You tap the Print button on your iPhone and the HP OfficeJet Pro 9120e doesn't show up in the list. Or it’s there, you select it, and nothing happens. AirPrint relies on a network discovery protocol called Bonjour (mDNS), and when it goes missing on the 9120e, it’s almost always a network configuration issue or a setting on the printer itself.
The fastest thing to try: make sure your iPhone or Mac is on the same WiFi band as the printer. The OfficeJet Pro 9120e supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, but if your phone is on 5 GHz and the printer is on 2.4 GHz with separate SSIDs, AirPlay can’t see it. Switch your phone to the matching band, or enable band steering on your router, and the printer usually pops up right away.
If that doesn’t do it, here’s the full list of fixes.
Check That Bonjour Is Enabled on the Printer
HP builds Bonjour (mDNS) into the printer’s network stack, but it can get disabled after a firmware update or reset. On the 9120e touchscreen, swipe down from the top to open the dashboard, tap the gear icon for Setup, then go to Tools > Restore (not Restore Factory Defaults yet). You don’t actually need to restore anything just confirm that the Bonjour setting is enabled. If you can’t find it in Tools, look under Setup > Network Setup > Advanced Settings and look for Bonjour or mDNS.
If Bonjour was off, turn it on. The printer restarts its network service and should start broadcasting availability again.
Make Sure You’re on the Same WiFi Network
This sounds basic, but it trips up a lot of people. On the printer, go to Setup > Network Setup > Wi-Fi and note the network name it’s connected to. On your iPhone, open Settings > Wi-Fi and check that you’re on the exact same name. If you have a dual‑band router with separate SSIDs for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, you might be on one band and the printer on the other. Switch your phone to the printer’s band and try again.
If you’re using a mesh system (Eero, Orbi, Deco), mesh nodes sometimes isolate clients on different bands or nodes. In that case, use your router’s app to enable mDNS forwarding or Bonjour relay it’s often labeled “local discovery” or “AirPlay/AirPrint forwarding.”
Wake the Printer From Deep Sleep
The 9120e goes into deep sleep after roughly 15 minutes of inactivity. While asleep, it stops broadcasting Bonjour packets, so AirPrint can’t see it. Just tap the touchscreen or press any button to wake it up. Wait about 10 seconds for it to fully come back, then try AirPrint again.
You can extend the sleep timer in Setup > Preferences > Sleep/Auto Off. Setting it to 30 minutes or longer helps if you print infrequently throughout the day.
Grant Local Network Permission on iOS
Starting with iOS 14, Apple asks every app for permission to access your local network. If you tapped “Don’t Allow” when Safari or Mail asked, your iPhone blocks AirPrint discovery from that app entirely quietly, with no error message. Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network on your iPhone or iPad. Make sure the toggle is on for every app you print from (Safari, Mail, Photos, etc.).
Once it’s enabled, AirPrint should discover the 9120e the next time you try.
Temporarily Switch to WPA2
WPA3 with PMF (Protected Management Frames) can break mDNS broadcasts on some routers, including mesh systems. The printer stays connected to WPA3, but it stops appearing in AirPrint lists. Open your router’s app or web interface and change the security setting to WPA2 or WPA2/WPA3 transitional. Save and wait a minute for the network to refresh.
If AirPrint starts working after that, the issue is WPA3 PMF. You can leave your network on transitional mode, or look for a PMF-optional setting in the router admin to allow unprotected frames.
Note that the 9120e works perfectly with WPA2, so you don’t lose any security by staying on transitional.
Turn Off VPN Before Printing
If your iPhone or Mac has a VPN connection active, traffic from AirPrint gets routed through the VPN tunnel and never reaches the local network. Go to Settings > VPN on your iPhone or System Settings > VPN on your Mac and turn off the VPN. Try AirPrint again the printer should appear within seconds.
If you need the VPN active all the time, check whether your VPN client offers a “bypass local network” or “split tunnel” option. Enabling that keeps local discovery traffic on your home network.
Update Firmware Using HP Smart
HP releases firmware updates through the HP Smart app that often fix AirPrint compatibility issues especially after major iOS or macOS updates. Open HP Smart on your phone or computer, tap or click your 9120e, then go to Printer Settings > Advanced Settings > Firmware Update. If an update is available, install it. The printer will reboot, and AirPrint should work again after it comes back up.
You can also update firmware from the printer’s touchscreen by going to Setup > Printer Maintenance > Update Firmware (requires an active internet connection).
Reset the Printer’s Network to Factory State
If you’ve tried everything and AirPrint still won’t show up, you can reset just the network settings without wiping all your printer preferences. On the touchscreen, swipe down for the dashboard, tap Setup (gear icon), then Tools > Restore > Restore Network Defaults. Confirm the reset. The printer wipes its WiFi credentials, clears the Bonjour cache, and restarts.
After the reboot, reconnect the printer to your WiFi using HP Smart (go through the guided setup). You’ll need to re-enter your WiFi password, but everything else print settings, scan presets, instant Ink stays intact. In my experience, this resolves persistent AirPrint problems 9 out of 10 times.
If you want a complete fresh start, you can do a full factory reset with Restore Factory Defaults from the same menu. That wipes everything, including network settings, so you’ll need to set up the printer from scratch.
One last thing: the 9120e also supports ePrint, which lets you print by email. It’s not AirPrint, but it’s a useful backup if Bonjour keeps acting up. You enable it from Setup > ePrint on the printer or through HP Smart.
