Archives For HPLIP

Need the most recent HPLIP to get your HP printer or scanner working in Ubuntu? Here’s how to install guide as well as workaround to fix the python-pyqt5 dependency issue.

HPLIP is an open-source Linux drivers for HP’s inkjet and laser printers. The project is initiated and led by HP Inc. While the package in Ubuntu repositories is always old, you can install the official binary to get new devices support.

However, the most recent releases refuse to install in my Ubuntu 20.04 due to python-pyqt5 dependency issue. If you’re facing with the similar issue, then this tutorial may help!

Download & Install HPLIP in Ubuntu 20.04

1.) Firstly, download the latest binary from the link below. It’s ‘hplip-3.21.10.run‘ at the moment.

2.) Next, add executable permission by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal. Then run command:

chmod u+x ~/Downloads/hplip*.run

And try to install it via command:

~/Downloads/hplip*.run

Follow the terminal output and answer some questions to start installing the driver.

3.) Fix python-pyqt5 dependency issue.

As I said, it refuse to install in Ubuntu 20.04 because it tries to install old Python 2 binding for Qt5 as dependency in my case.

Thanks to Christoph Mueller, I found it has something to do with python symbolic links.

As you may know, python2 and python3 in /usr/bin are symbolic links. While python2 is python2.7, python3 links to python3.8 (or 3.9 depends on Ubuntu edition), python is not exist out-of-the-box. However, it will be created in some cases and links to either python2 or python3.

And the point is when Python links to Python2, HPLIP will mistakenly try to install Python 2 libraries as dependency.

Until HPLIP fixed the issue, the solution is either remove /usr/bin/python if you don’t need it or make it link to Python3.

Make Python to be Python3:

There are two choices to create symlink for python: install python-is-python3 or use update-alternatives command.

Option 1. Open terminal and run command to install ‘python-is-python3’:

sudo apt install python-is-python3

Option 2. Use ‘update-alternatives’ to choose which to link to. Firstly, add both python2 and python3 as alternatives:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python2 1
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3 2

You can then choose which to use anytime via command:

sudo update-alternatives --config python

Finally, re-do step 2.) to install the HPLIP-*.run file.

4.) Fix make command failed issue:

This seems to be HPLIP 3.21.6 only issue, that it outputs ‘error: make command failed with status code 2‘.

By re-running ‘make’ command from the source folder (see Uninstall section), it tells that “/usr/bin/ld: cannot find -lavahi-core”.

And it can be fixed by installing libavahi-core-dev package via command:

sudo apt install libavahi-core-dev

How to Remove HPLIP from Ubuntu:

While installing HPLIP via step 2.), it extracts the .run package into the source folder. And you can find it in Downloads folder.

NOTE: HPLIP 3.21.10 somehow does not create source folder. Run ~/Downloads/hplip*.run --target ~/Downloads/hplip to generate it manually if required.

The folder contains an uninstall script allows to remove HPLIP from your computer.

To do so, go to the source folder, right-click on blank area and select ‘Open in Terminal’.

Finally, run the uninstall script in pop-up terminal window:

sudo python3 uninstall.py

That’s all.

HP Linux Imaging and Printing

HPLIP, HP print, scan, and fax drivers for Linux, released 3.20.6 today with new printers and Linux distributions support, though it still does not install on Ubuntu 20.04.

HPLIP 3.20.6 added following new printers support:

  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E78223a, MFP E78223dv, MFP E78223dn.
  • HP Color LaserJet Mngd MFP E78223dn Plus, MFP E78223dn CN
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E78228dn, MFP E78228dn Plus, MFP E78228dn CN
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E78330z Plus, Flow MFP E78330z CN
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E78330dn, E78330dn Plus, E78330dn CN, MFP E78330z
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E78325z Plus, Flow MFP E78325dn CN, Flow MFP E78325z CN
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E78325dn, MFP E78325z
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E78323z
  • HP Color LaserJet Mgd Flw MFPE78323Z Plus, Flw MFPE78323z CN
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E78323dn
  • HP Color LaserJet Mngd MFP E78323dn Plus, MFP E78323dn CN

The new release also added support for Fedora 32, Manjaro 20.0, RHEL 8.2.

How to Install HPLIP 3.20.6 in Ubuntu:

HPLIP 3.20.6 still does not install on Ubuntu 20.04 due to requirement of python-pyqt5 library.

