Wi-Fi Direct lets a phone, tablet or laptop connect straight to the printer without a router, through a small network the printer creates itself, usually with a name starting with DIRECT. It's handy for guests or places without Wi-Fi, but it fails in a few predictable ways: the feature is off, the password is unknown, the phone switches back to its usual network, or too many devices are already connected. This guide covers each for iPhone, Android and Windows.
What you might be seeing
- The printer's Direct network doesn't appear in the Wi-Fi list
- The device connects but the printer isn't offered when printing
- The phone keeps leaving the Direct network for home Wi-Fi or mobile data
- The connection is refused with a password or limit error
Common causes
- Feature turned off
- Wi-Fi Direct is disabled in the printer's network menu.
- Unknown password
- The Direct network has its own password, separate from your home Wi-Fi.
- No internet warning
- Phones notice the Direct network has no internet and drop it or route traffic over mobile data.
- Connection limit
- Printers accept only a few Direct devices at once, and old connections can hold the slots.
- VPN on the device
- A VPN can send print traffic away from the local Direct network.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order and test a print after each one. Most people are done within the first few steps.
If the printer sits in a shared or public space, change the default Wi-Fi Direct password so only people you choose can print to it.
Turn on Wi-Fi Direct on the printer
On the printer's control panel, look for a Wi-Fi Direct icon, or a Wi-Fi Direct option in the network or wireless menu, and turn it on. Many printers can display the Direct network name and password on screen or print them on an information page; note both exactly. On printers without a screen, the manual describes a button press or web page setting.
Connect your phone or tablet
On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings › Wi-Fi, select the printer's Direct network and enter its password. On Android, open the Wi-Fi settings, found under Network & internet or Connections depending on the phone maker, and select the same network. Some printers then ask on their screen whether to accept the new device; approve it within the time shown.
Stay connected despite the no internet warning
Phones notice that a Direct network has no internet. On Android, a prompt may ask whether to stay connected; keep the connection, and turn off any feature that switches to mobile data when Wi-Fi has no internet, which each phone maker names differently. On an iPhone, stay on the network even though it shows No Internet Connection. On either, disconnect any VPN app before printing.
Print using the built-in print service
With the device on the Direct network, open the document and choose Print from the share or options menu. On iPhone and iPad, AirPrint should list the printer under Select Printer. On Android, the default print service or Mopria should find it, or you can use the manufacturer's official app. Discovery here can take a few seconds longer than usual.
Pair a Wi-Fi Direct printer in Windows
In Printers & scanners, start adding a printer (Add device on Windows 11, Add a printer or scanner on Windows 10). If a Show Wi-Fi Direct printers link appears, select it, choose the printer whose name begins with DIRECT, and confirm the PIN or press the printer's button if asked. If no such link appears, join the Direct network from the Wi-Fi list and search again; the laptop loses internet while joined.
Free up a connection slot
Wi-Fi Direct supports only a handful of devices at once, and devices that connected earlier can keep their slot. Disconnect other phones and laptops from the Direct network, or turn Wi-Fi Direct off and on again at the printer to release them all. Some printers list connected devices in their Wi-Fi Direct menu, where you can remove ones you don't recognize.
Reset the Direct password and forget the old network
If a device keeps rejecting the password, look in the printer's Wi-Fi Direct settings for an option to change or regenerate the password, or restore Wi-Fi Direct defaults. Then make each device forget the old network so it doesn't retry stale details: on iPhone, tap the info button beside it and choose Forget This Network; on Android, open the network's details and choose Forget.
How to keep it from happening again
- Keep the Wi-Fi Direct password somewhere users can find it
- Disconnect devices from the Direct network after printing
- Turn off VPN apps before printing over Wi-Fi Direct
- Use the home network for everyday printing and Direct for guests
Common questions
Do I need a router for Wi-Fi Direct?
No. The printer creates its own small network and your device connects straight to it, which makes Wi-Fi Direct useful where there's no Wi-Fi or when guests shouldn't join your home network. The trade-off is that a phone joined to the Direct network has no internet over Wi-Fi until it switches back.
Can I use Wi-Fi Direct and my home network at the same time?
The printer usually can, keeping its Direct network running alongside its normal Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. Phones and most laptops, however, join one Wi-Fi network at a time, so they leave the home network while connected to the printer. Some Windows laptops can pair with Direct printers while staying online.
Why does the Direct network name start with DIRECT?
The Wi-Fi Direct standard uses that prefix so devices can recognize networks created by printers and other gadgets. The rest of the name usually includes part of the model name or a random code. If you see several similar names nearby, check the printer's Wi-Fi Direct page for the exact one.
This guide is general information written for common home and office printers. Menus and button names vary between models, so check your printer’s manual where a step differs. Printer Problems Solved is independent and not affiliated with any printer manufacturer. See our disclaimer.