How to set up an HP printer to use with your Chromebook [Video]

Chromebooks and print have a historically painful relationship. More specifically, users who find a printer that works with Chrome OS and configures the printer have long been one of the biggest obstacles for Chromebook owners. It takes years to find a printer that supports Google Cloud Print or to set up a second computer as a server for your Chromebook. Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you know what we know) Google Cloud Print will soon be gone. On December 31, 2020, Google’s wireless printing protocol ended, sending many Chromebook users in a tortuous direction as they scrambled to find a viable printing alternative.

Fortunately, printing on Chrome OS has come a long way in recent years. In some cases, it’s actually easier to set up a wireless printer and use it on a Chromebook than on other operating systems. This is due in part to the fact that Chromebooks do not need to download drivers or install applications to access network printers. Today we are going to look at how easy it is to set up an HP all-in-one printer on your wireless network with just your smartphone. Once done, your Chromebook will automatically see the printer and allow you to print without any additional applications, extensions, or plug-ins. Watch this video to see how this is done.

Set up an HP All-in-One printer for your Chromebook

From start to finish, this entire process takes less than five minutes, and once completed, your HP printer should appear under available devices in your Chromebook’s settings. This is all done from the HP Smart app on your phone. You can get it for free at 123.hp.com. There is also a Windows and macOS version of the HP Smart app if you prefer to use a different computer to set up the printer. Keep in mind that there is currently no comprehensive printing solution for Chrome OS. I tested and used half a dozen HP consumer models that all work perfectly with Chrome OS once set up on the wireless network. That said, you may encounter an HP printer that does not play well with the HP Smart app. If this happens to be your case, try the HP Print for Chrome extension and chances are good that it gives your Chromebook access to your wireless printer.

In the video, I used the HP Envy Pro 6455 All-in-One, but this method works for the budget-friendly 2000 series as well as the 3000 series printers from HP. Go to this HP support page to find your specific printer and what protocols it supports. I think most HP consumer printers of late models will work with HP Smart or the HP Chrome extension.

If you have a new HP printer or have recently reset your printer, install the HP Smart app on your mobile device and make sure your phone is connected to the wifi you want to connect the printer to. Open the HP Smart app and click ‘Set up a new printer’. From there, the app will search for any printers already configured on the network. Click the “+ Add Printer” button and search for your new or reset printer. The model number may not be exactly the same as your actual printer, but it should be similar as there are numerous models in the HP device. For us HP showed the program HP 6400. Click on the model that belongs to you, and you should be asked to confirm the wireless network and password if you have one.

This setup takes no more than a minute or two, and once completed, you may be asked to link an HP account for things like HP Instant Ink or other services. You can do this at your own discretion, or you can simply skip this step and your printer is ready to go. If you now go to the printer settings on your Chromebook, the new printer should be ready to use. You can click the save button next to the printer and it will appear as an option each time you choose to print from your device. Note: If your printer does not appear in the HP Smart app, you may need to put it in setup mode. Consult the HP Web site for more information and find the manual for your specific printer. For my $ 2665 HP 2652 I just had to press the wireless button on the control panel and the app found it.

I hope this quick tutorial can help you get started with a new printer and allay any fears you may have now that Google Cloud Print is gone. We’ve found that many Epson, Canon, and Brother printers work just as well with Chrome OS. All you have to do is make sure it’s set up on your Chromebook’s wireless network and can easily see and print it. If you’m having trouble setting up your specific printer, leave a comment below and we’ll see if we can help you work out the twists and turns. Cheers.

HP Smart App for Android and iOS