How to Enable or Disable Google Chrome Cloud Print

You can no longer enable or disable Google Cloud Print in Google Chrome. Google lists the service as deprecated in January 2021 and no longer supported, and it says devices on every operating system are unable to print with it. There is no Google Cloud Print section in current Chrome settings to switch on or off.

The shortest reliable route today is to set up the printer on the device you are using, open the page in Chrome, and press Ctrl + P (Windows, Linux, Chromebook) or Command + P (Mac). The rest of this guide explains what changed, how to print from Chrome on each type of device, and what to do if you still see leftovers from Cloud Print.

What Google Cloud Print Was

Google Cloud Print was a free service that linked printers to your Google Account. Once a printer was linked, you could send a job to it over the internet from Chrome, a Chromebook, or a phone, even when that device was not on the same network as the printer.

Older versions of Chrome had a Google Cloud Print section in the advanced settings. An Add printers button there shared the printers installed on that computer with your account, and a Disconnect printers button turned the sharing off. Those are the controls people mean when they talk about enabling or disabling Cloud Print in Chrome.

That is all history now. Google’s own Migrate from Cloud Print page states that the service is no longer supported and recommends moving to a different way of printing.

What This Means for You

• You cannot turn it on. No setting, extension, or trick in Chrome brings the Google service back, because the service itself is no longer supported.
• You do not need to turn it off. If you once shared printers through Cloud Print, there is nothing left running that you have to disconnect in current Chrome.
• Your printer still works. Cloud Print was only one way to reach a printer. The printer can still be used through the normal printing system on your computer, Chromebook, or phone.
• Remote printing needs another tool. Printing to a home or office printer from a different network is the one thing Cloud Print did that ordinary printing does not. Options for that are covered below.

How to Print From Chrome on Windows, Mac, or Linux

Chrome on a computer prints to any printer that is already set up on that computer. Google’s instructions say to set up the printer by following the directions from the printer manufacturer, so do that first if the printer has never been used with this computer.

1. Open Chrome on your computer.
2. Open the page, image, or file you want to print.
3. Click File, then Print. You can also press Ctrl + P on Windows or Linux, or Command + P on a Mac. A print window opens with a preview of the page.
4. Select your printer as the destination, then change any print settings you need, such as the number of copies or which pages to print.
5. Click Print.

To confirm it worked, check that the page comes out of the printer you selected. If the wrong printer is selected, open the print window again and choose a different destination before you click Print. Once you are comfortable with the print window, you can adjust other options there, such as printing in black and white from Google Chrome.

These steps come from Google’s Print from Chrome help page, which also has separate tabs for Android and for iPhone and iPad.

How to Print From a Chromebook

Chromebooks were the devices that relied on Cloud Print the most. They now print directly to compatible printers over a network connection or a USB cable. Google notes that Chromebooks do not currently support Bluetooth printing.

1. Turn on the printer and connect it to your network. Use the printer manufacturer’s instructions if you need help with this part.
2. Sign in to your Chromebook and connect it to the same network as the printer. Google marks this as a requirement.
3. Open what you want to print and press Ctrl + P.
4. Next to Destination, select the Down arrow, then select See more….
5. Choose your printer. The Chromebook runs a compatibility check when you select it, and some printers in the list may not be compatible.
6. Select Print.

If you connect the printer with a USB cable instead, a notification appears on the Chromebook. Follow any instructions on the screen, then pick the printer in the print window as described above.

To keep the printer available, open Settings, go to Printers and scanners under Device, and save the printer from the list of other available printers. Google’s Set up your printer page for Chromebook has the full process, including how to add a printer manually when it is not found automatically.

How to Print From Chrome on Android

On Android, Chrome prints to a printer that can receive data over Wi-Fi or a mobile network. You add the printer on the phone first, then print from the Chrome app.

1. Open the Chrome app.
2. Open the page, image, or file you want to print.
3. At the top right, tap More, then Share.
4. Select Print.
5. Tap the Down arrow if you want to change any print settings.
6. At the top, select a printer. Choose Save as PDF instead if you want a file rather than a paper copy.
7. Tap Print.

How to Print From Chrome on iPhone or iPad

Chrome on iPhone and iPad prints with AirPrint, which is Apple’s built-in wireless printing feature. That means you need a printer that supports AirPrint.

