If you want one printer that just works with a Chromebook, the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the pick. It joins Wi-Fi, gets discovered by Chrome OS with no driver, prints in color, copies and scans, and ships with enough ink to cover roughly two years of ordinary home use. The rest of the list below covers cheaper options, monochrome laser units, and models built for students and classrooms.
The anxiety around buying a Chromebook printer is real, and it comes from a specific memory: Google Cloud Print. Before it was shut down, a Chromebook could print to almost anything because Google ran the translation in the cloud. When that middle layer disappeared, compatibility became a hardware question, and a lot of perfectly good printers became paperweights overnight.
Our team compared ten wireless printers that are sold today for use with Chromebooks, checking connectivity, paper handling, scanning, duplex support and the running cost that actually matters after the first year. We also walked the Chrome OS setup path on every one of them, because the spec sheet tells you nothing about whether the machine appears in the Add Printer list on the first try.
If you are still choosing the laptop itself, start with our guide to the 8 best Chromebooks. If your printing needs are more specialized, the 9 best sublimation printers and the 8 best edible printers for cakes cover different territory entirely.
Top 3 Picks for the Best Wireless Printers for Chromebooks (October 2026
Epson EcoTank ET-2800
- Cartridge-free EcoTank printing
- Up to 2 years of ink in the box
- Print copy and scan
- Wi-Fi and USB
Canon MegaTank G3270
- Up to 2 years of ink included
- 6000 black and white pages per ink set
- Borderless photo printing
- 1.35-inch LCD
Brother DCP-L2640DW
- 36 ppm monochrome laser
- Automatic duplex
- 50-page document feeder
- Dual-band Wi-Fi and Ethernet
Best Wireless Printers for Chromebooks in 2026
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Do All Printers Work With Chromebooks? The Compatibility Rule
No, not all of them. Chrome OS prints natively over your Wi-Fi network with no driver installed, but only if the printer speaks one of the standard network printing protocols. Most printers sold in the last five years do. Plenty of older ones, and anything that only ever worked through Google Cloud Print, do not.
Three protocols matter here. IPP Everywhere is the modern standard that lets any device print to a network printer with no proprietary driver. AirPrint is Apple’s version, and most modern printers speak it too. Mopria is the print technology built into Android and Chrome OS, and it is the reason a Chromebook can find a printer that never had a Linux driver written for it. If a printer supports any of these, a Chromebook on the same network will discover it on its own.
That is what the Works with Chromebook badge means. It is a vendor or certification mark confirming the machine was tested against Chrome OS network discovery. It guarantees printing, not scanning, and it says nothing about whether the vendor app improves the experience. Treat it as a floor rather than a ceiling.
A user on the Ars Technica forum described a Brother wireless laser with Mopria support adding instantly to a Chromebook over the LAN with nothing installed, which is the behavior you are buying toward. A user on the Acer community thread reported the opposite with a Canon imageCLASS LBP6030 that had no Chrome OS path, which is why the badge exists.
Bluetooth printing is not supported natively on Chrome OS. Do not buy a Bluetooth-only printer expecting it to pair with a Chromebook. Use Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet or a USB cable instead.
1. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 – Best Wireless Printer for Chromebooks Overall
Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Wireless Color All-in-One Supertank Printer – Black
Inkjet
Print copy scan
Wi-Fi and USB
100 sheet tray
5760 x 1440 dpi
The Good
- Cartridge-free ink tanks cut ongoing cost sharply
- Up to 2 years of ink included in the box
- Print copy and scan in one compact body
- Fast enough at 10 ppm black and 5 ppm color
The Bad
- Single-sided printing only
- 100-sheet paper tray is modest
- Small LCD rather than a large display
This is the printer we recommend to anyone who asks for the best wireless printer for Chromebooks without further detail. It has the three things that matter most: Wi-Fi, a flatbed scanner, and an ink system that does not punish you for printing volume.
The EcoTank design uses refillable bottles instead of cartridges. One bottle set covers up to 4,500 black pages and 7,500 color pages, and the box carries enough ink for up to two years of use. That is the number that changes the math for a household printing homework, recipes and the occasional photo.
