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How to Enable AirPrint Service on Windows 7/Vista/XP (32-bit/64-bit)?

Author: Ben Johnson on November 20, 2010

iOS 4.2 comes with a unique feature called AirPrint which allows you to print your documents, photos, emails and web-pages over a Wifi connection with your Apple iOS device. To enable iOS 4.2 AirPrint feature on Windows, follow the step-by-step guide below. This guide is applicable to Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP users.

Prerequisites:

  • iTunes 10.1
  • Make sure the printer is setup as a shared printer on your local PC
  • Make sure you have full administrator privileges to enable/disable services on your PC

Steps to Enable AirPrint on Windows 7/Vista/XP:

  1. If you have 64-bit Windows OS, go to C:\Program Files (x86) and create a new folder called AirPrint as shown in the screenshot below:

    2. Enable AirPrint on Windows

    OR

  2. If you have 32-bit Windows OS, go to C:\Program Files and create a new folder called AirPrint as shown in the screenshot below:

    3. AirPrint on Windows 32-Bit

  3. Download AirPrint.zip from here (Mirror) and unzip it in the AirPrint folder you created in the above steps.

    4. Enable AirPrint on Windows

  4. Go to run and type "CMD" to open Command Prompt as shown in the screenshot below:

    5. Open Command Prompt in Windows

  5. Now use the following set of commands respective to your OS version:

    6. For 64-bit Windows OS:

    • sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= "C:\Program Files (x86)\AirPrint\airprint.exe -s" depend= "Bonjour Service" start= auto
    • sc.exe start AirPrint

    Enable AirPrint on Windows
    For 32-bit Windows OS:

    • sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= "C:\Program Files\AirPrint\airprint.exe -s" depend= "Bonjour Service" start= auto
    • sc.exe start AirPrint
  6. As soon as you will start the AirPrint service, Windows Firewall will prompt you allow or deny AirPrint features to be shared over networks. Click on Allow access button.

    7. Enable AirPrint on Windows

AirPrint on iPad
Thats it. Now open any document or email on your device with iOS 4.2 installed and click on the Print option to print the document wirelessly over a Wifi connection. [via MacRumors]

Update1: How to Enable AirPrint (Wireless Printing) on Mac OS X 10.6.5?
Update2: Download AirPrint Installer for Windows 7/Vista/XP (32-bit/64-bit)



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  • Why won’t this work?

    In the command centre, it say it's running, have made sure printer is in share mode in computer properties but iPad and iPhone still don't pick up any "AirPrint" printers. What else can I do?
    When I go into AirPrint folder and open as administrator I get message "brother MFC -990CW device capabilities(DC_ENUMRESOLUTIONS) failed". :-(

  • Stephen

    I am trying to get this installed.  The first time I went through the steps I forgot to run as an administrator.  I went back and reran it as an administrator but I still get the eror "The dependency service does not exist or has been marked for deletion.  I then found the installer that does all of this for you and when I run it I get a similar error.  "The airprint service failed to start with the following message: system.invalidoperationexception: cannot start service airprint on computer ---> system.componentmodel.win32exception: the dependency service does not exist or has been marked for deletion.  Check fire wall settings...

    I did add it as an incoming rule, rebooted and tried again and got same error.

    Help.

    • Ta

      I got the same error. I then deleted all downloaded files (from airprint.zip) and services I created. I then rebooted my system. When it started again I first ran iTunes and made sure my Bonjur service is up and running. I then downloaded all the files and followed the instructions above. I didn't type the code for CMD manually but pasted it in just to avoid spelling mistakes (when pasting you'll have to right-click with your mouse, ctrl+V doesn't work in cmd). Also make sure you name the folder in you Program Files folder exactly as stated above, since cmd differs capital and lower letters.
      I hope it helps.

  • http://jaxov.com/ Wolverine

    Sorry people, if you want to discuss any issue related to AirPrint, please use this post as the current article has already reached its maximum comment limit.

