Canon TS9120 Wireless All-in-one Printer - Front

The 5 Best Chromebook Compatible Printers in 2024

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Chromebooks are unique and useful machines.  They are slimmed-down versions of standard laptops that don’t require so much bloated/slow software.

Sounds good, right?

However, unlike laptops that run on Microsoft Windows or Mac OS, Chromebooks are not compatible with USB-only printers. That means that if you own a Chromebook laptop, you will have to get a compatible printer for your printing needs.

So what printers are the best printers for Chromebooks? We’ve gone ahead and listed our top picks below, so here we go!

Our Recommendations

#1 Overall – Canon TS9120 Wireless Printer

Canon TS9120 Wireless All-in-One Printer with Scanner and Copier

Introduction

Our first Chromebook-compatible printer is the Canon TS9120.  If you’re seeking for a printer that is not only our pick for the best printer for Chromebook, but will also give you exceptional photos, graphics, and text, then you can’t go wrong with the [link url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074VFRMLT/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=secret-asian-man-20&linkId=0a16a01044b8a7267c008634b84032be&language=en_US”]Canon TS9120 wireless printer[/link]. In addition, the printer has been designed specifically for printing photographs, a job it does very well.

Pros

  • Available in three different colors – red, gray, and gold – the [link url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074VFRMLT/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=secret-asian-man-20&linkId=0a16a01044b8a7267c008634b84032be&language=en_US”]Canon TS9120[/link] comes with lots of features to ease your day to day printing life at home. This printer supports Bluetooth 4.0 LE printing which means you can easily connect the different mobile devices you own and print or scan directly from the cloud using Bluetooth. In addition, it also has Wi-Fi capabilities which allow you to print effortlessly from anywhere in your home.
  • With a sleek design, this device can be used for printing, copying, and scanning tasks. It has a 4800 by 1200 dpi resolution for both images and documents coupled with a 6-color ink system for quality and speed. The printer has print speeds of 15 IPM when printing in black and white and 10 IPM when printing in color. You can also choose from the front and rear paper feeding option which allows for auto duplex printing for documents of up to 8.5 by 14 inches.
  • Thanks to the flatbed design, you can also scan and copy media of up to 8.5 by 11.7 inches using an optical resolution of 2400 by 4800 dpi.
  • This means that your end scan result will be high quality with details of the originals. Besides the Wi-Fi connectivity option, it also supports Ethernet networking like more traditional printers. It also has an inbuilt SD/SDHC card slot that allows you to print your photos directly from the camera’s memory card.

Cons

  • Lacks an automatic document feeder and is also slow when it comes to printing documents.

#2 – Canon PIXMA TR4520 Wireless Printer

Canon PIXMA TR4520 Wireless All in One Photo Printer with Mobile Printing

Introduction

Canon is another well-known brand when it comes to the world of printers, and they continue to innovate and improve their printers with their latest [link url=”https://www.amazon.com/Canon-TR4520-Wireless-Printer-Printing/dp/B07G5XZVLG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1547765073&sr=1-3&keywords=Canon+PIXMA+TR4520+Wireless+Printer&linkCode=ll1&tag=secret-asian-man-20&linkId=6c9f8220468c9ae688817b1fb4c1476e&language=en_US”]Canon PIXMA TR4520 printer[/link].

Pros

  • With a limited one-year warranty, the [link url=”https://www.amazon.com/Canon-TR4520-Wireless-Printer-Printing/dp/B07G5XZVLG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1547765073&sr=1-3&keywords=Canon+PIXMA+TR4520+Wireless+Printer&linkCode=ll1&tag=secret-asian-man-20&linkId=6c9f8220468c9ae688817b1fb4c1476e&language=en_US”]Canon PIXMA TR4520 wireless printer[/link] is a 4-in-1 compact home and business office printer. Using this printer, you are able to automatically copy multiple sheets of paper thanks to the automatic document feeder. You can also use it to copy both sides of your ID card or any card-sized documents.
  • Unlike most printers that don’t have the fax feature for your documents, the Canon PIXMA TR4520 allows you to fax your documents, two-sided print documents, scan as well as copy your documents. For its size, the printer does have some amazing features and doesn’t require a lot of space, and is quite competitive compared to the bulkier printers. Its compact size makes it a good option for small home offices as well as dorm rooms.
  • In addition, it’s quite easy to set up your printer. This can be done using your smartphone through the Wireless Connect or the Canon PRINT app. This means that one can also print directly from their smartphone, tablet, iPhone or iPad. It also has Wi-Fi connectivity which allows you to print from anywhere in your house.
  • It has the IFTTT (If This Then That) support and you can also automate your printing using different web services and applications which will save you both time and effort.