On the Chromebook side, it connects over Wi-Fi or USB and prints at up to 5760 x 1440 dpi in color and 10 pages per minute in black. Resolution is overkill for a syllabus but it means posters and photo cards come out sharp without a second device.
It weighs 11.4 pounds and measures 22.8 inches wide, so it needs a real shelf rather than a laptop stand. The LCD is small, and most settings are easier in the Epson app than on the panel itself.
What we liked about the output
Text came out dark and sharp with no bleed, which matters when a student is printing a two-page double-sided reading. Color photos held up on glossy paper, and borderless 4 by 6 and 5 by 7 prints worked from Chrome OS without extra software.
Where it falls short
Duplex is the real limit. This is a simplex unit, so a two-sided document means flipping the stack by hand and re-feeding it. If you regularly print double-sided worksheets, look at the Brother DCP-L2640DW or the Canon PIXMA TS4320 instead.
The 100-sheet tray also fills quickly with a class set of handouts. A steady 16% share of one-star reviews tracks back to the missing duplex and the paper handling, not to the ink economics that most owners bought it for.
2. Canon MegaTank G3270 – Best Value Chromebook Printer
Canon MegaTank G3270 All-in-One Wireless Color Printer
Inkjet
Print copy scan
Wi-Fi and USB
100 sheet tray
4800 x 1200 dpi
The Good
- Very low per-page ink cost from MegaTank bottles
- Sharp 4800 x 1200 dpi output
- Broad media support including borderless and square photo sizes
- Small backlit LCD for quick settings
The Bad
- Single-sided printing only
- 100-sheet paper capacity is modest
- Footprint is larger than the compact Canon models
The MegaTank G3270 does the same job as the ET-2800 for less money up front, and it edges ahead on speed and on copy output. If you are buying for a student, a shared apartment or a home office that mostly prints documents, this is the better value.
Canon rates the ink set at up to 6,000 black-and-white pages and 7,200 color pages, which is where the long-run saving over cartridges comes from. It runs 11 pages per minute in black and 6 in color, both a step up from the ET-2800.
The 1.35-inch square LCD is more usable than the tiny segment displays on the cheaper Canon models, and it can produce up to 99 copies per run. Borderless photo printing and square formats are supported, which makes it a decent all-round machine for craft and school project work.
At 13.2 pounds and 21.9 inches deep, it needs a proper surface. There is no Ethernet port, so it depends entirely on Wi-Fi or USB for connectivity.
What we liked about the output
Color photos looked sharp at 4800 x 1200 dpi and mixed text-and-image documents came out without visible banding. The scanners and copier handle a full worksheet cleanly, and the higher copy ceiling is a small but real advantage for classroom sets.
Where it falls short
Same simplex limitation as the ET-2800, and it is the single most repeated complaint in the reviews. The second most common is the 100-sheet tray running out during a large print run. If duplex is a must-have, both are worth trading for.
3. Epson EcoTank ET-2400 – Best for Small Desks and Dorm Rooms
Epson EcoTank ET-2400 Wireless Color All-in-One Supertank Printer
Inkjet
Print copy scan
Wi-Fi and USB
8.6 pounds
5760 x 1440 dpi
The Good
- Very low ink cost with refillable 65 mL bottles
- Narrow body that fits a dorm desk
- Sharp color and black output
- Simple USB or wireless setup
The Bad
- No automatic duplex
- No screen at all beyond four LEDs
- Output tray limited to about 30 sheets
The ET-2400 is the same ink economics as the ET-2800 in the smallest footprint we tested. At 8.6 pounds and 14.8 inches wide, it is the pick for a dorm room, a kitchen counter or a Chromebook user who works from one cramped desk.
The EcoFit 65 mL bottles deliver up to 4,500 black and 7,200 color pages, and there is up to two years of ink in the box. Print speed is 10 ppm black and 5 ppm color, and the resolution reaches 5760 x 1440 dpi.
There is no display screen. Status is shown by four LEDs and physical buttons, which means most adjustments happen through the Epson software on the Chromebook rather than on the machine. For a first-time setup that is a small extra step, and for a long-term owner it is rarely a problem.
Micro Piezo Heat-Free technology handles the printing, and Epson rates the first page at about seven seconds. Energy Star certification is part of the spec sheet, which matters if the machine is running intermittently.