  • Reid Coleman

    It works. Perfectly.
    I have a network HP PSC connected to the network via a NetGear printserver. I followed the directions step by step and it didn't work, but I never got a firewall message. So I disabled the firewall and the iPad connected. Turned the firewall back on, still worked perfectly. Yes, I need to have one computer on (I installed this on my older computer running XP, and my wife's new laptop running Windows 7. I can print with either or both running as long as the printer has the same name on both machines.)
    Thank you

  • Trelos

    You actually don't need iTunes 10.1. Only need Bonjour for Windows + Airprint. I currently have this setup running on SBS 2008. Much smaller install and works great.

  • BigBoyB

    So I'm gonna try this soon. My question is does the printer need to be physically plugged into the router?

  • Mattlach

    Useless.

    As long as I need my computer to be on in order for this to work, it is pointless.

    I have network enabled Jetdirect HP printers accessible wirelessly via my wireless router. Until my phone can print directly to them without my computer having to be on, I will be disappointed.

  • JimH

    Since installing PRINT, when I tur on my computer it shows a message before it ever gets to Windows about REALTEK and file does't exist. This repeats and the computer will not boot up. I was able only by using a recovery disk supplied by the Toshiba. HELP!

  • Johann

    Okay, so I've come up with a solution that I have heard other people mention. (I've been having the same problem and finally figured out a workaround).

    The problem: after the install (whether manual or streamlined) I would only be able to print one document from either the ipad or the iphone, then the printer no longer is shown in the list of printers. If I 'stop' then 'start' AirPrint via the cmd prompt via sc.exe then I would be able to print one document again.
    I've tried everything on this blog, so far this is what has worked for me with multiple test pages of printed material.

    Go through all of the steps of how to set up the printer (all listed above, I will not repeat). Then once airprint is on do this:
    Go into your task manager,
    Go to processes,
    Right click airprint and go to properties
    go to compatability, and click Run this program in Compatibility mode for XP SP 2. (sp 3 didn't work for me?)
    Then goto your cmd prompt. "Sc.exe stop airprint" then "sc.exe start airprint"
    I got these as a result "(NOT_STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, IGNORES_SHUTDOWN)" and that seemed to be the key for me.

    I'm running Win 7 x32 if this helps anyone. It's been bugging me for over 1 month. (If anybody know a more simple way, please post it).

    • Mike

      I am seeing this exact same behavior, but on Windows 7 64-bit. I can stop and start the AirPrint service which will give me one "print" from my iPhone or iPad, but after that the printer becomes invisible again.

      I note in your solution above that the service is set to NOT_STOPPABLE and IGNORES_SHUTDOWN. Could this be the key, rather than the rather random XP SP2 setting?

      I wouldn't be surprise if this lack of stability in the Windows solution is exactly why Apple pulled the capability from the 4.2.x release at the last minute....

      • Johann

        To tell you the truth, it still doesn't work. I have not been successful at this and have given up.
        Wondering if it has something to do with USB?

  • Ian Bunyard

    I’m nearly there !! Has anyone an idea how I can overcome this little problem. I have installed the AirPrint feature on my PC with local attached printer and it works okay but with the following ‘annoyance’ !! After starting up the PC I have to go to the COMMAND input and stop and start the AirPrint program using the DOS instruction followed by . I have checked previously 'services.msc' and AirPrint and Bonjour are both running and set for 'automatic load' on start up. After this is done the iPhone and iPad finds the attached printer and prints !! Without doing this the two Apple devices say no printer found !! I am using a standard PC running Vista Home Premium SP2. Incidentally I do have ‘Guest’ enabled so as to avoid the ‘locked Printer Syndrome’ !! Hope someone can help.

  • Robertf

    Works perfectly - thanks. It's made my iPad experience even more brilliant!

  • John

    I have the weird situation where everything was working on my Xp Home setup. Then I would get the 'printer off line' message. I am Now able to print from My Iphone, but the Ipad won't print. It still says the printer is off-line, but it clearly is not?
    Confused.

    Any ideas?
    John

  • Shane

    This is terrible, I'm about fed up with my Ipad. You have to be a programmer just to print an email. I downloaded the airprint.exe file but I cant open/find airprint to click the enable button. Any help before I break my computer trying how to print from my ipad... lol

  • bald_telf

    Works a treat with my old HP990c cheers :)

  • Jon

    I am so glad to find this article. I have windows 7 64-bit. Worked great, had to beat my head against the wall until i realized I had to run as admin... Great job guys!!!!!

