HP Smart vs HP App: What Changed and What to Do

Updated October 16, 2026 - by the hpsmart.cc editorial team

If you went looking for HP Smart recently and found an app simply called HP, you are not imagining it. HP has moved the tools people used in HP Smart into a new, broader HP app. This guide explains what actually changed, how the change looks on each type of device, what happens to the printers you already added, and how to move over without losing your setup. Everything below was checked against HP's own pages and the official app store listings on the date shown above.

The short answer

HP Smart has been replaced by the HP app. HP's official HP app overview page says the HP Smart app is no longer available for download and that printing tasks are now done in the HP app. HP also states that the HP app is not simply HP Smart with a new name: it combines features from HP Smart and myHP (the companion app for HP laptops and desktops) into one app that covers printing, scanning, device settings and support.

For most people the practical result is simple: install the HP app from your device's official app store, sign in with the same HP account you used before, and your printer should be there. The rest of this page covers the details and the exceptions.

What is the same and what is new

The everyday printer features carried over. According to HP, the HP app supports printing and scanning and works as both a printer app and a scanner app on iOS, macOS, Android and Windows. Ink and paper level checks, printer settings and guided setup for new printers are still part of it. What is new is the scope: the app now also manages HP laptops, desktops and accessories, and it adds personalized tips and recommendations.

Topic	HP Smart (before)	HP app (now)
Main purpose	Printer setup, printing, scanning, printer management	The same printer tasks, plus HP laptops, desktops and accessories
Where to get it	Official app stores	Official app stores (HP says it is distributed through the major platform stores)
Price	Free to download	Free to download; HP says it may introduce charges for select features in the future
HP account	Used for remote and cloud features	Not required to open the app, but sign-in is needed for full functionality; existing HP accounts work
Support inside the app	Help articles and diagnostics	Help articles, messaging with HP experts and phone support, depending on country and business hours

How the change looks on each device

The switch has not looked identical everywhere, so it helps to know what you should expect to see in each store. These descriptions reflect the official listings as checked today; store pages can change at any time, so always confirm the publisher is HP Inc. before installing.

iPhone and iPad: the App Store listing that used to be HP Smart now appears as the HP app and states that HP Smart is now the HP app. The listing currently asks for iOS 17.0 or later (iPadOS 17.0 or later on iPad).
Mac: the Mac App Store listing is now named HP: Print and Support and currently requires macOS 12.0 or later.
Android: the Google Play listing also announces that HP Smart is now HP and describes support for more HP products than printers alone.
Windows: this is the one platform where you may still see both names. The HP Smart listing in the Microsoft Store is still live and tells users to switch to the HP app, while noting that HP Smart remains available for setup, printing and scanning. Its stated minimum is Windows 10 version 16299.0 or higher.

If you are not sure which listing is the right one, HP's own 123.hp.com setup address detects your device type and points you to the matching download. When we checked it today, 123.hp.com forwarded to HP's start.hp.com setup site, which is an HP-owned address.

What happens to my printers, account and shortcuts?

HP's printer setup guide says that when you first open the HP app it identifies your current printers, and that signing in with the same HP account keeps your saved printers, network settings and shortcut workflows available. In practice that means two things:

Use the same HP account you used in HP Smart. Creating a new account means starting from an empty printer list.
Your printer's Wi-Fi connection lives on the printer, not in the app. Moving to the HP app does not disconnect a printer that is already on your network. If the new app cannot see it, the problem is usually network discovery, which our guide to fixing "printer not found" in HP Smart and the HP app walks through.

Subscriptions such as HP Instant Ink are tied to your HP account and printer rather than to one app. HP lists subscription management as an HP app feature, with availability that varies by country, so check the subscription area of the app after you sign in.

How to move from HP Smart to the HP app

Note your HP account email. Open HP Smart one last time (if it is still installed) and check which account is signed in.
Install the HP app from the official store. Use your device's app store or 123.hp.com. Check that the publisher is HP Inc.; users on HP's own community forum have reported lookalike listings in mobile stores.
Open the app and sign in. Use the same account. HP says you do not need a new account.
Confirm your printer appears. Select it and check that its status and ink levels load. Send a test print.
Re-check scan destinations and shortcuts. If you used shortcuts that send scans to email or cloud storage, open them once to confirm the destinations still work.
Remove HP Smart if you no longer need it. On Windows, where both may exist, keeping two printer apps can cause confusion about which one is active.

Setting up a brand-new printer instead? The same steps apply, and our HP Smart install guide covers the first-time setup on Android, iPhone, Windows and Mac.

Do I have to switch?

On iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android the old HP Smart listing has already become the HP app, so updating the app is the switch. On Windows, HP Smart is still offered for setup, printing and scanning, but HP recommends the HP app for the latest updates. You can also print without any HP app in many cases: HP notes that iPhone and iPad can print with AirPrint once the printer is on the same network, and computers can add the printer from their own printer settings. The app adds setup help, scanning tools, ink monitoring and account features on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the HP Smart app discontinued?

HP says the HP Smart app is no longer available for download and that print tasks are now completed in the HP app. On Windows, the Microsoft Store listing for HP Smart is still live but points users to the HP app.

Is the HP app the same as HP Smart?

Not exactly. HP describes the HP app as a combination of HP Smart and myHP, so it keeps the printing and scanning tools and adds management and support for HP computers and accessories.

Is the HP app free?

It is free to download. HP states that it may introduce charges for select features in the future, so check the official listing for current terms.

Do I need an HP account to use the HP app?

HP says an account is not required to use the app, but signing in is needed for full functionality. Your existing HP Smart account works, and using it keeps your saved printers.

Will my printer stop working after the change?

No. The printer keeps its network connection. If the HP app does not list it, check that your phone or computer is on the same Wi-Fi network as the printer, then add it again from the app.

Sources

HP - HP App overview and FAQ
HP Tech Takes - HP Printer Setup Made Easy
Apple App Store - HP app listing
Mac App Store - HP: Print and Support
Google Play - HP app listing (search for "HP" by HP Inc. in the Play Store)
Microsoft Store - HP Smart listing