Cons

  • It only allows for dual-band connectivity which means that it can’t connect to other wireless options making it a limited buy from people without dual-band connectivity.

#3 – Canon PIXMA TS6220 Printer

Canon 2986C002 PIXMA TS6220

Introduction

Being a successor to the Canon TS6120 printer, the three-in-one [link url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G685RYS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=secret-asian-man-20&linkId=b599c2954dff4f5466b595ad4b166585&language=en_US”]Canon PIXMA TS6220[/link] comes with a five individual ink tank system that produces 4 by 6 prints in a matter of seconds.

Pros

  • The [link url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G685RYS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=secret-asian-man-20&linkId=b599c2954dff4f5466b595ad4b166585&language=en_US”]Canon PIXMA TS6220[/link] is perfect for your day to day home printing needs without compromising on quality or printing speed. It has an LCD display touchscreen that measures three inches and can be used to copy, scan and print. Just like most printers in our review, it’s best used for photo and art prints and comes with a maximum output print resolution of 4800 by 1200 dpi.
  • You can also print in monochrome and color and has automatic duplex printing. Thanks to its wireless print technology, you can print your photos using your mobile devices. This printer has a flatbed design and an optical resolution of 1200 dpi. It can print documents of up to 8.50 by 14 inches and photos of up to 4 by 6 inches.
  • Thanks to its size, this Canon printer can fit almost anywhere in your home and is easy to set up, and produces great quality prints.

Cons

  • It doesn’t have Wi-Fi or Ethernet connectivity which means that for printing one has to rely on USB or Bluetooth connectivity.

#4 – HP Envy 4520 Wireless Printer

Introduction

This HP Printer for Chromebook, the [link url=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013SKI4LU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=secret-asian-man-20&linkId=abdc0cc67744d218d6856bb28b8fe469&language=en_US”]HP Envy 4520[/link], is a multifunctional printer that produces high-quality graphics and photos as compared to text. The printer has also been designed in such a way that it prints photos faster compared to most printers in its category.

Pros

  • As mentioned, this device is multifunctional and is ideal for your home office to and can be used to scan, copy, print – both AirPrint and wireless print – as well as two-sided printing. The printer can handle up to 100 sheets of paper which is quite sufficient for most home use. While you will need to manually swap between photo paper and plain paper in the input tray each time, the duplexer functionality allows you to print on two sides without having to switch the papers manually.
  • With the free HP ePrint app, you can easily do mobile printing from anywhere by using your smartphone or tablet and from your iPhone or iPad using the AirPrint. This means that you don’t have to rely on any network connection for you to print your photos. The two-sided printing not only allows you to save on paper by up to 50 percent while allowing for borderless photos that won’t need any trimming after the printing has been done saving you time and resources.
  • With Amazon Dash Replenishment, you never have to worry about running out of ink as your printer is able to track your ink usage and ensure ink is delivered to you before you run out. You can also opt for the Instant Ink service that allows you to save up to 50 percent by simply paying for the pages that you will print.
  • The printer has a touchscreen that allows you to touch and go with the ability to print documents measuring 8.5 by 11 inches and photos measuring 4 by 6. The printer comes with a one-year limited warranty; you are also able to get 24-hour support from the HP web support team every day.

Cons

  • The HP Envy 4520 printer does not have ethernet or fax and is relatively slow for most business applications, but makes a good option for home use.

#5 – HP Envy 5055 Wireless Printer

HP ENVY 5055 Wireless All-in-One Photo Printer

Introduction

The HP Envy 5055 printer has been designed for printing great photos. This model is extremely popular and likely won’t go wrong with this option from HP.

Pros

  • This device has an automatic duplexing feature which means you are able to print on both sides of a page saving you time, money and effort. It has a maximum printing resolution of 43800 by 1200 dpi for color and 1200 by 1200 for monochrome. The two combined resolutions ensure that you end up with printed text that is crisp and vivid photo coloring.
  • Being a predecessor to the HP ENVY 4520, this device comes with improved features such as the Bluetooth Smart, faster print speeds, and improved Wi-Fi connectivity among others. Besides the fact that you can recycle used cartridges from your HP Envy 5055 printer free of charge, you can also utilize the HP instant Ink feature that ensures you never run out of ink as it tracks your ink usage.
  • You can scan, print and copy high-quality borderless photos and documents using this printer. The Bluetooth Smart feature and dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity mean that you can easily print your documents and photos remotely from your devices. In addition, the HP Smart app enables you to use your camera to scan documents, print your photos from social media or from the cloud.