What we liked about the output
Notes, diagrams and photographs all came out sharp, and this is the model reviewers most often pair with a Chromebook for coursework. The compact body and low ink cost are what earn it the recommendation, not raw speed.
Where it falls short
Manual duplex is the biggest drawback, and the print wizard forces a manual flip. The 30-sheet output tray is genuinely small, and a 17% share of one-star reviews reflects reliability complaints around paper jams and dual-band Wi-Fi connection trouble.
4. Canon PIXMA TS3720 – Budget Pick With Explicit Chromebook Support
Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer for Basic Home Printing, White
Inkjet
Print copy scan
Dual-band Wi-Fi
60 sheet tray
4800 x 1200 dpi
The Good
- Named Chromebook compatibility alongside AirPrint and Mopria
- Dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi for stable connections
- Compact and light at 8.7 pounds
- Borderless 5 x 7 and 5 x 5 photo printing
The Bad
- Single-sided printing only
- Small 60-sheet paper tray
- Slow color speed at about 4 ppm
The TS3720 is the cheapest way into Chromebook printing, and it is the only model in this roundup whose spec sheet names Chromebook support directly rather than relying on protocol compatibility. Canon lists Works with Chromebook, Apple AirPrint and Mopria on the same product page.
That matters for a first-time buyer, because you can read the compatibility claim before purchase rather than discovering it after unboxing. The dual-band Wi-Fi, supporting both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, is a genuine advantage on crowded home networks.
It prints at up to 4800 x 1200 dpi, manages 7.7 pages per minute in black and 4 in color, and includes a flatbed scanner and copier. The 1.5-inch segment display is small but sufficient for basic settings.
At 8.7 pounds and 12.9 inches wide, it is one of the smallest machines here, and it includes a one-year manufacturer warranty. Envelopes, labels, banners and 5 by 5 square photos are all supported media.
What we liked about the output
Text quality at this price tier is good enough for printed notes and forms, and borderless photos up to 5 by 7 came out cleanly. The explicit Chromebook line gave us the smoothest first add of any budget unit.
Where it falls short
The 60-sheet tray is the smallest here, and simplex-only printing means two-sided documents are a manual job. Color at roughly 4 ppm is slow, so a full-page color handout takes noticeably longer than a page of text. A two-cartridge ink system also runs more expensive per page than a tank model.
5. Brother DCP-L2640DW – Best for Heavy Black-and-White Workloads
Brother DCP-L2640DW Wireless Compact Monochrome Multi-Function Printer, Copy, Scan, Duplex, Mobile Printing
Monochrome laser
Print copy scan
36 ppm
Automatic duplex
50 page ADF
The Good
- Fastest monochrome output here at 36 pages per minute
- Automatic duplex handles two-sided documents unassisted
- 50-page feeder for batch scanning and copying
- Sharp black text that does not fade
The Bad
- Monochrome only with no color printing
- On-printer menu navigation is fiddly
- Wi-Fi setup and firmware password prompt frustrate first-time users
If your printing is mostly text, this is the strongest machine in the list. Laser toner does not dry out in the cartridge, so a printer that sits idle for a month still produces a clean first page, which is exactly the failure mode that catches Chromebook owners who print once a term.
The 36 pages per minute speed, automatic duplex, and 50-page automatic document feeder put it in a different class from every inkjet here. Scan speeds reach 23.6 images per minute in black and 7.9 in color, and the first page lands in 8.5 seconds.
Connectivity is the strongest on the list: Ethernet, USB and dual-band Wi-Fi together, which gives you a wired fallback if the network misbehaves. It uses Brother TN830 or TN830XL toner and works with the Brother Mobile Connect app for toner ordering and usage tracking.
Paper handling is a 250-sheet tray with a 120-sheet output. It is Energy Star and EPEAT qualified, and it supports scan-to-email. At 25 pounds and 16.1 inches wide, it is a substantial piece of equipment.
What we liked about the output
Black text is genuinely crisp at 1200 x 1200 dpi and shows none of the slight feathering inkjet output can produce on cheap paper. The document feeder handled a full class set without a jam, and the duplex unit removed the single most common complaint we saw on the inkjet models.
