To add a Canon wireless printer to a Mac, connect the printer to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac, then open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, select your Canon printer, and click Add. If your printer supports AirPrint, you don’t need to install an app or driver.
These steps follow Apple’s Add and manage printers on Mac guide and apply to macOS Ventura 13 through macOS 27, the current version in October 2026, which all use System Settings. Monterey and earlier use System Preferences, and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion called the same pane Print & Scan; see the FAQ for those. Getting the printer onto Wi-Fi depends on your Canon model. The example below uses Canon’s Easy Wireless Connect setup for macOS article for the PIXMA TS3720, so check your own model’s manual for the exact buttons.
Before You Start
- Unpack the printer, install ink, add paper, and turn it on. Make sure it isn’t showing any errors.
- Have your Wi-Fi network name and password ready. Passwords are case-sensitive.
- Connect the printer to your Wi-Fi network using Canon’s instructions for your model. Some older Canon models only join 2.4 GHz networks, so pick that band if your router lists it separately.
- Make sure your Mac is on the same Wi-Fi network. A guest network often blocks devices from seeing each other, so use your main network.
- Update macOS in System Settings > General > Software Update, and check Canon’s site for printer software updates.
Check whether your Canon printer supports AirPrint
AirPrint is Apple’s built-in printing system. Many current Canon PIXMA, MAXIFY and imageCLASS models support it; look for the AirPrint logo on the box, in the manual, or on Apple’s AirPrint page, which links to its list of AirPrint printers. An AirPrint printer works with the steps below and needs no Canon driver. An older model without AirPrint needs Canon’s Mac software first, covered further down.
How to Add a Canon Wireless Printer to a Mac
- Open the System Settings app from the Apple menu or the Dock.
- Click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.
- Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax. A window opens and lists the printers your Mac finds on the network.
- Select your Canon printer from the list. It may take a minute or two to appear.
- Click Add.
The printer appears in your printer list. If the printer supports AirPrint, macOS connects with it and you can print without extra drivers.
Shortcut: You can also open a document, choose File > Print, and pick the printer from the Printer pop-up menu. If it isn’t listed, choose Add Printer.
Confirm it worked
Open a short document in TextEdit or Preview, choose File > Print, select the Canon printer, and click Print. If a page comes out, you’re done. To make the Canon printer the one every app picks first, go back to Printers & Scanners, click the Default printer pop-up menu, and choose it.
How to Connect a Canon Printer to Wi-Fi From a Mac
If your Canon printer isn’t on Wi-Fi yet, Canon’s example for the PIXMA TS3720 uses Easy Wireless Connect:
- Press and hold the printer’s Wireless connect button until the light flashes.
- Download and open Canon Inkjet Smart Connect on your Mac.
- Choose Set Up Now, then follow the prompts. The installer finds the printer and shows the last five characters of its serial number; select Connect.
- When the Add Printer screen appears, select your printer (listed as Canon model Series), and click Add.
Some Wi-Fi printers need a temporary USB connection to set up Wi-Fi; once setup is done, you can unplug the cable.
Connect Other Canon Models to Wi-Fi
The TS3720 steps above are one example. Most Canon PIXMA, MAXIFY and imageCLASS printers use one of these methods. Your model’s setup guide on Canon’s setup site lists the one it supports.
- Printers with a screen: on the printer, open the Wi-Fi or LAN settings menu, choose Wireless LAN setup, select your network, and enter its password.
- Routers with a WPS button: in the printer’s Wireless LAN setup menu, choose the push-button method, then press the WPS button on your router within two minutes.
- Canon PRINT app: install Canon PRINT on an iPhone or iPad, add your printer in the app, and follow the prompts to put the printer on your Wi-Fi network.
- Printers without a screen: use the Wireless connect button and Canon’s setup software on your Mac, as in the TS3720 example.
Joining the printer to Wi-Fi and adding it to the Mac are two separate jobs. After the printer is on the network, go back to the main steps above and add it in Printers & Scanners. For an older model, connecting a Canon PIXMA MX340 to Wi-Fi shows the control-panel method in detail.
