How to connect a Bluetooth thermal printer to an Android phone

By Tinyfair · Updated October 22, 2026 · 5 min read

Short answer

Charge the printer, load the paper with the shiny side facing the print head, and switch it on. On your phone open Settings, Bluetooth, pair new device, and pick the printer; if it asks for a PIN, try 0000 or 1234. Then open a printing app that supports ESC/POS, choose the paired printer, set the paper width to 58 or 80 mm, and print a test receipt.

Step by step

You need:

An Android phone with Bluetooth
A 58 mm or 80 mm ESC/POS thermal receipt printer
A roll of thermal paper that fits the printer
A printing app that supports ESC/POS

Charge the printer and load the paper. Thermal paper prints on one side only. Scratch it with a fingernail: the side that turns dark must face the print head, or the receipt comes out blank.
Switch it on and check the model. Hold the feed button while switching on to print the printer's self-test page on most models. It usually shows the Bluetooth name, the PIN and whether the printer speaks ESC/POS.
Pair it in your phone's Bluetooth settings. Open Settings, Connected devices or Bluetooth, then Pair new device. Tap the printer's name, often something like MPT-II, RPP02N or a short code. If a PIN is asked, try 0000 or 1234.
Allow Nearby devices for your printing app. Android 12 and later asks for the Nearby devices permission before an app can talk to Bluetooth printers. Without it the paired printer will not show inside the app.
Choose the printer and paper width in the app. Select the paired printer from the app's list and set the width: 58 mm printers print about 32 characters per line, 80 mm printers about 48.
Print a test receipt. Print a short receipt with a few lines, a price and, if you need it, a logo or QR code. Check that the edges are not cut off and that the letters are sharp.

Do it faster with BillfinchBillfinch: Thermal Printer App

Billfinch is a receipt app for ESC/POS thermal printers, 58 mm and 80 mm, over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (port 9100) or USB. After pairing, it prints a test sheet with a ruler and three numbered blocks; you tap the clean block and the paper width, and it remembers the picture mode that suits your printer. The whole receipt is printed as one black and white picture, so a logo, a QR code and non-Latin letters come out the same on cheap printers. You type items and tap Print, and Chrome, PDF viewers, galleries and web POS apps can print through Billfinch as well. Label printers (TSPL) and cat printers are not supported yet. Billfinch is free on Google Play with no print limit and no watermark. Pro, yearly with a 7-day free trial, monthly or a one-time payment, adds more templates, logos and saved printers, CSV export of history, and removes ads.

See Billfinch

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or USB

Most cheap portable printers use Bluetooth. Many counter printers also have a network port or Wi-Fi; these usually listen on port 9100, and you connect by typing the printer's IP address from its self-test page. A USB printer works with a USB OTG cable, and Android asks you to allow access when you plug it in.

Bluetooth is easiest for one phone and one printer. If several phones share one printer at a counter, a network printer avoids the problem of the printer staying paired to the wrong phone.

Fixing the common problems

Paper comes out blank: the roll is upside down, or it is not thermal paper.
The printer does not appear in the list: it may already be connected to another phone or tablet. Turn Bluetooth off on that device, restart the printer, and search again.
It pairs but prints nothing: the app may not support your printer's command language. Check the self-test page for ESC/POS.
Strange symbols instead of text: the printer received characters from a code page it does not have, which happens with accents and non-Latin scripts. Printing the receipt as an image avoids this.
Faint or grey print: the battery is low or the print density is set too light.
The logo prints as stripes or the receipt stops halfway: the printer's buffer is too small for large images. Use a smaller logo or a printing mode made for that printer.

Receipt printers versus label printers

Shipping label printers and the small cat or pocket printers sold for stickers look similar but often use other command languages, such as TSPL or the maker's own format, and usually need the maker's app. Check the box or the self-test page before you buy a printer for receipts.

Printing from other apps and web POS systems

Android's normal print menu talks to office printers, not to Bluetooth receipt printers. To print a PDF, a web page or an order from a browser-based POS, you need an app that registers as a print service for the thermal printer, or a POS app that has its own printer settings.

Questions people ask

What is the PIN for a Bluetooth thermal printer?

Most use 0000 or 1234. If neither works, print the self-test page by holding the feed button while switching the printer on; many models print the PIN there.

Why is my thermal printer printing gibberish?

Either the app sends commands the printer does not understand, or the text contains characters the printer's built-in fonts do not have. Use an app that supports your printer's command set, or print the receipt as an image.

Why is my Bluetooth thermal printer not printing?

Check that the paper is loaded with the coated side to the head, the battery is charged, the printer is paired in Android settings, and no other phone is connected to it. Then restart the printer and try a short test print.

Do I need the printer maker's app?

Not for a standard ESC/POS receipt printer; any app that supports ESC/POS can print to it. Label and sticker printers with their own format usually do need the maker's app.

Can I print from Chrome to a thermal printer?

Only if an app on your phone registers as a print service for that printer. Once it is turned on in Android's Printing settings, the printer appears in Chrome's print menu.