How to Install HPLIP on Ubuntu

Ubuntu ships HPLIP packages for HP printers and scanners. For most users the right start is sudo apt install hplip hplip-gui. Ubuntu 26.04 currently provides HPLIP 3.24.4 in its repositories, while upstream HPLIP on SourceForge is newer (3.26.6 at the time this page was tested). Some HP models list a minimum HPLIP above what your Ubuntu release ships, so check HP supported printers before you download HP’s standalone .run installer.

The installation workflow is the same on Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04; the packaged HPLIP version differs by release (see the table below).

Quick answer

Do you actually need HPLIP?

Many HP devices on a network can print without HPLIP through CUPS driverless paths (IPP Everywhere, AirPrint-style discovery, or generic queues). HPLIP still matters when you want HP-specific tooling:

• hp-setup discovery for USB or LAN HP devices
• Scanning through SANE (libsane-hpaio)
• Ink levels, device status, and HP Device Manager (hp-toolbox)
• Models that require HP’s proprietary plugin
• Older hardware that does not behave well with driverless queues alone

Many HP printers can print through Ubuntu’s standard CUPS stack, while HPLIP adds HP-specific setup, scanning, status, and proprietary plugins for models that need them. Non-HP workflows use different packages—for example install Epson ET-2720 on Ubuntu.

Check whether Ubuntu already has HPLIP

Check the installed HPLIP version

If HPLIP is not installed yet, apt-cache policy still shows what Ubuntu would install. The apt-cache command explains how Installed and Candidate lines map to repository priorities:

apt-cache policy hplip

hplip:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 3.24.4+dfsg0-0ubuntu8.1
  Version table:
     3.24.4+dfsg0-0ubuntu8.1 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute-updates/main amd64 Packages

After install, confirm the same version on disk with dpkg (-l lists installed packages):

dpkg -l hplip hplip-gui

ii  hplip      3.24.4+dfsg0-0ubuntu8.1 amd64  HP Linux Printing and Imaging System (HPLIP)
ii  hplip-gui  3.24.4+dfsg0-0ubuntu8.1 all    HP Linux Printing and Imaging - GUI utilities (Qt-based)

The numeric release is 3.24.4 in the package name; the +dfsg0-0ubuntu… suffix is Ubuntu’s packaging revision.

Check the minimum HPLIP version required by your HP printer

Open HP supported printers, find your exact model, and note Minimum HPLIP Version and whether a plugin is required.

Example mismatch on Ubuntu 26.04:

For example, HP currently lists DeskJet 2900/4300-series devices with minimum HPLIP 3.26.4, while Ubuntu 26.04 ships 3.24.4. When the printer’s minimum is higher than Ubuntu’s package, apt alone may not fully support that model until Ubuntu updates hplip or a future HP .run explicitly supports your Ubuntu release.

HPLIP versions on current Ubuntu releases

Repository versions change with point releases; verify with apt-cache policy hplip on your host. Typical packaged versions:

Upstream HPLIP on SourceForge may be newer (3.26.6 at the time this page was tested). Your printer may require a newer HPLIP release than Ubuntu currently packages. Check the exact minimum version in HP’s model database before you change installation methods.

Confirm your release with check Ubuntu version if you are unsure whether you are on 24.04 or 26.04.

Which HPLIP installation method should you use?

              ┌──────────────────────────────┐
              │ Ubuntu 26.04 or 24.04        │
              └──────────────┬───────────────┘
                             │
                             ▼
              ┌──────────────────────────────┐
              │ Check printer model support  │
              │ (minimum HPLIP in HP DB)     │
              └──────────────┬───────────────┘
                             │
                             ▼
              ┌──────────────────────────────┐
              │ Ubuntu HPLIP sufficient?     │
              └──────┬───────────────┬───────┘
                  yes│               │no
                     │               ▼
                     │    ┌──────────────────────────┐
                     │    │ Current HP .run lists    │
                     │    │ your Ubuntu release?     │
                     │    └───┬──────────────┬───────┘
                     │     yes│              │no
                     │        │              ▼
                     │   advanced          Stay on apt /
                     │   .run only         driverless;
                     │   when required     do not force
                     │                     (3.26.6: not 26.04)
                     ▼
         ┌───────────────────────────┐
         │ apt: hplip + hplip-gui    │
         └─────────────┬─────────────┘
                       ▼
         ┌───────────────────────────┐
         │ hp-setup; hp-plugin if    │
         │ model requires plugin     │
         └─────────────┬─────────────┘
                       ▼
         ┌───────────────────────────┐
         │ test print / scan         │
         └───────────────────────────┘

