Your Canon printer is on Wi-Fi, but your laptop still needs a printer connection of its own. Setup has two parts: connecting the printer and adding it to your laptop. Start with the wireless steps below, then follow the instructions for your operating system, or jump to USB for a cable connection.
Connect your Canon printer to Wi-Fi
Start with your exact model, because Canon’s wireless controls and setup screens differ between printers.
- 1.Open Canon’s setup portal, select your printer model, and follow the instructions for your laptop’s operating system.
- 2.Put the printer into wireless setup mode as directed. On a PIXMA TS7720, touch and hold the wireless-connect symbol until setup mode appears.
- 3.Download and run the setup software offered for your model and operating system. Opening the website alone does not install the printer.
- 4.Follow the installer’s router connection prompts. In the TS7720 Windows installer, choose your language and residence, select OK > Start Setup, complete the agreement prompts, then select Next and Connect to confirm the router.
- 5.Let installation finish and connect your laptop to the same network. The TS7720 installer offers Test Print, followed by Next. To add the printer yourself, use your laptop’s settings below.
Add the printer in Windows 11
With both devices on the same network, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. This also works for compatible Canon printers connected to the router by Ethernet.
Select Add device to search for printers. Choose Add Device beside your Canon printer. On an ARM-based Windows laptop, use this Windows setup route when Canon’s installer fails.
If Windows does not find the printer, select Add a new device manually to open the manual setup options. For a wireless printer that remains missing, check its network connection below.
Add your Canon printer on a Mac
Use these steps for a compatible Canon printer connected by USB or to the same network as your Mac. AirPrint-enabled models need no separate Canon driver.
Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners > Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax. Select your Canon printer, then click Add.
To print through AirPrint over the same Wi-Fi network, open your document’s File > Print menu. Choose your Canon model from Printer. If it is absent, choose Add Printer.
Find a missing wireless printer
A network mismatch prevents discovery through the same-network setup steps above. Check that your laptop and printer are connected to the same network. Joining the router and adding the printer to your laptop are separate parts of setup.
For a TS7700-series printer that still needs its router connection, open Setup > Printer settings > LAN settings > Wi-Fi. Enable Wi-Fi using Enable/disable Wi-Fi. Under Wi-Fi setup, select Manual connect.
Choose your router’s network name, then enter its case-sensitive Wi-Fi password. Select OK, then confirm with OK. Acknowledge the successful connection on the printer’s screen. Add the printer through your laptop’s printer settings using the instructions for your operating system.
If the connection still fails, open Canon’s Wi-Fi Connection Assistant on a supported Windows laptop and printer. Select Yes, then choose Diagnose and Repair. Follow the utility’s prompts to check router connectivity, printer discovery, signal quality, and the configured printer port. Some Canon models do not support this repair feature.
Use a USB cable instead
For a direct connection, use a Canon model that supports USB computer printing and your laptop’s operating system. Turn on the printer, then connect its computer USB port to your laptop with a suitable data cable. On Windows, allow automatic installation to run. On a Chromebook, follow the setup notification’s prompts.
If Windows needs you to add the printer, open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Add device. Select your Canon printer.
On a Mac, open System Settings > Printers & Scanners > Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax. Select the printer, then click Add.
If your model needs Canon software, open Canon’s Software & Drivers page. Search for the exact model. On its product page, select Software & Drivers, Operating System, and Version. Then download and run the package offered for that combination.
Set up printing on a Chromebook
These network steps apply after a compatible Canon printer has joined your Chromebook’s network; compatible USB printers use the cable setup above. Canon’s laptop Easy wireless connect setup is unavailable on ChromeOS and Windows 11 or 10 in S mode.
For wireless setup on those systems, use your printer’s supported Manual connect method, or enable Easy wireless connect on a supported printer for smartphone-assisted setup. If using the smartphone route, complete the router setup in Canon’s smartphone app. Connect your Chromebook to the same router network as the printer.
Open the time menu, then Settings > Device > Printers and scanners > Print. Under Other available printers, select Save beside your Canon printer.
Open the item you want to print, then press Ctrl+P. Choose your printer under Destination > See more.... Use this print selection for a connected USB printer, too.
If a saved printer has incorrect details, return to Settings > Device > Printers and scanners > Print. Choose More > Edit beside the printer to correct its details. To start its setup again instead, choose More > Remove. After removing it, repeat the network or USB setup for your connection.
Connect without a router using Wireless Direct
On a TS7700-series printer, display the direct connection details through Setup > Printer settings > LAN settings > Wireless Direct > Connect to smartphone > Others > Next, enabling Wireless Direct if necessary. Despite its name, Connect to smartphone also supplies computer connection details.
On your laptop, join the displayed DIRECT-… Wi-Fi network using the displayed password. This connects the devices without a router. Approve Yes on the printer when it requests confirmation.
Add the printer through the Windows, Mac, or Chromebook settings above. Other Wireless Direct-capable models have their own instructions. The SELPHY CP1500’s computer Wi-Fi setup uses a wireless router, so use its model-specific setup instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a setup CD to connect my Canon printer?
No. Use Canon’s online setup instructions and downloads for your exact model and operating system. An old installation disc does not establish compatibility with your current OS.
Can I connect my Canon printer to a laptop using Bluetooth?
The Windows category named Bluetooth & devices does not establish Bluetooth printing support. ChromeOS does not support Bluetooth printing, and Canon’s older Bluetooth-adapter instructions do not establish current Windows or macOS compatibility. Use a supported USB or network connection.
Do I need a Canon account to connect the printer?
No. Ordinary local USB and network setup does not require registering the printer in a personal Canon account.
Why can’t I add a printer to my work or school laptop?
Administrator policies control printer installation on managed devices. Windows protected print mode also removes third-party printer drivers and supports compatible Mopria-certified printers. Ask your administrator for the approved setup when those settings are enforced.