them to install. Google maintains a Works With Chromebook list of printers it has tested, which is worth checking before buying.
Version and licence: Built into ChromeOS; nothing to download. Chromebooks print without manufacturer drivers using IPP Everywhere and Mopria, which is why manufacturer apps generally do not exist for ChromeOS. Google publishes a Works With Chromebook list of tested printers.
Download ChromeOS printing
What it does
- Automatic discovery of IPP Everywhere and Mopria printers on the network
- No drivers to download or install
- Add printers manually by IP address where discovery fails
- Built-in Scan app using the eSCL standard
- Printing from Chrome, Android apps and Linux apps on supported devices
- Works With Chromebook certification list for tested printers
- USB printer support for many standard devices
How to install it
Step 1
Connect the printer to the same Wi-Fi network as the Chromebook.
Step 2
Open Settings, then Printing, then Printers.
Step 3
Chromebook lists nearby printers it can see; click Save next to yours.
Step 4
If the printer is not listed, choose Add manually and enter its IP address with the IPP protocol and the queue name ipp/print.
Step 5
Print a test page from any application.
Step 6
For scanning, open the Scan app from the launcher and select the scanner.
Step 7
If the printer will not appear, check it supports IPP Everywhere or Mopria, and update its firmware, which often adds or fixes that support.
Which printers it supports
Printers supporting IPP Everywhere or Mopria, which covers most current network printers from the major manufacturers. Google's Works With Chromebook list names models it has tested specifically.
When ChromeOS printing will not work
Confirm both are on the same network and band, and that the printer supports IPP Everywhere or Mopria. Add it manually by IP address with the IPP protocol and the queue ipp/print if discovery fails.
There are no ChromeOS drivers by design. ChromeOS prints through open standards, so if the printer supports IPP Everywhere or Mopria it works, and if it does not, no driver will help.
ChromeOS scanning uses eSCL, so the scanner must support it. Check for a printer firmware update, since eSCL support was added to many models later in their life.
ChromeOS shows the options the printer advertises over IPP. Advanced features such as stapling or accounting codes are generally not available, which is a limitation of the driverless approach rather than a fault.
ChromeOS supports many standard USB printers but not all. If the printer needs a proprietary driver, there is no way to install one, and a network printer supporting IPP is the practical answer.
Printers that use ChromeOS printing
Frequently asked questions
Do Chromebooks need printer drivers?
No. ChromeOS prints through IPP Everywhere and Mopria, so there are no drivers to install.
What is Works With Chromebook?
A Google certification list of printers and other hardware tested to work with ChromeOS.
Can I scan from a Chromebook?
Yes, using the built-in Scan app, provided the scanner supports the eSCL standard.
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