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How to Print Photos from Your Phone

Portable photo printer

Learn about printing pictures using your mobile device

  1. Explore available printer apps
  2. Get a specialized or portable printer
  3. Find a local photo kiosk
  4. Transfer photos to your computer
  5. Use a printer you already have

Phones work great for taking photos quickly and easily whenever the moment strikes. However, printing or displaying them after snapping your shot can feel like a chore. Fortunately, there are several options for casual and professional photographers who want to view and show off their work in printed form. Depending on your phone, home printer, specific needs and budget, there are several options for printing physical copies of pictures. With this guide, you can learn how to print photos from your phone whether you're at home, on the go or in a store with printing services.

Take advantage of apps

If you want to save some money on printing, there are low-fee options. First, look for free cell phone or computer apps that help you print photos. Once you've found and downloaded an app, simply upload your photos. You can then set the size, quality and quantity of prints you want and order them for a low fee. Instead of the past when you had to print an entire roll of film, digital cameras and smartphones make it possible to only get the photos you want, so you won't spend more than you're comfortable with. If you're in a rush to receive your images, many apps have expedited shipping options.

Get a specialized printer

If you’re wondering how to print a picture from a phone while running errands or traveling, you’ll be happy to know that there are mobile printers for those situations. If you want to take photos and get them printed right away, check out printers that connect directly to your phone. Once connected, they can print small or normal-sized photos instantly. Look for instant photo printers specifically for photographs if you want that high-quality sharp definition appearance. Most mobile printer models are wireless, so they don't need to plug into an outlet or connect cables to print.

Get an added product quality boost by using specialized photo paper. These extras offer more professional colors and can have an effect on stunning visual results. Of course, printers themselves can get expensive. Before you buy the bells and whistles, consider how large a print you need, what quality you expect, and how much you'll use a mobile printer.

Head to a photo kiosk

Perhaps you don't have a printer at home, and you don't want to buy one just for phone photography purposes. Thankfully, several stores offer a place where you can print pictures from your phone. Many drug and department stores have kiosks or stations where you can connect your phone and print pictures on site. These kiosks charge a fee but allow you to print out photos quickly in a variety of sizes and styles. Plus, there are options for photo editing, like custom trimming, for an added cost. Some stores have free apps for you to download, so you can send photos ahead of time and set a time to pick up later. This is a convenient option if you don't have time to wait around in the store or have other errands to run.

Transfer photos to your computer

Rather than printing directly from your phone, you can transfer your photos to a computer and go from there. Use the cloud or other file-saving programs to store your photos and access them from anywhere. That includes computers in libraries, at a friend's house or from the comfort of your own home. You can also upload photos to social media, designated photo-sharing platforms and other data storage accounts. If you want to keep things old-fashioned, there’s always the method of emailing photos to yourself and then storing them on your desktop or placing them on a physically separate external hard drive. When all your pictures are safely downloaded or transferred, you can print them out as you would any other document.

Use what you already have

If you already have a printer at home, you might not need a new device to get your photos printed. Before spending more money, read the owner’s manual to see if there are photo printing settings on your existing unit. Most modern printers can connect wirelessly with devices, such as laptops, tablets and smartphones, so you can print from your phone directly. For certain printers, you may need to download a specific app to let the two devices communicate, but that app is usually free.

Making sure that you can take photos with your phone and get physical copies afterward helps make digital photography more rewarding. Start by simply picking the right tools to print, assessing your personal needs and budget, then looking for the right option for you. Once you learn how to print from your phone to a wireless printer, kiosk or home printer, you're all set to create impressive photographs.