Add a Canon Printer by IP Address
If the printer is on your network but doesn’t appear in the list, add it by its address. You’ll need the printer’s IP address, which you can usually print from its network settings menu (Canon often calls this page LAN details or the network configuration page). For other ways to get it, read about finding a printer’s IP address.
- In System Settings > Printers & Scanners, click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.
- Click the IP button at the top of the window.
- Type the printer’s IP address in the Address field.
- Choose a Protocol. The choices are AirPrint, Internet Printing Protocol (IPP), Line Printer Daemon (LPD), and HP Jetdirect – Socket. Pick AirPrint if your Canon supports it.
- Change the Name if you want a friendlier label, and check that the Use menu shows AirPrint or your Canon model.
- Click Add.
An IP address can change after the router restarts. If the printer stops working later, check the address again, or ask your router to reserve the same address for the printer.
Add a Canon Printer With a USB Cable
Connect the printer to your Mac with the right cable; if your Mac has a single USB-C port, use a multiport adapter. Turn the printer on, plug it in, and open Printers & Scanners. Many printers appear on their own; if yours doesn’t, click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, select it, and click Add.
Install Canon’s Software for Older Printers
If your printer isn’t compatible with AirPrint, install the latest software for the printer. On Canon’s support site, search for your exact model, open Software & Drivers, choose your macOS version, then download and run the installer. Add the printer in Printers & Scanners afterward.
Canon has retired some older models and no longer posts drivers for current macOS. If the download list has nothing for your version, the printer may only work with an older Mac.
If Your Canon Printer Doesn’t Show Up
- Wait a minute or two after turning the printer on. Some printers need a moment to join the network.
- Check the network. The printer and Mac must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Print the printer’s network page to see which network it joined.
- Restart the printer and Mac. Turn the printer off and on, restart the Mac, and try again.
- Install Canon’s software. If your printer isn’t compatible with AirPrint, install the latest Mac software from Canon’s website.
- Add it by IP address. Use the IP button method above.
If the Printer Is Added but Won’t Print
Apple’s printing troubleshooting steps cover most of these cases:
- Check the queue. While a job is waiting, click the printer’s icon in the Dock. If the printer is paused, click Resume. Delete a stuck job and print again.
- Try another app. Print from TextEdit. If that works, the problem is in the first app.
- Use generic features. In Printers & Scanners, select the printer, click Options & Supplies, and turn on Use Generic Printer Features.
- Remove and add it again. Control-click the printer in the Printers list, choose Remove Printer, confirm, then add it again with the main steps.
- Reset the printing system as a last resort. Control-click the Printers list and choose Reset Printing System. This deletes every printer in your list, your completed job history, and all printer presets, so you’ll need to add your printers again.
Apple’s reset printing system guide lists the full warning. For problems that affect every computer in the house, see why a computer can’t find a printer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Canon driver to print from a Mac?
Not if your printer supports AirPrint. AirPrint lets you print without installing an app, driver, or other software. Older Canon models without AirPrint need Canon’s Mac software.
Can I add a Canon printer with a USB cable instead?
Yes. Plug it in, then add it in Printers & Scanners as described in the USB section. You can set up Wi-Fi later and add the printer again over the network.
How do I add a Canon printer on an older Mac with System Preferences?
On macOS Monterey and earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Printers & Scanners, click the Add (+) button below the list, select the Canon printer, and click Add. In OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, the pane was named Print & Scan.
Can I scan with my Canon all-in-one on a Mac?
Usually, yes, once it’s added. Open the Image Capture app, select the Canon scanner in the sidebar, and click Scan. For supported models, Canon’s IJ Scan Utility adds more scan options.
Can my iPhone print to the same Canon printer?
Yes, if it supports AirPrint and your iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network. To set it up, follow the steps to print from an iPhone with AirPrint.
Why can’t I add a printer on my work Mac?
Schools and employers can block printer changes on managed Macs. Ask your IT administrator for the approved printer setup.
For other printer brands, the general guide to adding a printer to a Mac covers the steps.
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Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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