How to Add a Canon Printer to a Mac (Wi-Fi and USB)

AvatarByEric Dawson Computers & Software

Adding a Canon printer to a Mac usually happens one of two ways. Plug the printer in with a USB cable and macOS typically adds it within a minute. Join the printer to the same Wi-Fi network as the Mac and add it through Printers and Scanners in System Settings. Most current Canon models work with AirPrint, so no separate driver download is required once the printer and the Mac share a network. Older Canon drivers stop working on macOS Monterey and later, which explains why a printer that worked for years can vanish after a system update. This guide covers both connection methods, driver installation, macOS version compatibility, and what to try when the printer will not appear in the list.

How to Add a Canon Printer to a Mac via USB

USB is the simplest way to add a Canon printer to a Mac, because macOS detects most Canon models automatically once the cable is plugged in. No app or driver download is needed for most current models before the first print job.

  1. Connect the cable. Plug the USB cable into the Canon printer and into a free USB port on the Mac. Use a USB-C to USB-A adapter or hub if the Mac only has USB-C ports.
  2. Wait for macOS to add it. macOS downloads the software it needs in the background, and this can take a minute or two on a slower connection.
  3. Open Printers and Scanners to confirm. Go to the Apple menu, System Settings, then Printers and Scanners, and check that the Canon printer is listed and shows as idle.
  4. Print a test page. Open any document, choose Print, select the Canon printer, and send a one-page job to confirm the connection works.

What to Do if the Printer Doesn’t Appear Automatically

A printer that does not show up within a couple of minutes usually needs its driver installed by hand. Download the driver that matches the exact printer model and the Mac’s macOS version from Canon’s support site, install it, then unplug and reconnect the USB cable.

Restarting the Mac after installation matters here, since Canon’s own setup notes call for a restart before the new driver takes effect. Skipping that step is a common reason the printer still will not appear on the second try.

How to Add a Canon Printer to a Mac via Wi-Fi

Wireless setup requires the printer and the Mac to share the same Wi-Fi network before Printers and Scanners can find the printer. Once both devices are on that network, the Mac can usually add the printer without a cable at all.

How to Connect a Canon Printer to Wi-Fi for the First Time

Turn the printer on and use its control panel screen to open the wireless setup wizard, then enter the home network name and password directly on the printer. Exact menu names vary by model, so the printer’s manual is the fastest way to find the wireless setup option if it is not obvious on the main screen.

Bonjour has to stay enabled on the printer for the Mac to discover it. If a previous owner or an office IT setup turned Bonjour off in the printer’s LAN settings, the printer will connect to Wi-Fi fine but never show up on the Mac, so that setting is worth checking before anything else.

Adding the Printer in System Settings

  1. Open Printers and Scanners. Click the Apple menu, then System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS), then Printers and Scanners.
  2. Click the Add button. Select the plus icon at the bottom of the printer list to open the Nearby Printers search.
  3. Select the Canon printer. It may take a little time for the printer’s name to appear in the list, so give it thirty seconds or more before assuming it failed.
  4. Click Add to finish. macOS installs any needed software and the printer moves into the main printer list, ready to use.

How AirPrint Works with Canon Printers on a Mac

AirPrint lets a Mac print to a compatible Canon printer without installing any driver at all, as long as both devices share a wireless network. Most Canon printers sold in the last several years support it out of the box.

Setup is short. Open Printers and Scanners, add the printer, and look for the one listed as Bonjour Multifunction in the Nearby Printers section. Choose Secure AirPrint from the Use menu before clicking Add, and the Mac handles the rest without downloading Canon’s own software.

Not every Canon printer supports AirPrint, particularly older inkjet and laser models. When a printer lacks AirPrint, the Mac needs the specific Canon driver for wireless printing instead, which is covered in the next section.

How to Install Canon Printer Drivers on a Mac

Canon drivers come in two formats: UFR drivers, which Canon recommends for most current printer and scanner models, and older PPD files for legacy support. Both download free from Canon’s support site once the exact printer model is entered.

Using the Canon PRINT App or Canon Setup

Canon’s standard installer, called Canon Setup on some models and the Canon PRINT app on others, searches for the printer over USB or the local network and installs matching software automatically. Launching that installer is usually faster than hunting for an individual driver file, especially for a home Wi-Fi setup.

After installation finishes, restart the Mac before printing. Canon lists this restart as a required step, not an optional one, and skipping it is a frequent cause of print jobs that stall in the queue.

Keeping Drivers Updated

Checking Canon’s support site every few months for a newer driver avoids print quality problems after a macOS update. A security firewall that blocks local network discovery can also stop the install from finding the printer, so temporarily disabling third-party firewall software helps if the installer cannot locate the printer at all.

Which macOS Versions Support Canon Printer Drivers

Support depends on which Canon driver package is installed, not just which macOS version is running. The older Canon v3.4 driver package stops at macOS Big Sur, while the newer Canon PRINT app covers everything through the current release.

macOS Version Canon v3.4 Driver Canon PRINT App v1.12 AirPrint
OS X Lion (10.7) to El Capitan (10.11) Supported Not supported Available on compatible models
macOS Sierra (10.12) to Big Sur (11) Supported Supported Supported
macOS Monterey (12) Not supported Supported Supported
macOS Ventura (13) through Tahoe (26) Not supported Supported Supported

A Mac running Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia or Tahoe needs the current Canon PRINT app rather than an old driver disc or a driver downloaded years ago. Apple’s own support documentation confirms that Canon’s v3.4 package was never updated for macOS 12 and later, which is the single most common reason a printer that worked fine before an upgrade stops working right after.