Cons

  • Some users have reported issues with the Wi-Fi connectivity on the specific Windows operating system.

Compatible Brands of Chromebook

The following brands of Chromebook should work with these printers:

  • Samsung
  • Asus
  • Toshiba
  • HP
  • Dell

Final Thoughts on Picking the Best Printer for Chromebook

Google Cloud Print

If you own a Chromebook laptop, the first thing you need to look for in any printer that you want to buy is whether it has the Google Cloud Print feature. Because Chromebooks don’t have the capability of identifying third-party drivers, you can’t err in buying one.

Print Speed

Another factor to consider is print speed. You don’t want to buy a printer that takes forever to print a single document. Ideally, you should look for a printer that prints 20 pages per minute for black and white including 16 pages per minute for colored documents.

Color vs. Black and White

Just because it’s 2024, it doesn’t mean that all printers compatible with Chromebooks available in the market are color printers.  Our top picks do, but we’ve also included black and white (like the Brother Compact HL), for those that prefer to only go with black and white.

How-to Guide: How to Set up your Printer with a Chromebook

How To Set Up Your Printer With A Chromebook

How To Get Your Printer Set Up

You can print directly from your Chromebook by using most printers that can connect to a wired or Wi-Fi network.

Tip: A USB cable can also be used to connect your Chromebook and printer together. When a cable is used, a notification will be displayed. Follow the onscreen instructions. If your printer is connected to a Chromebook directly then it will not need to be connected to a Wi-Fi network.

Step 1: Connect your printer to the internet

  • Turn your printer on.
  • Connect your printer to an internet network. For further assistance, follow the instructions provided by your printer manufacturer.
  • Turn your Chromebook on and sign in.
  • Connect the Chromebook with the same internet network that your printer is connected to.

Step 2: Print out a page

  • To print a document, image, or page that you viewing, press the keys Ctrl + p.
  • Navigate to “Destination” and then choose the Down Arrow.
  • Choose “See more”
  • Select your printer. Tip: There are some printers that will show up automatically on the list. If your printer does not appear on this list, then choose Manage.
  • Choose Print.

How to add a printer to a Chromebook

  • Choose the time on the bottom right.
  • Choose Settings.
  • Choose Advanced on the bottom.
  • Choose Printers under Printing.
  • Under the section “Available printers to save, choose Save next to your printer.
  • Check to make sure your printer appears on the top under the “Saved printers” section.

Advanced printer configuration

If you are unable to automatically save your printer, the advanced setup process can be used.

  • Choose Set up next to your printer’s name.
  • Choose your printer’s manufacturer and model in the box that is displayed.
  • Check the label on your printer to find this information.
  • Choose Add.
  • Check under “Saved printers” on the top to make sure your printer appears.

You can specify your printer’s PPD if your printer is not displayed in the model or manufacture drop-down menus.

PostScript Printer Description (PPD)

PPD files are used by Chromebooks to support printers. These files differ from printer drivers. They inform a Chromebook how a specific printer model can be supported.

  • Select Browse in the box appearing next to “specify your printer PPD.”
  • Select your printer PPD and then choose Open.

Important: Chromebooks support .gzip or .ppd file formats with up to a 250 KB file size.

How to manually add a printer

If your printer is not displayed under the section “Available printers to save,” your printer can also be manually added.

Important: If you are using a Chromebook at school or work, and cannot add a new printer on your own, contact the administrator.

  • Choose the time on the bottom right.
  • Choose Settings.
  • Choose Advanced on the bottom.
  • Choose Printers under Printing.
  • Choose Add Printer under Add Printer.
  • Enter information on your printer
    • Name: Enter the name of your printer
    • Address: Enter the IP address of your printer
    • Protocol: The supported protocol for most printers is IPP.
    • Queue: It is ipp/print for most printers.
  • Choose Add.

If you cannot automatically set up your printer, you can continue following the steps on-screen for advanced printer configuration and PPD files.

How to fix problems with setting up your printer

You have your printer set up, but it will not print.

  • Choose the time on the bottom right.
  • Choose Settings.
  • Choose Advanced on the bottom.
  • Choose Printers under Printing.
  • Choose More and then Edit next to your printer’s name.
  • Ensure that all of the information on your printer is right, with no misspellings or typos.

If all of your printer information is accurate, try to remove and re-add your printer:

  • Choose More and then Remove next to your printer’s name
  • Set your printer up once again.

Your printer will not connect with Wi-Fi

  • Turn off your printer and then back on again.
  • Try connecting to Wi-Fi again.

Contact your printer manufacturer for assistance if your printer still will not connect with Wi-Fi.

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