Your HP printer won't join Wi-Fi, or the setup app keeps searching without finding it. Start with the network checks below, then reset the printer's wireless setup and reconnect. If the printer is already connected but won't print, jump to the connection repair steps near the end.
Check the network before changing printer settings
Connect your phone or computer to your home Wi-Fi and confirm that it has internet access. Choose your home network name, not DIRECT-xx-HP, the printer's separate Wi-Fi Direct connection.
Move the printer within 8 meters of the router, with fewer obstructions between them. Keep it there during setup.
Check the supported Wi-Fi bands for your exact printer model. Enable 2.4 GHz in your router settings for printers that require it, including the DeskJet 2800, 4200, and 4900 families. Other supported HP models also work on 5 GHz.
Disconnect USB before starting Wi-Fi setup. For an existing USB installation, turn off the printer and computer before removing the cable, then restart both.
Restart the printer, router, and setup device
Turn off the printer and the computer or phone you are using for setup.
Restart your router.
Reconnect the printer's power directly to a wall outlet.
Turn the printer and your setup device back on.
Reconnect the phone or computer to your home Wi-Fi.
If the printer still cannot connect, restore Wi-Fi setup mode and enter the network details again.
Replace saved details after a network change
Saved details for your old network name or password prevent the printer from reconnecting after a router change.
On a touchscreen printer with these menus, open Wireless or Setup, then Network setup or Settings, and select Restore Network Settings.
For a printer without a touchscreen, first wake the printer. Use the reset controls for its exact family; HP does not have one button combination for every model.
On DeskJet 2700/2700e, 2800/2800e, 4100/4100e, and 4200/4200e models, hold Wireless and Cancel together for five seconds, until the Power button blinks. HP's model-specific guide for the DeskJet 2700/2700e and 4100/4100e gives three seconds for the same combination, so on those four models release the buttons once the Power light blinks and wait for the Wireless light to blink continuously.
On DeskJet Plus 6000/6400 and ENVY 6000/6000e/6400e/Pro 6400 models, hold the rear Wireless button for five seconds. For other families, use HP's model-specific reset instructions.
To reconnect through a touchscreen, open Setup, Network, or Wireless settings, then select Wireless Setup Wizard.
Select your home network.
Enter its Wi-Fi password, not the printer administrator PIN. Restored Wi-Fi setup mode stays active for two hours, so return to the HP app or setup software within that window. The touchscreen Wireless Setup Wizard runs from the printer's own menus, so you can start it at any time.
Reconnect through the HP app
Finish this setup within two hours of restoring Wi-Fi setup mode.
- 1.Open HP's official setup website and follow the printer identification and installation prompts to get the HP app for your compatible device.
- 2.Connect your setup device to home Wi-Fi, enable Bluetooth, and allow the requested mobile location access.
- 3.Open HP and select + > Add a device > Set Up a New Printer. For an existing network printer, select Choose an available printer.
- 4.Select your printer and complete the setup prompts using your home network details.
Give the app access to nearby devices
On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and enable HP. Tapping Allow when the app requests access grants the same permission.
On a Mac with these controls, enable HP under Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network. For repeated permission prompts, move HP from Applications to Trash, choose Empty Trash, then reinstall through HP's setup website and select + to add the printer. If the loop persists, complete setup on another supported phone, tablet, or Windows computer, then return to the Mac.
Temporarily disconnect your VPN before retrying discovery. Re-enable it after setup finishes.
For an Android app stuck loading, open Settings > Apps > HP > Force stop. Under Storage & cache, select Clear cache, then Clear storage. Reopen HP.
Try your router's WPS button
Use WPS when both your printer and router support it.
- 1.Start pairing using the method for your printer. On a touchscreen, open Setup, Network, or Wireless Settings, then select Wi-Fi Protected Setup > Push Button > Start. For touchscreenless printers using HP's general method, hold Wi-Fi for five seconds; DeskJet 6000/6400, ENVY 6000/6400, and Tango models instead use the rear Wi-Fi and Power buttons together for three seconds.