How to Add a Canon Printer by IP Address

Adding a printer by IP address works when the printer does not show up automatically in Nearby Printers, and it requires knowing the printer’s network address ahead of time.

  1. Find the printer’s IP address. Print a network settings page from the printer’s control panel, or check the router’s connected devices list for the printer’s name.
  2. Open Printers and Scanners. Click Add, then select the IP tab at the top of the Add Printer window instead of Default.
  3. Enter the address. Type the printer’s IP address or hostname into the Address field.
  4. Choose the protocol. Pick AirPrint, IPP, LPD, or HP Jetdirect depending on what the printer supports, since the wrong protocol can add the printer without letting it print.
  5. Name the printer and click Add. A descriptive name makes it easier to pick the right device later from a print dialog with several printers listed.

This method is mostly a troubleshooting tool rather than a first choice, since it skips the automatic discovery that Bonjour and AirPrint normally handle. It is worth trying whenever a printer sits on the network but refuses to show up in the standard Add Printer search.

Which Connection Method Should You Choose

USB suits a one-time setup or a printer that sits right next to the Mac, while Wi-Fi and AirPrint suit a shared printer used by more than one device. The table below compares all four options side by side.

Connection Type Setup Difficulty Driver Needed Best For
USB Low, automatic Sometimes First-time setup, a single Mac
Wi-Fi with a driver Medium Yes Older printers, multiple users
AirPrint Low, no install No Recent Canon models, quick setup
IP address High, manual Sometimes Troubleshooting a hidden printer

Households with one Mac and one printer within cable reach tend to prefer USB for its reliability. A shared office setup with several laptops printing to the same Canon device usually does better on Wi-Fi or AirPrint, since no cable has to move between desks.

I would choose USB first when the printer is beside the Mac, even if wireless printing is the long term goal. It has the fewest moving parts, connects directly, and is the fastest option in the comparison. A successful USB setup also separates a printer or driver problem from a Wi-Fi discovery problem. For a shared household printer, I would then switch to AirPrint if it is available, because it keeps the convenience of Wi-Fi without adding a separate driver.

What to Do if a Canon Printer Still Won’t Add to a Mac

A printer that refuses to add after several attempts usually points to one of four causes: a network mismatch, an outdated driver, a blocked firewall port, or a corrupted print queue. Working through each in order solves most stuck setups.

Check the Basics First

Confirm the printer is powered on and connected to the same network as the Mac, not a guest network or a different band of the same router. Wait a full two minutes after clicking Add before deciding the printer truly is not showing up, since discovery can be slow on a busy network.

Reset the Printing System on a Mac

Resetting the printing system clears out a corrupted printer entry that refuses to reconnect. Open Printers and Scanners, right-click or control-click inside the printer list, choose Reset Printing System, confirm the warning, then add the Canon printer again from scratch.

Update macOS and the Canon Driver Together

Running an outdated macOS version alongside an old Canon driver is a common combination that blocks setup. Update the Mac’s software first, then install the newest Canon PRINT app for the printer model, since Canon ties its driver updates to specific macOS releases.

Rule Out the Firewall

Security software, including the Mac’s own firewall or a third-party antivirus tool, can block the local network traffic that printer discovery depends on. Temporarily turning the firewall off, adding the printer, then turning it back on afterward isolates whether that was the problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Does My Canon Printer Show up but Fail to Print?

This usually means the printer added correctly but the driver installed is the wrong one for the exact model, or the print queue is jammed. Remove the printer from Printers and Scanners, restart the Mac, then add it again with the current Canon PRINT app installed.

Do I Need to Install Canon Software if My Printer Supports AirPrint?

No separate software is required for basic printing, since AirPrint is built into macOS. Canon’s own app is still useful for scanning, ink level checks, and other features that AirPrint does not cover.

Can I Add a Canon Printer to a Mac Without Wi-Fi or USB?

Bluetooth works on a small number of Canon models with a Bluetooth radio built in, but most Canon printers rely on USB or Wi-Fi only. Check the printer’s spec sheet on Canon’s site to confirm whether Bluetooth is an option before assuming it is available.

Why Did My Canon Printer Stop Working After a macOS Update?

Apple’s own documentation confirms that Canon’s older v3.4 driver package does not work on macOS Monterey or any later version. Installing the current Canon PRINT app, which supports every macOS release through Tahoe, usually restores printing after an update.

What Is the Difference Between UFR Drivers and PPD Files?

UFR is Canon’s recommended driver format for most current printer and scanner models, and it supports more features than the older PPD format. PPD files still work for legacy support but Canon steers new installations toward UFR whenever the printer model offers a choice.

Most Canon printer setups on a Mac come down to matching the connection method to the situation: USB for a quick, reliable first setup, Wi-Fi or AirPrint for a printer shared across a household or office, and the IP address method as a fallback when automatic discovery stalls. Keeping the Canon PRINT app current avoids the version mismatch that causes most post-update failures.

What This Page Does Not Publish

  • I do not map setup quirks for every Canon model, so use your printer’s manual for model-specific menus.
  • I do not cover scanner setup after adding the printer.
  • I do not compare Wi-Fi and USB by exact total setup time.

References

Author Profile

Eric Dawson
Eric Dawson
I'm Eric Dawson, the writer behind The Money Watch. I live in the Columbus, Ohio area and I write about the ordinary questions that turn out to be complicated: computers, shopping, food, travel, parking, small businesses, fees, rules and products. Every article starts with the official page, the maker or the agency, then the sources that check it, and I say plainly where they disagree and what I would do. More about how I work is on the About page.