For Ubuntu 26.04, use APT first. Do not treat the upstream .run installer as “newer = always better.” HPLIP 3.26.6’s .run installer does not list Ubuntu 26.04 in its supported distribution data (support currently stops at 24.04)—even though SourceForge offers a newer HPLIP release than Ubuntu’s repository.

Install HPLIP on Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04 with APT

Install HPLIP and HP Device Manager

Refresh indexes, then install the core stack. Package installs use the apt command like any other Ubuntu repository:

sudo apt update

On a desktop, install the CLI tools and Qt GUI package:

sudo apt install -y hplip hplip-gui

On a minimal server where you only need CLI utilities and will run hp-setup -i, hplip alone is enough:

sudo apt install -y hplip

Optional local documentation:

sudo apt install -y hplip-doc

Verify the installed version

Confirm both packages report the same candidate you expect from the archive:

apt-cache policy hplip hplip-gui

hplip:
  Installed: 3.24.4+dfsg0-0ubuntu8.1
  Candidate: 3.24.4+dfsg0-0ubuntu8.1
hplip-gui:
  Installed: 3.24.4+dfsg0-0ubuntu8.1
  Candidate: 3.24.4+dfsg0-0ubuntu8.1

Future fixes arrive with normal sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade.

Configure your HP printer

Add a USB or network printer with hp-setup

Connect USB hardware or ensure the printer is on the same LAN. Run hp-setup as your normal desktop user (not with sudo); the utility prompts for authorization when printer administration needs it.

Start the graphical setup wizard:

hp-setup

On SSH or without a display, use interactive text mode:

hp-setup -i

When you already know the printer IP, confirm the host responds (for example with ping) on the LAN, then point setup at that address:

hp-setup -i 192.168.1.50

The wizard registers a CUPS queue and offers a test page—accept it when prompted.

Install the HP proprietary plugin if required

Not every HP printer needs the plugin. Check the model entry on HP supported printers first.

When the database marks plugin required, install hplip-gui, then run as your normal user (not root):

hp-plugin

Accept HP’s license when prompted; the utility downloads the binary plugin.

Open HP Device Manager

On a desktop session, search Activities for HPLIP or HP Device Manager (hp-toolbox) to manage queues, ink levels, and scanning after setup.

Your account should be in lpadmin to administer printers. If a scanner app cannot see the device after group changes, log out and back in.

What if Ubuntu’s HPLIP version is too old?

Work through these steps before you download HP’s .run installer:

1. Confirm the minimum HPLIP for your exact model on HP supported printers.
2. Compare that value with apt-cache policy hplip on your Ubuntu release.
3. Check whether a newer hplip package has arrived through sudo apt update and security updates.
4. Open HPLIP on SourceForge and read which Ubuntu releases the current .run installer supports (HP ships this list inside the installer’s distribution data).
5. Do not install a .run build on a release HP does not list—newer upstream version numbers are not enough.

At the time this page was tested, upstream was HPLIP 3.26.6 (September 2026). Pick the version folder on SourceForge when you need to verify support; do not hard-code download URLs in scripts.

Ubuntu 26.04 and the HPLIP 3.26.6 .run installer

HPLIP 3.26.6’s .run installer does not list Ubuntu 26.04 as a supported distribution. Supported Ubuntu entries in that release’s installer data currently stop at 24.04.

