Install HP printer drivers on Linux from your distribution repository first. HPLIP, short for HP Linux Imaging and Printing, supplies the HP-specific CUPS driver, device tools, and scanner support that many HP printers need.
Check whether your printer needs HPLIP
HPLIP is the useful next step when your HP printer is not detected, a scan function is missing, or the model needs HP’s optional plugin.
Start by checking HP’s supported-device list and your distribution’s package repository before you download a versioned installer file.
Install HPLIP from your distribution repository
Your package manager keeps HPLIP aligned with the CUPS, Python, and desktop libraries shipped by your distribution.
Ubuntu and Debian
The base HPLIP package includes the command-line tools, CUPS integration, and the HP backend.
sudo apt install hplip
Install hplip-gui only if you want HP Toolbox or a graphical setup window. Debian packages it separately, while the base hplip package provides the printer driver stack.
sudo apt install hplip-gui
Fedora
Fedora packages HPLIP in its repositories, then you can use the setup step below to add the printer.
sudo dnf install hplip
Arch Linux
Arch packages HPLIP in the extra repository, and the printing service must be installed and enabled before you add a queue.
sudo pacman -S hplip
Add the printer
Connect the printer by USB, or put it on the same network before starting setup.
Run HPLIP’s text-mode setup tool when you do not have a graphical desktop, or when the graphical window does not open.
sudo hp-setup -i
Select the detected device, choose the connection method, and accept the queue name only after it identifies the printer you intend to add. A network address that points to the wrong device creates a working-looking queue that cannot print to your printer.
Install the HP plugin only when your model asks for it
HPLIP tells you when a proprietary plugin is required for your model’s printing or scanning features.
When setup reports that a plugin is needed, run the plugin tool as your regular desktop user and follow the license prompt. The plugin download needs network access, and it is separate from the open-source HPLIP package.
hp-plugin
Verify the driver stack before troubleshooting the printer
HPLIP’s runtime check can identify a missing plugin, a stopped CUPS service, or missing runtime components.
hp-check -r
Read the report as a diagnostic, not as a universal pass or fail result. Distribution packaging can make an older HPLIP checker label a current library differently, so confirm the printer queue in CUPS and print a test page before replacing packages.
When the printer still does not work
If the printer appears but jobs stop, confirm that the printer is reachable, remove any stale queue, then add it again through HPLIP or your desktop’s printer settings.
An installation that prints successfully does not prove that every multifunction feature is available.
Understand the roles of CUPS and HPLIP
CUPS is the Linux printing system that manages queues and sends jobs to the printer, while HPLIP adds HP-specific drivers and device utilities.
That distinction helps when you diagnose a failure because a missing queue, a stopped print service, and a model-specific plugin problem have different fixes.
Use your desktop’s printer settings or the CUPS web interface to inspect the queue after setup, then send a test page from that queue.
Choose USB or network setup deliberately
A USB printer must be connected and powered on before HPLIP scans for it, while a network printer must be reachable from the computer that hosts the queue.
For a network printer, reserve its address in your router or use a stable hostname so the queue does not point to a device that changes address later.
Know when to stop changing drivers
Do not layer a downloaded HPLIP installer over a distribution package while you are troubleshooting because two installation paths can leave competing files and unclear ownership.
Remove the old queue, return to the repository package, and add one clean queue before you investigate a model-specific compatibility issue.
Use the repository package as the default path
HPLIP gives most HP printers the driver and setup tools they need on Linux. Install the package supplied by your distribution, add the printer through hp-setup or CUPS, then print a test page before changing drivers or downloading a separate installer.
If your model needs a plugin, let HPLIP identify that requirement during setup. That keeps the extra component tied to a specific device capability instead of turning it into a default installation step.