Changed Printer Name in AirPrint doesn't update on iPad or iPhone

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Level 1

4 points

Changed Printer Name in AirPrint doesn't update on iPad or iPhone

I have an Epson 2720 printer, but I believe this is a wider issue than this brand/model. After updating to the most recent firmware, my iPad would no longer print.

I did the following:

* Changed the printer name via AirPrint (on the printer).

* Turned all devices off, and router.

* Turned on the router, printer, then all other devices.

* Deleted the old printer and installed a new printer in order for the new name to appear on my Mac.

My iPhone and iPad continue to show the old name, but I can print. When I go to the web address of the printer, regardless of device, the new printer name shows correctly.

iPad Pro, iPadOS 18

Posted on Jun 6, 2025 7:40 AM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

156,102 points

Jun 6, 2025 12:25 PM in response to Unitboy

What you’re experiencing is essentially a mismatch between the name advertised by the printer over Bonjour/mDNS and the cached printer entry stored locally on your iOS devices. Even though the printer itself is broadcasting the new name (as confirmed on your Mac and via the printer’s web interface), iOS devices often hold onto the old name stubbornly. Unfortunately, iOS does not offer a direct way to "forget" or clear cached AirPrint entries manually ...

...however, you may not be completely "out-of-luck" as there is a few things you can still try.

Forget Wi-Fi Network on your iPhone/iPad (Settings > Wi-Fi > tap the "i" next to your network > Forget This Network), then reconnect. This should trigger a refresh of Bonjour service discovery.
If that didn't help, try the Reset Network Settings option on your iOS/iPadOS devices: Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Note: This clears out stored DNS, Bonjour/mDNS caches, and other network settings. The only drawback is that it will also erase any saved Wi-Fi passwords.
On your printer, if there's an option to disable and re-enable AirPrint or Bonjour advertising (sometimes under network or AirPrint settings), do that. This can trigger new mDNS advertisements.

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