Print Wirelessly from Your iPhone and iPad — No AirPrint Printer Required!
AirPrint Bridge enables AirPrint functionality on macOS for printers that don't natively support it. This script allows iOS and iPadOS devices to print directly to printers that do not natively support AirPrint. The project doesn’t rely on any additional binaries that aren't built in on macOS, uses almost no resources, and is entirely automated. It naturally supports Apple’s Bonjour Sleep Proxy, so printers will continue to work when the host computer is asleep or rebooted (even pre-login).
- ⭐ Features
- 🛠️ Requirements
- 💾 Installation
- ⚙️ Additional Options
- 🗑️ Uninstallation
- 💡 How It Works
- ❓ Troubleshooting
- 📄 License
- 🙌 Acknowledgements
- 🤝 Contributing
- 📜 Trademark Attribution
- 🛡️ Disclaimer
- Enable AirPrint for Non-AirPrint Printers: Share printers that do not natively support AirPrint with your iOS devices.
- Automatic Detection: Automatically detects shared printers lacking AirPrint support.
- Persistent Service: Installs as a
launchdservice to ensure AirPrint functionality is always available. - Test Mode: Run in test mode to verify functionality before installation.
- Easy Uninstallation: Clean removal of the script and associated services.
- Bonjour Sleep Proxy: Automatically registers with the sleep proxy so AirPrint services continue to work when the system is asleep.
- Operating System: macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later. (Not officially tested on macOS versions prior to 10.15, but likely compatible.)
- Shell: Bash.
- A trusty old printer
Enable printer sharing via:
- System Settings > General > Sharing (macOS Ventura and newer), or
- System Preferences > Sharing (older macOS versions)
Check the box for Printer Sharing and select the printer(s) you’d like to share. Alternatively, visit System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select the printer(s), and enable “Share this printer on the network.”
Clone the repository or download the airprint_bridge.sh script directly:
git clone https://github.com/sapireli/AirPrint_Bridge.git
cd AirPrint_BridgeOpen Terminal.app and navigate to the folder where you saved the script (e.g., cd Downloads).
chmod +x airprint_bridge.shRun the script in test mode:
./airprint_bridge.sh -tWhat happens:
- Detects local shared printers that lack AirPrint support.
- Generates a registration script (
airprint_bridge_launcher.sh) to register printers viadns-sd. - Runs that registration script in the foreground so you can test printing from an iOS device.
The script will now hang while advertising your printers. If you can see and use your printer from iOS, you’re ready to install. Use CTRL-C to terminate.
sudo ./airprint_bridge.sh -i- Detects local shared printers that lack AirPrint support.
- Generates (or updates) the registration script.
- Creates and loads a
launchdplist so your printers are always advertised at startup/reboot.
Open an app on your iOS device with printing capabilities (Safari, Mail, Photos, etc.), tap Print, and choose the newly advertised printer(s). Happy Printing!
By default, logging is disabled, so the script outputs only to the terminal (stderr). If you would like to enable verbose logging to a file named airprint_bridge.log in the script’s directory, open airprint_bridge.sh and set:
LOGGING=1With LOGGING=1, any messages output by the script will also be appended to airprint_bridge.log. This is helpful for debugging or auditing the script’s activity.
The -f option allows you to specify a custom filename and/or location for the generated AirPrint registration script. By default, the script is named airprint_bridge_launcher.sh and is created in the current working directory (then copied to /usr/local/bin during installation).
For example, to place the launcher script in a custom path:
./airprint_bridge.sh -t -f /path/to/custom_launcher.shThis tells airprint_bridge.sh to generate /path/to/custom_launcher.sh rather than the default airprint_bridge_launcher.sh. This can be useful if you need the script in a specific location or under a specific name.
Note: The
-foption only overrides the generation of the registration script, not the mainairprint_bridge.shitself.
To remove AirPrint Bridge entirely:
sudo ./airprint_bridge.sh -u- Unloads and removes the
launchdplist file. - Deletes the registration script from
/usr/local/bin. - Terminates any running
dns-sdprocesses associated with AirPrint Bridge.
Your system will be returned to its original state (i.e., as if AirPrint Bridge was never installed).
- Printer Detection: Identifies all shared printers on your Mac; filters out those already AirPrint-capable.
- Capability Analysis: Generates a suitable URF string based on each printer’s capabilities (color, duplex, paper types, etc.).
- Bonjour Registration: Uses
dns-sdto advertise each printer under the_ipp._tcp.,_universalservice type. - Launchd Integration: Automatically starts and keeps the advertising service running in the background, even before user login.
- Bonjour Sleep Proxy: macOS’s built-in Bonjour Sleep Proxy keeps these printers discoverable to iOS devices, even if the Mac is sleeping.
- Printers Not Found: Confirm the printers are installed, powered on, and marked “Shared” on your Mac.
- Dependencies Missing: Ensure that
dns-sd,lpstat,lpoptions, andlaunchctlare installed (they are typically standard on macOS). - Permission Issues: Use
sudofor installation or uninstallation. - Firewall Issues: Make sure printer sharing and Bonjour services aren’t blocked in your macOS firewall.
- No Output in Log: If you enabled logging but see no file, ensure the script has permission to create/write the file.
This project is licensed under the MIT License.
- Inspired by @PeterCrozier
- Insights from GeekBitZone’s AirPrint guide
Feedback, bug reports, and pull requests are encouraged and appreciated. Feel free to open an issue on GitHub.
If you find this project useful or interesting, please consider giving it a star on GitHub. Your support helps others discover the project and motivates further improvements. Thank you! 😊
AirPrint, iPhone, iPad, Mac, and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Bonjour is a trademark of Apple Inc. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this project to refer to entities claiming the marks and names of their respective products. Use of these trademarks does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by their respective owners.
This script is provided "as is," without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. In no event shall the authors or copyright holders be liable for any claim, damages, or other liability, whether in an action of contract, tort, or otherwise, arising from, out of, or in connection with the software or the use or other dealings in the software.
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