What you need before you start
You do not need a computer for a phone photo printer. You need your smartphone, the printer, its matching paper or film, and the printer’s companion app where one is provided. Charge the printer or connect it to power, then make sure there is enough paper or film for the number of photos you want to print.
With any phone photo printer, check the image on your phone at full size before printing. A photo that looks bright on your screen may print with a different balance of light and colour, so small adjustments to brightness, contrast or cropping can be worthwhile. Leave a little space around faces and important details if you plan to use a border or sticker.
Keep your phone reasonably close to the printer during setup. Wireless connections are usually easiest when you first open the relevant app, allow the permissions it requests, and select the printer from inside the app rather than trying to send the image from your phone’s normal print menu.
How to print a photo from your phone
- Load the paper or film. Follow the loading direction shown for your printer and use the correct format. Do not mix paper types or sizes in the same print job.
- Open the companion app. Select a photo from your camera roll, or take a new one if the app offers that option.
- Edit before you send it. Crop the image to the print shape, then add any border, text, sticker, filter or other effect you actually want. It is easier to make these changes before printing than after.
- Connect the phone and printer. Use the app’s connection instructions. Keep the app open until the printer has received the image.
- Check the preview. Look carefully at the edges, faces and any text. If the preview is right, tap the print button once and wait for the photo to finish.
- Let the print complete. Avoid pulling at the paper or film while it is coming out. Once it is ready, store it flat and handle it as directed by the paper or film instructions.
If nothing happens, check the simple things first: the printer is switched on, the app is connected to the correct device, paper or film is loaded correctly, and the printer has enough charge. Closing and reopening the app can also help. For product care and safety, follow the care and safety instructions on the label.
Which phone printer format suits your photos?
The print shape changes how your photos feel when you use them. Small credit-card-sized prints are handy for journals, wallets and pinboards. Square prints give images a more balanced, classic look. Two paper sizes are useful when you want one printer for different projects.
The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3 Wireless Smartphone Photo Printer - Clay White works with the instax mini Link 3 app. You can print a photo from your camera roll, add a frame, sticker, emoji or text, and choose a favourite moment from a video to print. It produces credit card-sized instax mini photos and has three LED lights on the front. We would put it to work on small memory books, handwritten notes or a growing photo wall.
The Fujifilm Instax Square Link Wireless Smartphone Photo Printer - White uses the SQUARE LINK app and connects wirelessly via Bluetooth. It produces SQUARE prints, with tools for cropping, contrast changes, colour modes, filters, decorative borders and more than 1,600 in-app stickers. It also offers collage mode, video stills and augmented reality effects that can be packaged in a QR code. Its INSTAX Connect feature lets a personalised image be sent through a social media app for printing by another SQUARE LINK user.
The Canon Selphy QX20 Instant Photo Printer - Sand White prints through Wi-Fi using Canon’s free SELPHY Photo Layout app. It supports square and card-size sticker-backed paper, so you can choose a format for a scrapbook, pinboard or other craft project. The app includes stamps, filters and borders, while the printer uses dye sublimation printing with an overcoat. Its built-in battery and portable design are useful when you want to print away from a desk.
Making a batch of prints easier
For several photos, select and edit them in a sensible order before you begin printing. Start with the images you care about most, particularly if you are working with a limited amount of paper or film. Give every preview a quick check rather than assuming the next image will have the same crop.
For a collage, choose photos with a mixture of close and wider views so the finished arrangement does not feel crowded. If you are making labels or gifts, write the text in the app and check spelling at the preview stage. Sticker-backed prints are especially convenient for craft projects, while instant-style prints can be handed over as small keepsakes.
Keep finished photos somewhere clean and dry, and follow the storage guidance supplied with the paper or film. If you are printing a still from a video, scrub through the recording slowly before choosing the frame: a fraction of a second can make the difference between a clear expression and a blink.
Our recommendation
We recommend the Canon SELPHY QX20 when you want one phone printer that gives you the most flexibility for everyday projects, because it combines two print sizes, sticker-backed paper, app editing and a built-in battery.