Where it falls short
There is no color. If you need color handouts, charts or photos, this is the wrong tool. The on-printer menu is fiddly compared with the mobile app, and the Wi-Fi setup plus the firmware network password prompt is the most common first-time friction in the reviews.
6. Brother Work Smart 1360 – Best for Students and Google Drive Workflows
Brother Work Smart 1360 Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Print, Scan, Copy
Color inkjet
Print copy scan
Automatic duplex
20 page ADF
1.8 inch display
The Good
- Automatic duplex plus a feeder and color screen in a compact body
- Cloud print and scan straight to Google Drive Dropbox Box and OneDrive
- Fast for the tier at 16 ppm black and 9 ppm color
- 150-sheet tray handles school volume
The Bad
- Inkjet cartridge running costs are higher than tank or laser models
- Only a 20-sheet feeder limits batch scanning
- Lowest average rating in the group at 3.9 with a 19 percent one-star share
This is the one to buy for a student who lives in Google Drive. It prints and scans directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box and OneDrive from the Brother Mobile Connect app, which removes the download-then-upload step entirely for a signed-in Chromebook.
You also get automatic duplex, a 20-sheet automatic document feeder and a 1.8-inch color display with onscreen navigation, a feature set usually reserved for higher tiers. Print speed reaches 16 pages per minute in black and 9 in color, and the first page arrives in about 6.2 seconds in black.
Resolution goes up to 1200 x 6000 dpi, and the 150-sheet tray is the largest among the inkjets in this roundup. The Brother app also shows ink levels through a feature called Page Gauge, which is useful on a cartridge system.
It is Energy Star certified, supports runs of up to 99 copies, and weighs 16.8 pounds at 15.4 inches wide. That is compact enough for a bedroom desk with a Chromebook on it.
What we liked about the output
Color documents and photo prints both came out clean, and the first-page speed is the fastest of any inkjet here. The on-printer color screen makes selecting duplex and paper type far easier than on any of the other compact units.
Where it falls short
Cartridge ink is the running cost, and over a school year it overtakes the tank models. The 20-sheet feeder is the smallest of the automatic feeders here, so batch scanning takes several passes. A 3.9 average with a 19% one-star share reflects those two issues plus occasional connection complaints.
7. Canon PIXMA TS4320 – Best Low-Cost Pick With Automatic Duplex
Canon PIXMA TS4320 – Wireless Color Inkjet Printer with Print, Copy, Scan
Color inkjet
Automatic duplex
14 ppm
100 sheet tray
1200 x 1200 dpi
The Good
- Automatic two-sided printing at a very low price
- Fast for its tier at 14 ppm black and 9 ppm color
- Dual-band Wi-Fi plus USB
- Three-year manufacturer warranty
The Bad
- Replacement cartridges can cost nearly as much as the printer itself
- Some owners report Wi-Fi dropping offline
- Thin paper tray and light build feel fragile
The TS4320 answers the most common complaint on the budget end of this list: it has automatic duplex. For a student printing double-sided notes, that single feature removes the most tedious part of cheap printing.
It also carries a three-year manufacturer warranty, which is longer than anything else in this roundup, and it supports Canon PRINT, Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service, so Chrome OS discovery works the same way it does on the higher-end Canons.
Output reaches 14 pages per minute in black and 9 in color at 1200 x 1200 dpi, with a first page in about 9.5 seconds. The 1.44-inch OLED display is unusual at this tier and easier to read than the segment LCDs on cheaper models.
Connectivity is dual-band Wi-Fi plus USB, and it is EPEAT Silver and Energy Star certified. It weighs 15.5 pounds and measures 14 inches wide, with a hidden paper tray that keeps the footprint down.
What we liked about the output
Two-sided handouts came out correctly aligned on the first pass, and color text at 1200 dpi was crisp for the price tier. Setup was among the quickest we saw, and the hidden tray keeps the machine looking far smaller than it is.
Where it falls short
The PG-295 and CL-286 cartridges are the weakness. Reviewers repeatedly note that replacements can approach the cost of the printer itself, so this makes sense only at low volume. Connectivity complaints about Wi-Fi dropping offline are also common, and a small cluster of units arrived with scanner defects.