- 2.Within two minutes, hold the router's WPS button for three to five seconds, or until pairing starts.
- 3.Wait for the printer's wireless light to stay steadily illuminated. If pairing fails, restore Wi-Fi setup mode and retry.
Let the wireless report identify the blocker
A network-name or authentication mismatch prevents the printer from joining even when the Wi-Fi signal is strong.
Print a Wireless Network Test Report using the controls for your model. On menu-based inkjets, open the reports menu under Wireless, Network Settings, or Setup and select Wireless Network Test Report.
On button-based inkjets using these controls, press Wireless with Information, or Wireless with Start Copy Black. Match the combination to your model using HP's report instructions.
Read the Wireless On/Working, Security, SSID, and No Filtering results.
Follow the failed-test instructions to enable wireless or repeat setup with the correct network name, authentication, and password.
If MAC filtering fails, add the printer's reported MAC address to your router's allowed-device list.
If duplicate network names cause the failure, rename the conflicting network in the router's settings.
For a printer that joins Wi-Fi but cannot communicate with your devices, check the router's client or AP isolation setting. In the interface matching HP's example, open Wireless > Professional, select the Band, and set Set AP Isolated to No, then select Apply. Other router interfaces use different controls.
On an apartment, school, or workplace network, ask the network administrator to allow the printer's IP address and two-way local communication.
Repair printing after the Wi-Fi connection works
Once the network report confirms a connection, move to the app's repair tools. These steps address a connected printer that your device cannot use.
On Windows or Mac, select your printer in HP and open Diagnose & Fix.
Select Start and leave the app open while the diagnostic runs.
Follow the repair instructions in the results.
For a stale app entry, select the printer and choose Remove from app.
Select Add Printer to add it again.
The HP app replaces HP Smart on eligible devices. HP retired Print and Scan Doctor on May 27, 2025; use Diagnose & Fix for repairs.
If the printer still fails to join Wi-Fi, check for a firmware update before escalating. Open HP's printer downloads page.
Enter the printer's serial number, product number, or product name and select Submit.
Select Firmware > Download for the exact printer and operating system, if an updater is offered.
Open the downloaded updater. In a compatible Windows updater, connect the printer temporarily by USB if it is undiscovered.
Wait 20 seconds, then select Refresh.
Select the printer and choose Update. Keep the printer powered on throughout the update.
Disconnect USB after the update finishes, before repeating Wi-Fi setup.
If these repairs fail, open your printer's HP support page and select Virtual assistant, Contact us, or Product repair; provide the exact model and wireless report results. For immediate printing, connect a supported USB cable and complete installation, or join the printer's DIRECT-xx-HP network using its Wi-Fi Direct password and select the printer when printing. Both routes bypass the router without repairing the home Wi-Fi connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which password should I enter during HP printer setup?
Enter your home Wi-Fi password to join the router; the printer-label PIN unlocks printer settings when requested. A Windows WPS PIN prompt for Wi-Fi Direct requires the freshly displayed or printed printer PIN, typically within 90 seconds. For router WPS push-button setup, cancel that PIN prompt and use the printer and router buttons.
Can I connect an HP printer to Wi-Fi through a browser?
Yes, on compatible touchscreenless models that expose an HP=Setup network. Join that network, open 192.168.223.1, and enter the printer-label PIN if requested. Select Network > Wireless > Wireless Setup Wizard > Next, choose your home network, and enter its password. Reconnect your setup device to home Wi-Fi afterward.
Does Wi-Fi Direct give my printer internet access?
No. Wi-Fi Direct connects your device directly to the printer without providing internet access. Find its network name and password on the printer's Wi-Fi Direct screen or Information report. On Android, select Always connect if prompted to stay on this network without internet.
Should I factory reset the printer first?
Start with a network-settings reset and repeat wireless setup. A factory reset clears broader settings and requires reconfiguration. It does not cancel Instant Ink or remove account ownership. Administrative-password behavior depends on the model; HP says a LaserJet Pro factory reset does not reset its Embedded Web Server password.