On Ubuntu 26.04, stay on the packaged hplip stack unless a later upstream .run explicitly adds 26.04. Do not force 3.26.6 on 26.04 merely because it is newer than Ubuntu’s 3.24.4 package—especially for printers such as DeskJet 2900/4300 models that need 3.26.4+ but cannot be fixed safely by an unsupported installer on this release.

If apt cannot satisfy your model today, consider driverless IPP printing for basic jobs, watch Ubuntu package updates, or use a supported Ubuntu release (for example 24.04) where HP documents .run support—rather than mixing an unsupported manual install on 26.04.

Advanced: only when HP’s .run explicitly supports your Ubuntu release

HP’s manual install notes for Ubuntu describe downloading the .run from SourceForge and running the embedded hplip-install wizard. Do not mix Ubuntu-packaged HPLIP with a manual .run tree—overlapping installs break queues and Python bindings.

If HP documents a supported switch for your release, follow their purge and install sequence in those official notes rather than improvising on 26.04. To remove a completed .run install later, HP provides sudo hp-uninstall. Return to Ubuntu’s packages when you want updates managed through apt again.

Optional: Use the OpenPrinting HPLIP Printer Application

OpenPrinting publishes hplip-printer-app as a Snap—a Printer Application with a browser UI instead of classic hp-toolbox / hp-setup.

sudo snap install hplip-printer-app

Open http://localhost:8000/ (or 8001 if another Printer Application is already bound) and add a queue from the browser.

Use the Printer Application when you want its IPP-based printing workflow and browser interface. It does not replace the classic HPLIP desktop and scanning workflow—for SANE scanning and hp-toolbox, use Ubuntu’s hplip packages. OpenPrinting documents that the HPLIP Printer Application can install HP’s proprietary plugin for supported print devices through its web UI when a model requires it.

Test printing and scanning

Print a test page

After hp-setup, print a test page from the wizard or from Settings → Printers by opening the queue and choosing Print Test Page.

From the shell you can also use lp once CUPS knows the queue name:

lpstat -p

With no printer configured, lpstat may list no destinations—that is expected on a host without hardware.

Verify scanner detection

With libsane-hpaio installed (pulled in by hplip), list SANE backends:

scanimage -L

If the scanner is missing, confirm hp-plugin ran for plugin-required models and that the USB cable or network path matches what hp-setup used.

Troubleshooting

When queues fail, confirm CUPS is active—the systemctl command covers status and restart on cups.service:

sudo systemctl status cups --no-pager

Uninstall HPLIP

If you installed from apt, purge the Debian packages and their configuration files:

sudo apt purge -y hplip hplip-gui hplip-doc hplip-data \
  libsane-hpaio printer-driver-hpcups printer-driver-hpijs

Remove packages that are no longer needed:

sudo apt autoremove -y

For Snap and related cleanup patterns, see how to remove software on Ubuntu.

If you used HP’s .run installer, run the uninstall helper that ships with that tree:

sudo hp-uninstall

To remove only the OpenPrinting Snap, drop the Printer Application package:

sudo snap remove --purge hplip-printer-app

Summary

On Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04, start with sudo apt install hplip hplip-gui on desktops (or hplip alone on minimal systems). Compare your printer’s minimum HPLIP on HP’s supported-device list with apt-cache policy hplip before you assume Ubuntu’s package is too old—or new enough.

Ubuntu 26.04 ships 3.24.4 while upstream may publish 3.26.6 on SourceForge. That gap does not mean you should install 3.26.6 on 26.04—the .run does not list this release. Use hp-plugin only when HP marks your model as plugin-dependent, then run hp-setup as your normal user to create the queue and print a test page.

The OpenPrinting Snap remains an optional IPP printing path with its own plugin workflow in the browser. On 26.04, keep apt-managed HPLIP as the default for setup, scanning, and Device Manager unless a future upstream .run explicitly adds your Ubuntu version.

References

• HP Developers — HPLIP
• HP supported printers and minimum HPLIP versions
• HP — manual install notes for Ubuntu
• HPLIP downloads on SourceForge
• OpenPrinting — HPLIP Printer Application