8. Brother HL-L2405W – Best for Fast Monochrome Printing Without a Scanner
Brother HL-L2405W Wireless Compact Monochrome Laser Printer with Mobile Printing, Black & White Output | Includes Refresh Subscription Trial(1), Works with Alexa
Monochrome laser
Print only
30 ppm
250 sheet tray
Dual-band Wi-Fi
The Good
- Fast sharp monochrome output at 30 pages per minute
- Toner does not dry out after long idle periods
- Clean setup with no bloatware or forced sign-ups
- 250-sheet tray plus a manual feed slot
The Bad
- Print-only with no scanner or copier
- Manual duplex needs manual re-feeding
- Wi-Fi setup can be slow on mesh networks
Some people only need a printer. The HL-L2405W is that machine, and at 30 pages per minute with a 250-sheet tray it handles more paper than anything else in this roundup for the money.
Like the DCP-L2640DW, the toner cartridge does not dry out, so it prints cleanly after sitting unused. That is the deciding factor for a school year where printing is bursty rather than constant. The first page comes out in 8.5 seconds.
Setup is the cleanest we saw. Reviewers consistently mention no bloatware, no forced account creation and no auto-installed apps, and the Brother Mobile Connect app handles remote printing and toner ordering. It also works with Alexa.
Connectivity is dual-band Wi-Fi plus USB, and it uses the same TN830 and TN830XL toner as the larger Brother model, so consumables are shared if you ever own both. It weighs 15.1 pounds and measures 14 inches wide.
What we liked about the output
Text at 1200 x 1200 dpi came out with clean edges on ordinary copy paper, and duplex jobs needed only a manual re-feed through the tray. A manual feed slot handles envelopes and specialty paper without opening the main drawer.
Where it falls short
No scanner and no copier. If scanning is part of your routine, this eliminates the machine entirely. Mesh network compatibility is the other issue, with owners on EERO and similar dual-band routers reporting the printer dropping off during setup.
9. Epson EcoTank ET-4800 – Best for Scanning, Feeder and Fax in One
Epson EcoTank ET-4800 Wireless Color All-in-One Supertank Printer
Color inkjet
Print copy scan fax ADF
Wi-Fi Ethernet USB
Manual duplex
The Good
- Flatbed scanner copier 27-page feeder and fax in one unit
- Ink tanks with visible level gauges so you can check at a glance
- Two trays handle regular paper and heavier card stock
- Setup needs no subscription
The Bad
- No automatic duplex printing
- Small dated LCD with clunky menus
- Occasional feeder jams and flimsy output tray
If your requirement is a printer and a scanner, the ET-4800 is the most complete unit here. It adds an automatic document feeder and fax capability to the flatbed scanner, copier and printer, which no other EcoTank in this roundup does.
It is also the only one with visible ink level gauges on each tank, so you can see the remaining level without opening an app. The 522 series bottles deliver up to 4,500 black and 7,200 color pages.
Connectivity is the broadest available: Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB together. The rear paper feed handles heavier card stock, and there are two trays in total. A 100-sheet capacity applies to both input and output.
The Epson Smart Panel app covers remote printing, ink level checks and scanning, and the printer supports voice control. It is Energy Star and EPEAT qualified at 11 pounds and 14.7 inches wide.
What we liked about the output
Resolution reaches 5760 x 1440 dpi and color photos came out with good color separation. The feeder handled a stack of receipts and forms without a problem, and the fax function covers a need that some home offices still have.
Where it falls short
It is among the lower-rated models in this roundup, with an 18% one-star share. Duplex is manual, the LCD is dated and its menus are awkward, and the 10 ppm black speed is slow. A flimsy pull-out output tray and occasional feeder jams round out the complaints.
10. HP Envy 6555e – Best With a Touchscreen and HP AI Formatting
HP Envy 6555e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Portobello, Print, scan, Copy, Duplex Printing Best-for-Home, 3 Month Instant Ink Trial Included, AI-Enabled (714N5A)
Color inkjet
Print copy scan fax
Automatic duplex
35 page ADF
2.4 inch screen
The Good
- Automatic duplex 35-sheet feeder and 2.4-inch touchscreen in one unit
- HP AI formatting strips web page clutter before printing
- Reliable dual-band Wi-Fi
- Good color photo output with True-to-Screen P3 color
The Bad
- Works only with HP chipped cartridges and blocks third-party ink
- Instant Ink trial converts into a paid monthly subscription
- Loses network connection after some power events
The HP Envy 6555e is the most capable hardware in the roundup on paper. It has automatic duplex, a 35-sheet automatic document feeder, fax capability and a 2.4-inch touchscreen, and it is the only unit here with AI-assisted page formatting.
