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Apple iOS, the operating system that runs on iPads, iPhones and iPods, is designed to print to only AirPrint-compatible printers. AirPrint is Apple’s own wireless-printing technology and it requires very little setup or configuration. Unfortunately, your Dell printer was released several years before AirPrint existed, so it’s not compatible.

However, a number of app developers have come up with workarounds for this limitation, meaning it is possible to print from an iOS device to non-AirPrint printers in many situations. For this to work, your printer must be a Wi-Fi model, or be attached to a computer that’s part of the same wireless network as the iOS device.

By far the best solution we’ve come across is FingerPrint, which effectively turns any printer into an AirPrint compatible printer, so you can use the iPad’s AirPrint function as designed. FingerPrint costs US$20, but you can download a free trial from www.collobos.com/airprint. In this free version, any printouts you make will appear with a watermark.

Alternatively, there are a few cheaper and even free apps for iOS itself. These work in different ways but the essential idea is that you open content in these apps, using the ‘Open in’ option from another app, and then print to your Wi-Fi printer, or via a companion app installed on your PC.