Brother's mobile printing runs through the Brother iPrint&Scan app for iOS and Android, the same app that updates firmware and scans on network models. Install the app, make sure the phone is on the same wifi network as the machine, open the app, choose your machine and print photos, documents or web pages, or scan and send. AirPrint on Apple devices and Mopria or the Android print service also work with many current models without the app, so try the phone's Print option from the share menu.
The checks in more detail
If the app cannot find the machine, check the machine is connected to the same network by printing its network configuration page and comparing the network name, turn off any VPN on the phone, and on iOS and iPadOS allow local network access for the app. Brother's macOS 15 guidance says iPrint&Scan needs permission to access the local network, under System Settings, Privacy & Security, Local Network.
If the machine was working and stopped after a router change, set up its wifi again, and restart the Wi-Fi module with Recover WLAN if it dropped off. For printing away from home Brother offers web connect and cloud services on some models, which need the machine online and a Brother account. Wi-Fi Direct lets a phone print without a router on models that offer it. Keep the app and firmware updated.
Give the machine a clear name in the app so family members pick the right one, and add it on each phone once. If printing works at home but not elsewhere, remember the app only reaches machines on the same network. Try a small photo first, since a large file can time out on a weak signal and look like an app fault. If you print from several phones, set the same machine name everywhere, since two phones seeing differently named printers is a frequent source of confusion.
Differential
Likely causes of “Brother printers will not AirPrint, Mopria or print from a phone”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A different network
What separates it The app cannot find the machine because the phone is on a different network
How to confirm Join the machine's network on the phone, and try again
- 2
A VPN on the phone
What separates it The machine is not listed because a VPN on the phone hides it
How to confirm Turn the VPN off on the phone, and search again
- 3
Local network access denied
What separates it Nothing is found because local network access is denied
How to confirm Allow local network access for the app, in the phone's settings
- 4
A changed router
What separates it Printing stopped because the router was changed and the machine lost the link
How to confirm Set up wifi again on the machine, so it joins the new router
- 5
An old app
What separates it Some options are missing because the app is old
How to confirm Update the app to the newest version, and look for the options again
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The model of the phone and its operating system
- The version of the Brother app that you use
- The names of the networks that the phone and the machine use
- The exact message that the phone or the app shows
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedInstall iPrint&Scan
ReversibleInstall Brother iPrint&Scan from the app store, on your phone, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Match networks
ReversibleMatch the networks, so that the phone and the machine are on the same one.
Turn off VPN
ReversibleTurn off any VPN, and allow local network access for the app, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Choose the machine
ReversibleChoose the machine in the app, from the list that it shows, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Print from the app
ReversiblePrint from the app, or use the Print option in the share menu, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Try Wi-Fi Direct
ReversibleTry Wi-Fi Direct, if you have no router, on the models that support it, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Update the app to the newest version, and look for the options again
ReversibleUpdate the app if options are missing, since new versions add features, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Web connect
- Cloud and web connect features vary by model.
- Labels
- The QL-820NWB prints labels from the Brother P-touch app.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models L5915DW, L8905CDW, L3295CDW, L2460DW, L2640DW, J4535DW, J5855DW, QL-820NWB label printer.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the app still cannot find the machine after matching networks, print the network page and check the IP
- !If setup fails, use a computer for setup
- !If the machine is offline, follow the offline steps
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Network, iPrint&Scan, firewall and Bonjour.
Ten checks for wireless printing.
Firmware Update Tool and iPrint&Scan.
Power, connection, Recover WLAN and Windows checks.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Which app does Brother use?+
Brother uses the Brother iPrint&Scan app, for printing and scanning from a phone.
Can I use AirPrint?+
Many models support AirPrint, so check the specifications of yours.
Does the phone need the same network?+
Yes, the phone needs to be on the same network as the machine.
Does a VPN matter?+
Turn the VPN off, since it can hide the machine from the phone.
What about macOS 15?+
On macOS 15, allow local network access, or the app cannot find the machine.
Can I scan from the app?+
Yes, you can scan from the app, and save the scans on your phone.
Can I update firmware from the app?+
You can update the firmware from the app, on network models.
Can I print without a router?+
With Wi-Fi Direct on supported models.
What if the router changed?+
If the router changed, set up wifi again on the machine.