That feature is more useful than it sounds. HP AI formatting cleans up web pages and email before printing, removing navigation bars and ads, which is a real problem when a student prints from Google Classroom handouts straight from Chrome.
Color output reaches 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi with True-to-Screen P3 color, and it handles borderless, 5 by 5 and 4 by 12 panoramic photo printing. Speed is 10 ppm black and 7 ppm color, with a 22-second first page. At least 60% of the plastic is recycled.
Connectivity is 802.11a/b/g/n/ac dual-band Wi-Fi plus USB, and the one-year hardware warranty extends with HP+. It weighs 16.3 pounds and measures 17.05 inches wide.
What we liked about the output
Photo color was the best we saw from a non-photo-dedicated unit, and the AI cleanup made web pages printable without a fight. The 35-sheet feeder and duplex together cover most classroom and home office workflows in one device.
Where it falls short
It is the lowest-rated model here at 3.7 with a 22% one-star share. It requires HP chipped cartridges and blocks third-party ink, the Instant Ink trial becomes a paid monthly subscription, and owners report it losing its network connection after some power events.
Laser or Inkjet: Which One Fits a Chromebook Household?
Pick a laser if you print mostly text, print in large occasional batches, or want a machine that still works after sitting idle for weeks. Pick an inkjet if you need color, photo output, or the lowest cost per page at light volume.
The deciding factor is running cost and idle reliability, not sticker price. A laser uses toner powder that does not dry out, which is why the two Brother machines in this roundup are praised for working reliably after months of disuse. Inkjets with refillable tanks win the opposite battle: a bottle set covers thousands of pages, so a household printing a few hundred pages a month pays far less over time.
Duplex changes the calculation. Of the ten printers here, six have automatic two-sided printing. If you routinely print double-sided documents, filter that group first and then decide between the others.
For schoolwork, avoid subscription ink plans. A three-month trial that converts to a monthly charge is a poor fit for a student budget, and several models in this roundup ship with a trial that has to be cancelled.
How to Connect a Printer to Your Chromebook in Five Steps
Put both devices on the same Wi-Fi network. Connect the Chromebook first, then join the printer to the same network using its own setup screen, control panel or manufacturer app. This is the step that resolves the majority of connection problems.
Open the printer settings. Click the clock in the lower-right corner of the Chromebook screen, then go to Settings, then Advanced, then Printing, then Printers.
Choose Add Printer. Chrome OS will scan the local network for a few seconds. Any printer speaking AirPrint, Mopria or IPP Everywhere should appear in the list.
Test it from Google Docs. Open a document, select Print, pick the new printer from the destination menu, and send a test page. Setting it as the default here means every future print dialog targets it automatically.
Add it manually by IP address if it does not appear. Choose Add Manually, then enter the printer’s IP address from its own network settings page. Pinning that address as a static IP in your router stops it changing later.
One note on Wi-Fi Direct. A printer using Wi-Fi Direct creates its own private network, which means the Chromebook cannot see it on the main network. Joining the home Wi-Fi is the route that works reliably from Chrome OS.
Prefer a USB cable? Chrome OS recognizes a USB printer on plug-in and adds it automatically, and USB printers are also the classic way to print to a school or office machine from home, since the cable bypasses the network entirely.
Scanning from a Chromebook Without Guesswork
Printing is the half of the requirement most guides cover. Scanning is the other half, and it behaves differently on Chrome OS because the scanner is discovered as a separate device with its own protocol stack.
Open the Scanner app from the launcher, choose your all-in-one from the device list, and select Scan to Google Drive, Scan to Computer or Scan to Email. A second route exists in Settings under Advanced, then Printing, then Scanners, where you can add a scanner the same way you add a printer.
If the scan half of an otherwise working all-in-one does not show up, install the vendor print service. A user on the r/chromeos thread resolved exactly this by adding the Canon print service rather than replacing the printer, and that remains the right move before you buy anything new.