1. To install the software, download the package “hplip-3.20.6.run” from the link below:

HPLIP Download Page

2. Then open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “terminal” from app launcher. When it opens, run command to give executable permission:

chmod +x ~/Downloads/hplip-3.20.6.run

3. Finally run command to start installing the driver:

./Downloads/hplip-3.20.6.run

Follow the terminal output and answer some questions. If everything goes OK, plug or re-plug your HP devices and enjoy!

HPLIP 3.20.2 Released with Linux Mint 19.3 Support

Last updated: February 27, 2020

HP Linux Imaging and Printing

HPLIP 3.20.2, HP developed open source Linux driver for HP printers and scanners, was released today with many new devices and Linux Mint 19.3 support.

HLIP 3.20.2 added support for Linux Mint 19.3 and the following new printers:

  • HP Neverstop Laser MFP 1200n, 1200nw
  • HP Neverstop Laser MFP 1201n, 1202nw
  • HP Laser NS MFP 1005n
  • HP Neverstop Laser 1000n, 1001nw
  • HP Laser NS 1020n
  • HP ScanJet Pro 2000 s2
  • HP ScanJet Pro 3000 s4
  • HP ScanJet Pro N4000 snw1
  • HP ScanJet Enterprise Flow 5000 s5
  • HP ScanJet Enterprise Flow N7000 snw1

1. To install the software, download the package “hplip-3.20.2.run” from the link below:

HPLIP Download Page

2. Then open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to make the file executable.

chmod +x ~/Downloads/hplip-3.20.2.run

3. Finally run command to run the downloaded file:

sh ~/Downloads/hplip-3.20.2.run

4. Follow the terminal prompts, answer some questions to build and install HPLIP on your system. When everything is done, plug/re-plug your printers and enjoy!

HPLIP 3.19.12 Released with New Printers Support

Last updated: December 12, 2019

HP Linux Imaging and Printing

HPLIP 3.19.12, open source Linux driver for HP printers and scanners, was released today with many new devices support.

HPLIP 3.19.12 added following new devices support:

  • HP Color LaserJet Pro M256dn, M256nw, M256dw.
  • HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dn, M255nw, M255dw.
  • HP Color LaserJet Pro M155a, M155nw, M156a, M156nw.
  • HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M282nw, M284nw
  • HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdn, M285fdn
  • HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283fdw, M285fdw
  • HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283cdw, M285cdw
  • HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M182n, M184n
  • HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M182nw, M184nw
  • HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M183fw, M185fw

This release also added support for Debian 10.1, Debian 10.2, and Manjaro 18.1.2.

1. To install the software, download the package “hplip-3.19.12.run” from the link below:

HPLIP Download Page

2. Then open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “terminal” from app launcher. When it opens, run command to give executable permission:

chmod +x ~/Downloads/hplip-3.19.12.run

3. Finally run command to start installing the driver:

./Downloads/hplip-3.19.12.run

Follow the terminal output and answer some questions. If everything goes OK, plug or re-plug your HP devices and enjoy!

HP Linux Imaging and Printing

HPLIP 3.19.10, HP developed printer and scanner drivers for Linux, was released today with new devices and 64-bit Ubuntu 19.10 support.

HPLIP 3.19.10 added following new devices support:

  • HP Color LaserJet MFP M776dn
  • HP Color LaserJet Flow MFP M776z
  • HP Color LaserJet Flow MFP M776zs
  • HP Color LaserJet M856dn
  • HP Color LaserJet M856x
  • HP Color LaserJet E85055dn

Also 64-bit of Manjaro 18.1.0, Ubuntu 19.10, and Fedora 31 are supported in the release.

HPLIP 3.19.10 also added supported for “hp-uiscan” to scan only backside of a page, added Job Accounting Support for the following devices:

  • HP LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E77822-28-30 Printer
  • HP LaserJet Managed MFP E77822-28-30 Printer
  • HP LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E87640-50-60 Printer
  • HP LaserJet Managed MFP E87640-50-60 Printer
  • HP LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E82540-50-60 Printer
  • HP LaserJet Managed MFP E82540-50-60 Printer
  • HP LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E72525-30-35 Printer
  • HP LaserJet Managed MFP E72525-30-35 Printer

1. To install the software, download the package “hplip-3.19.10.run” from the link below:

HPLIP Download Page

2. Then make the downloaded file executable from its Properties dialog > Permissions tab:

3. Finally open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T or search for “terminal” from app launcher. When it opens, run command to start installing it:

./Downloads/hplip-3.19.10.run

4. Follow the terminal prompts, answer some questions to build and install HPLIP on your system. When everything is done, plug/re-plug your printers and enjoy!