Connect a Printer to Wi-Fi with WPS: Push Button and PIN

To connect a printer to Wi-Fi with WPS, press the WPS button on your router, then within two minutes start WPS on the printer, either from its control panel or by holding its Wi-Fi button. The router and printer exchange the network details themselves, so you never type the Wi-Fi password. It is the fastest setup method for printers without a touchscreen, provided your router supports it.

WPS stands for Wi-Fi Protected Setup, a standard from the Wi-Fi Alliance. It is one of four ways to get a printer online; the others are covered in our wireless printer setup guide.

Check WPS will work before you start

WPS fails silently in a few situations, so check these first:

Requirement	Why it matters
Router has WPS turned on	Many routers ship with WPS off, or the internet provider disables it. Check the router app or label.
Security is WPA2 or WPA2/WPA3 mixed	WPS is not supported on WPA3-only networks.
2.4 GHz band available	Most home printers only use 2.4 GHz.
Printer supports WPS	Look for WPS in the printer’s wireless menu or manual.

Push-button method, step by step

1. Switch the printer on and place it near the router.
2. Press the WPS button on the router. On most routers a short press is enough; some need you to hold it for 2 to 5 seconds. Do not hold it too long: on some models a 10-second press resets the router. The WPS light starts blinking.
3. Start WPS on the printer within two minutes:
   • Printers with a screen: go to Settings or the Wi-Fi icon, then Wireless or Network setup, then Wi-Fi Protected Setup and Push Button. Confirm with OK or Start.
   • Printers without a screen: press and hold the Wi-Fi (wireless) button until its light starts blinking, usually a few seconds. The exact timing depends on the model, so check the manual.
4. Wait. The connection usually takes under a minute. The printer’s Wi-Fi light turns solid, or the screen says it is connected.
5. Print a network configuration report to confirm the printer is on your main network with a real IP address (not 169.254.x.x).

Do not run WPS for another device at the same time; the router pairs with whichever device asks first.

PIN method

If the router has no physical button, or you prefer not to use it:

1. On the printer, choose Wi-Fi Protected Setup, then PIN. The printer shows or prints an eight-digit PIN.
2. Open your router’s app or admin page and find the WPS section.
3. Enter the printer’s PIN and start the pairing within the time limit shown.

The PIN method has a known security weakness: the eight digits can be guessed by brute force on routers without lockout protection. Use it only for setup and turn WPS off afterwards if your router allows.

After WPS: add the printer to your devices

WPS only connects the printer to Wi-Fi. Each device still needs to add the printer:

• Add a printer in Windows 11
• Add a printer on Mac
• Print from iPhone with AirPrint
• Print from Android

When WPS does not work

• Nothing happens on the printer. You probably started too late. Press the router button again and start the printer straight away.
• The printer connects to the wrong network. If you have more than one router or a mesh system, the satellite node may also offer WPS. Use the main router’s button.
• The router has no WPS option at all. Use the printer’s own screen, the maker’s app, or Wi-Fi Direct instead.
• WPA3 network. Switch the router to WPA2/WPA3 mixed (transition) mode, or use another setup method.

WPS on dual-band routers: which band does the printer join?

Most home routers broadcast on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, often under a single network name. When you press WPS, the router offers the connection on the bands it has enabled, and the printer joins the one it supports. For the many printers that only have 2.4 GHz radios, that means the 2.4 GHz band, which is what you want: it reaches further through walls, and printing needs very little speed.

Problems appear when the 2.4 GHz band is switched off, or when “band steering” in a mesh system keeps nudging devices towards 5 GHz. Signs of this are a printer that pairs and then drops off, or one that never completes WPS even though the router’s light blinks. Check in the router app that 2.4 GHz is turned on. Some routers let you split the bands into two names for a while, so the printer can join the 2.4 GHz name; you can merge them again afterwards and the printer usually stays connected. Our guide to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi printer setup explains how to check and use the 2.4 GHz band.

Also keep the printer within the same room as the router, or one wall away, for the WPS handshake. You can move it to its final spot once it is connected and check the signal from its network report.

WPS on mesh systems and provider routers

Mesh Wi-Fi kits and routers supplied by internet providers often hide WPS in their app rather than offering a physical button, and some leave it out entirely. Look in the app’s advanced or security settings for an option such as “WPS” or “Wi-Fi Protected Setup” that you can start from the phone. If the option is missing, use another setup method rather than changing the router’s firmware.

Should you turn WPS off afterwards?

Once the printer is connected it no longer needs WPS. Turning WPS off in the router closes the PIN weakness and does not disconnect the printer, which keeps its saved Wi-Fi details. If you ever change your Wi-Fi password or replace the router, the printer will need setting up again, by WPS or another method; our guide to connecting a printer to a new Wi-Fi network covers that move.