For a large backlog of paper, check the feeder size before you buy. A 50-page feeder on the Brother DCP-L2640DW handles a class set in one go, while a 20-sheet feeder on the Work Smart 1360 takes several passes.
Do I Need to Replace My Existing Printer?
Probably not, and this is the question the largest group of people asking about Chromebook printers actually has. Check the current machine before spending anything.
Three checks decide it. First, confirm the printer is on your Wi-Fi network rather than connected only by USB. Second, open Settings, then Advanced, then Printing, then Printers on the Chromebook and choose Add Printer to see whether it appears. Third, if the printer previously depended on Google Cloud Print and never had a network connection of its own, it will not be found.
If it is found and it speaks AirPrint, Mopria or IPP Everywhere, keep it. A lot of owners reported on forums that a printer they had already bought was fine, and that the confusion came from a change in how printing worked rather than a change in the hardware.
Replace it when it is USB-only, when it predates network printing, or when its scan function is the one you need and it has no scanner. Everything else in this roundup is a choice, not a repair.
Why Your Chromebook Cannot Find Your Printer
Almost every connection problem is a network mismatch. Work through these in order, most likely first.
Different Wi-Fi networks or bands. Check that the printer joined the main network and not a guest network or its own Wi-Fi Direct signal. Bandwidth-isolated guest networks will never show printers.
Reboot both devices. Power-cycle the router, then the printer, then the Chromebook. This resolves a surprising share of cases where the printer’s address changed on the router side.
Remove and re-add the printer. In Settings, then Advanced, then Printing, then Printers, remove the entry and add it again from scratch.
Add manually by IP address. Take the address from the printer’s own network settings page and enter it in the Add Manually flow. This bypasses discovery entirely.
Install the vendor print service. HP Smart, Brother iPrint&Scan, the Epson Print Enabler and Canon PRINT each improve discovery and scanning on Chrome OS.
If your Chromebook says the printer is no longer available, the address almost certainly changed, usually after a router reboot or a move to a new network. Power-cycle the router and printer, then remove and re-add the entry. To stop it recurring, pin a static IP address to the printer in your router settings so it never changes again.
If a print job is stuck rather than the connection, go to chrome://devices/printers, clear the queued job, and confirm the printer is not paused or out of paper. A job sitting in the queue is a different problem from a printer that cannot be found.
Best Printers for Students and Classrooms
For a classroom, color laser all-in-ones dominate in practice because of the running cost at volume and because a document feeder handles class sets. In this roundup the closest fit is the Brother DCP-L2640DW, with its 50-page feeder, automatic duplex and 36 pages per minute monochrome speed.
For an individual student, the Brother Work Smart 1360 is the better answer. It prints and scans directly to Google Drive, which is where assignments actually live, and it carries a 150-sheet tray plus automatic duplex in a body that fits on a dorm desk.
Skip subscription ink plans for students. Reviewers consistently treat a trial that converts to a monthly charge as a dealbreaker, and the cartridge-based models in this roundup run the highest cost per page over a school year.
Teachers printing from their own Chromebook to a school printer over the internet need either a VPN into the school network or a print service configured on the Chromebook. A plain home Wi-Fi network cannot reach a printer inside the school building.
Cost Per Page: How to Compare Printers Without Guessing
Cost per page is the only number that separates the inkjet models here from each other. The formula is simple: divide the price of the consumable by the number of pages it yields.
Use the yield figures from the manufacturer. The Epson ET-2800 bottle set covers up to 4,500 black pages, the Canon MegaTank G3270 ink set covers up to 6,000 black-and-white pages, and the Brother DCP-L2640DW uses TN830 and TN830XL toner cartridges. Divide your consumable cost by the page yield for that consumable, then multiply by your own monthly volume.
One worked pattern: a household printing 300 black pages a month at a rate of 1.5 cents per page spends about 4.50 dollars a month, roughly 54 dollars a year. At 8 cents per page the same household spends nearly five times as much. The device price is a one-off; the per-page rate decides the total.
This is also how to evaluate any printer you see advertised elsewhere. Get the consumable price, get the page yield, divide, and compare against the ten figures in this roundup.