1. Open the Chrome app.
2. Open the page, image, or file you want to print.
3. At the top right, tap Share.
4. Tap View more, then Print.
5. Choose your settings.
6. Tap Print.

If you have not used a printer with your phone before, our guide to printing from an iPhone with AirPrint covers the setup side.

Save to PDF or Google Drive Instead of Printing

Cloud Print also offered a Save to Google Drive destination. Google’s help pages describe three ways to get the same result on a computer today.

• Save to Google Drive extension. With Google’s Save to Google Drive extension installed in Chrome, open the print window and select Save to Google Drive as the destination. You may have to select See more to find it. Then click Save.
• Drive for desktop. If Google’s Drive for desktop app is installed on the computer, choose Save as PDF in the print window and save the file into your Drive folder.
• The Drive website. Choose Save as PDF, then go to Google Drive in your browser and upload the file. We have a separate walkthrough on uploading a PDF to Google Drive.

Saving a PDF is also a practical substitute for remote printing. Save the page as a PDF now, and print the file later from a device that is on the same network as the printer.

Options for Printing When You Are Away From the Printer

Google does not offer a direct replacement for the remote part of Cloud Print. Its migration page recommends two directions: use the printing system that is built into each platform, or work with a printing partner. A printing partner is a company that makes print management software, and Google’s page lists several of them for organizations that need to manage many users and printers.

For a home printer, the usual place to look is the printer manufacturer. Many printer makers have their own apps or online services for sending jobs to a printer. Whether your model has one, and what it can do, depends on the manufacturer, so check the support pages for your exact model rather than assuming a feature is there.

Troubleshooting Cloud Print Leftovers

I cannot find the Google Cloud Print setting in Chrome

That is expected. The service is no longer supported, so there is nothing to enable. Guides that tell you to open the advanced settings and look for a Cloud Print section describe older versions of Chrome.

My printer has a Google Cloud Print option in its menu

Many printers sold while the service was active have a Cloud Print setting on the control panel or in their web setup page. Turning it on does not make cloud printing work again, since the Google service behind it is no longer supported. It is reasonable to leave it off. The printer manual explains where that setting is for your model.

My printer does not appear in the Chrome print window

On a computer, Chrome shows printers that are set up on that computer, so make sure the printer is installed there and turned on. On a Chromebook, confirm that the printer and the Chromebook are on the same network, then select See more… in the destination list. If it is still missing on a Chromebook, Google’s printer help page explains how to add it manually.

The Save to Drive destination is gone

Google’s migration page says the old Save to Drive option stopped being available on Windows, Mac, and Linux after December 2020. Use the Save to Google Drive extension or the Save as PDF destination described earlier.

A work or school computer mentions a Cloud Print policy

Chrome used to have administrator policies for Cloud Print. Google’s Chrome Enterprise policy list now marks the Cloud Print proxy policy as deprecated, and it is not listed as supported in current Chrome versions. If printing is restricted on a managed computer, your administrator controls that, so ask them which printing method your organization uses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Cloud Print still available?

No. Google describes Google Cloud Print as deprecated in January 2021 and no longer supported, and says devices across all operating systems cannot print with it.

Can I still enable Cloud Print in Chrome with a flag or an extension?

No. The setting was only a switch for a Google service, and that service is no longer supported. Nothing inside Chrome can restore it.

Do I need to remove my old Cloud Print printers?

Google’s migration guidance does not ask ordinary users to remove anything. Its advice is to find an alternative print solution. Printers you had shared through Cloud Print still work as normal printers on the devices where they are set up.

How do Chromebooks print without Cloud Print?

Chromebooks print directly to compatible printers over the network or a USB cable. Press Ctrl + P, open the destination list, select See more…, and choose the printer.

Can I print from my phone to my home printer when I am not home?

Not with Chrome alone. Chrome on Android prints to printers you have added to the phone, and Chrome on iPhone or iPad uses AirPrint. For printing from another network, check whether your printer manufacturer offers its own service, or save the page as a PDF and print it when you are back on the same network.

What replaced Google Cloud Print?

There is no single replacement. Google recommends the built-in printing on each platform, which for Chromebooks means native printing to local and network printers, or a third-party printing partner for organizations.

Next Step

Set up your printer on the device you print from most often, then press Ctrl + P or Command + P in Chrome and send a single test page. If you often print documents, our guide on how to print a Google Doc from Chrome is a good place to go next.