  • Emilio

    FANTASTIC. Working flawlessly on my iPhone. Thanks!!

  • michael

    Hi! I tried to get it started, but I can't start airprint from the command prompt. I did everything you said about the first line, I had the same message on the screen as you but when I tried to execute sc.exe start AirPrint it says "The system cannot find the file specified. What should I do?

    • Adana

      I have the same problem. The first prompt works fine but not the second. I am running Windows Vista 32 bit. I tried using the installer but it never completely installs and I get an error message there. Then I tried using the AirPrint.zip and extracting it to the c:/Program Files (x86) folder and worked from there.

      • Adana

        Nevermind. I figured it out. I think when I named the folder initially, I named it "Air Print" as opposed to "AirPrint" once I deleted the space in the folder name, it seems to be working!

  • David

    I added airprint as an exception to my firewall checked public and private, I also created the Guest account, When I print I put in Guest as user name and it connected and will print I.... am using Iphone 4 32gb with win7 x64

  • Alex

    Works great for me. I did have to enable the XP Home guest account though; from what I can tell there isn't any way around that.

    • Ramey

      you do not need to enable the guest account just use a normal windows user name name and password.
      the Windows user name MUST NOT have any space in it.

  • Atlanta Editorial Photographer

    I had to restart my iphone to get it to work. Until I did that, it would either see the printer and not print, or it would not show my printer in the "choose printer" dialog. Restarted the phone and it worked perfectly. Thanks so much!

  • ecdna

    Well I got mine to work doing the same thing in vista but now I have to choose between guest annd me every time I restart the computer. I don't want to have to log in. How can I get vista to just go to my home screen as before? That's why I didn't want to add guest in the first place. I have vista home premium.

    • Terry B

      Ecdna…. See my post dated january 12. I had the exact same concerns as you. While I did have to enable the guest setting, I then hid it so it is invisible, I think this solves your problem, it solved mine.

      Terry B.

  • wan

    You such a great man!! it's works.

  • Vicki

    There were a few more steps to make this work. My operating system is XP. On the iphone, I had padlocks on the found printers and a prompt for user name and password, until starting all over again and making these changes. The comments above helped make it work, but here are all the additional steps in one list:

    1. Control Panel> Windows Firewall > Exceptions> add program> browse to the airprint.exe file to add as an exception.
    2. Control Panel> User accounts: Just turn on guest account (I didn't add any passwords and there is no additional log in screen.)
    3. Control Panel> Printers and Faxes: Properties> Share printer
    http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/maintain/printers.mspx
    4. Download and unzip the files to the C:\program files\airprint directory and enter the code as shown above. (I copied and pasted it into Word first to get rid of the bullets, then pasted it into the command prompt.)

    (since I already downloaded and installed the code before making these additional changes, the code was already running. I had to use Terry B's code to stop and restart the service: "sc.exe stop AirPrint” then “sc.exe start AirPrint”.)

    And then the padlocks finally disappeared and I was able to print from the iphone.

    Thanks everyone. Hope this helps someone else who is up all night trying to make it work.

  • Tammy Parker

    I seem to have successfully installed AirPrint on my PC as I see this:

    C:\>sc query AirPrint

    SERVICE_NAME: AirPrint
    TYPE : 10 WIN32_OWN_PROCESS
    STATE : 4 RUNNING
    (STOPPABLE,NOT_PAUSABLE,ACCEPTS_SHUTDOWN)
    WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)
    SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)
    CHECKPOINT : 0x0
    WAIT_HINT : 0x0

    However, I don't understand how this is supposed to make printing work on my iPad. After doing this install on the PC, am I supposed to synch up the iPad or something? Print from the iPad still says no printers found and I do have a wireless printer that can talk to my PC...

  • recDNA

    I don't USE a password on my desktop. There IS no password. I don't WANT a password nor do I want a guest account. Does that mean I'm SOL?

    • Terry B

      RecDNA…. See my post dated january 12.

      When finished, I do NOT have a password. While there is a guest account it is hidden. My computer boots without password just like it did before.

      I think this solves your problem, it solved mine.

      Terry B.

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