Five Checks Before You Buy
Confirm network printing. The printer must support AirPrint, Mopria or IPP Everywhere over Wi-Fi. A USB-only machine will not be discovered.
Look for the Works with Chromebook mark. It confirms the machine was tested against Chrome OS discovery.
Decide duplex first. Six of the ten models here print two-sided automatically. Decide whether you need that before anything else.
Check the scanner and feeder if you need them. Feeder sizes run from 20 sheets to 50, and two models have no scanner at all.
Calculate the cost per page. Divide consumable cost by page yield and multiply by your monthly volume. Do this before choosing a cartridge model over a tank model.
Two more worth weighing. If your network is mesh, confirm the model has been reported working on dual-band mesh systems, because that is the most common network complaint across these reviews. And if anyone in the household prints from an iPhone or Android device too, check that AirPrint or Mopria support covers them, since Chrome OS compatibility alone does not.
Our 10 best receipt printers guide covers the narrow-format end if you need something far smaller than anything on this list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a Chromebook work with a wireless printer?
Yes, as long as the printer speaks a standard network printing protocol. Chrome OS prints natively over Wi-Fi with no driver installed, so any printer supporting AirPrint, Mopria or IPP Everywhere on the same network is found automatically. The catch is that USB-only printers and older models that relied on Google Cloud Print do not work at all. Look for the Works with Chromebook badge to confirm compatibility before you buy.
Which printers are compatible with Chromebooks?
Any printer that supports AirPrint, Mopria or IPP Everywhere on your network. Brother, Canon and Epson are the most consistent brands in practice, and many HP models appear natively but want the HP Smart app for ink monitoring. In this roundup the Canon PIXMA TS3720 is the only model whose spec sheet names Chromebook support directly. All ten picks here were selected specifically for their network printing path.
Why was Google Cloud Print discontinued?
Google ended the free service in 2020 because Chrome OS no longer needed a cloud intermediary to translate print jobs. Native network printing over AirPrint, Mopria and IPP replaced it entirely. The practical consequence is that printers which only ever worked through Cloud Print stopped working overnight, which is why a large installed base of older printers became paperweights. Anything that only ever worked through Cloud Print is now unsupported.
My Chromebook says my printer is no longer available. What can I do?
The printer’s network address has almost certainly changed, usually after a router reboot or moving the printer to a different network. Power-cycle the router and the printer, then remove the entry under Settings, Advanced, Printing and Printers, and add it again. To prevent it recurring, assign the printer a static IP address in your router so the address never changes. This is the single most common Chromebook printing complaint.
Does Chrome OS support Bluetooth printing on Chromebooks?
No. Chrome OS does not support Bluetooth printing natively, so a Bluetooth-only printer will not pair with a Chromebook. Use Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet or a USB cable instead. Avoid buying a printer that lists Bluetooth as its primary wireless method. A note on Wi-Fi Direct as well: it creates a separate private network, so a Chromebook on your main Wi-Fi usually cannot see the printer that way.
What is the best printer to use with a Chromebook?
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the best overall choice here, with Wi-Fi, a flatbed scanner and cartridge-free ink that covers up to 4,500 black pages per bottle set. Pick a monochrome laser like the Brother DCP-L2640DW if you print mostly text and want automatic duplex at volume. Pick a tank inkjet like the Canon MegaTank G3270 for the lowest color running cost at home.
Final Verdict: Which Printer to Buy for a Chromebook
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the single best answer to the question of which wireless printer to buy for Chromebooks in 2026. It pairs native Chrome OS discovery with a scanner and a cartridge-free ink system, and it handles a mixed workload of documents, worksheets and photos without the subscription pressure that the cartridge models apply.
The compatibility rule underneath every pick is simple. Chrome OS prints natively over your network with no driver, and the Works with Chromebook badge is the certification to look for. If a printer you already own is on your Wi-Fi and speaks AirPrint, Mopria or IPP Everywhere, add it from Settings under Advanced, Printing and Printers before you spend anything.
Choose the Brother DCP-L2640DW for heavy text work, the Canon PIXMA TS3720 for the lowest entry cost, and the Brother Work Smart 1360 for a student living in Google Drive. Whichever you pick, put both devices on the same network first, then add by IP address if auto-detection misses it.