How To Install hplip on Ubuntu

Posted on April 1, 2023 (Last modified on May 20, 2023 )

3 minutes • 562 words

Introduction

In this tutorial we learn how to install hplip on Ubuntu.

What is `hplip`

hplip is:

The HP Linux Printing and Imaging System provides full support for printing on most HP SFP (single function peripheral) inkjets and many LaserJets, and for scanning, sending faxes and for photo-card access on most HP MFP (multi-function peripheral) printers.

HPLIP is composed of:

System services to handle communications with the printers
HP CUPS backend driver (hp:) with bi-directional communication with HP printers (provides printer status feedback to CUPS and enhanced HPIJS functionality such as 4-side full-bleed printing support)
HP CUPS backend driver for sending faxes (hpfax:)
hpcups CUPS Raster driver to turn rasterized input from the CUPS filter chain into the printer’s native format (PCL, LIDIL, …). (hpcups is shipped in a separate package)
HPIJS Ghostscript IJS driver to rasterize output from PostScript(tm) files or from any other input format supported by Ghostscript, and also for PostScript(tm) to fax conversion support (HPIJS is shipped in a separate package)
Command line utilities to perform printer maintenance, such as ink-level monitoring or pen cleaning and calibration
GUI and command line utility to download data from the photo card interfaces in MFP devices
GUI and command line utilities to interface with the fax functions
A GUI toolbox to access all these functions in a friendly way
HPAIO SANE backend (hpaio) for flatbed and Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) scanning using MFP devices

USB and JetDirect (network) devices are supported.

There are three methods to install hplip on Ubuntu. We can use apt-get, apt and aptitude. In the following sections we will describe each method. You can choose one of them.

Install hplip Using apt-get

Update apt database with apt-get using the following command.

sudo apt-get update

After updating apt database, We can install hplip using apt-get by running the following command:

sudo apt-get -y install hplip

Install hplip Using apt

Update apt database with apt using the following command.

sudo apt update

After updating apt database, We can install hplip using apt by running the following command:

sudo apt -y install hplip

Install hplip Using aptitude

If you want to follow this method, you might need to install aptitude first since aptitude is usually not installed by default on Ubuntu. Update apt database with aptitude using the following command.

sudo aptitude update

After updating apt database, We can install hplip using aptitude by running the following command:

sudo aptitude -y install hplip

How To Uninstall hplip on Ubuntu

To uninstall only the hplip package we can use the following command:

sudo apt-get remove hplip

Uninstall hplip And Its Dependencies

To uninstall hplip and its dependencies that are no longer needed by Ubuntu, we can use the command below:

sudo apt-get -y autoremove hplip

Remove hplip Configurations and Data

To remove hplip configuration and data from Ubuntu we can use the following command:

sudo apt-get -y purge hplip

Remove hplip configuration, data, and all of its dependencies

We can use the following command to remove hplip configurations, data and all of its dependencies, we can use the following command:

sudo apt-get -y autoremove --purge hplip

Dependencies

hplip have the following dependencies:

References

hplip website

Summary

In this tutorial we learn how to install hplip package on Ubuntu using different package management tools: apt, apt-get and aptitude.