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“Connect an HP printer to a hotspot” can mean two different things: connect the printer to your phone’s hotspot, or connect your phone directly to the printer using Wi-Fi Direct. If you only need to print from your phone, Wi-Fi Direct is the documented direct-printing option. Joining a phone hotspot is model-dependent, so check your printer’s instructions before trying it.
Choose the connection that matches what you need
| Method | What connects to what | Best for | Internet access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone hotspot | The printer joins the phone’s hotspot network. | When the printer needs to use the phone’s network connection, if that printer supports joining the hotspot. | May provide network or internet access, subject to the phone’s plan and hotspot settings. Support is not universal. |
| Wi-Fi Direct | Your phone or tablet joins the printer’s own wireless network. | Printing directly from a mobile device without a router. | Does not provide full network or internet access. HP says Wi-Fi Direct can send print jobs without an internet connection. |
HP Support describes Wi-Fi Direct as a way for most HP printers released after 2014 to send print jobs wirelessly without an internet connection: HP Wi-Fi Direct printing guidance. The wording “most” matters: available features and menus vary by printer.
Print directly from your phone with Wi-Fi Direct
First find the printer’s Wi-Fi Direct network name and password. Depending on the model, they may appear in the HP app’s printer settings or on the printer’s touchscreen. Keep the printer on and load paper.
Android
- Open the document, photo, or other item you want to print and choose Print.
- In the printer list, select your printer’s Wi-Fi Direct name. It typically begins with
DIRECT; HP’s Android print-service instructions also describe names in the formatDIRECT-xx-HP. - Enter the Wi-Fi Direct password if prompted. If the printer requests confirmation, press the indicated button on its control panel.
- Wait for the connection, review the print settings, and submit the job.
Android may offer printing through the HP Print Service Plugin. Its print preview can list either the printer’s regular network name or its DIRECT-named Wi-Fi Direct connection: HP Print Service Plugin guidance.
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iPhone or iPad
- Open Settings > Wi-Fi and select the printer’s Wi-Fi Direct network. Enter its password if asked.
- Open the item to print, choose its Print action, and select the printer. Choose AirPrint if the device offers that option.
- After printing, return to Wi-Fi settings and reconnect to your previous Wi-Fi network if needed.
Use the instructions for your exact model if the Wi-Fi Direct name, password, or controls are not available in the app or on the printer panel. HP’s Wi-Fi Direct support page covers locating credentials and connecting mobile devices.
Connect the printer to your phone’s hotspot
This setup asks the printer—not your phone—to join the hotspot. HP’s general wireless-network setup guidance describes wireless setup using the HP app, but the available controls and exact steps depend on the printer. The reviewed guidance does not establish that every HP printer can join every phone hotspot, or universal hotspot band and security requirements.
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- Find the exact printer model, then open HP’s wireless setup instructions for that model.
- Use the model’s supported wireless setup method, such as the HP app where applicable.
- If the printer’s setup flow offers your phone hotspot’s network name (SSID), select it and enter the hotspot password.
- Follow any prompts shown by the app or printer, then confirm the printer appears as connected using the model’s instructions.
If the hotspot SSID is absent or the connection fails, do not assume a universal 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or security setting will fix it. Check the printer’s model-specific guidance and the hotspot settings available on your phone.
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- The printer does not appear: Make sure Wi-Fi Direct is enabled, then check the printer’s displayed network name and password. Nearby printers can have similar DIRECT names, so match the selection to your own printer.
- The password is rejected: Use the current Wi-Fi Direct password shown in the HP app or on the printer, where available; do not substitute the phone hotspot password.
- The connection will not stay active: Restart the printer and mobile device, then reconnect to the printer’s Wi-Fi Direct network and try again, as described in HP’s Wi-Fi Direct troubleshooting guidance.
- Printing works but online features do not: Wi-Fi Direct is for direct printing, not a general-purpose internet connection. Online or remote printer functions may require the printer to join a network with internet access.
What “HP Wireless Direct” means
Some older HP printers use the name HP Wireless Direct rather than Wi-Fi Direct. HP’s legacy guidance applies to certain printer models from late 2011 through mid-2014; it is not a universal set of steps for current HP printers. On those older models, a phone or computer may need to reconnect to its regular Wi-Fi network after printing: HP Wireless Direct legacy guidance.
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