The Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer is a compact photo printer with a built-in battery. It only connects to iOS or Android devices via Bluetooth and can only print 2" x 3" pictures on proprietary ZINK photo paper through Canon's IVY mobile app. The ZINK photo paper is also water-resistant, smudge-proof, and has an adhesive backing, allowing you to use the photos as decorations or in a collage. Its rechargeable battery is good for 20 prints and charges over Micro USB.
Our Verdict
The Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer is a poor printer for family use. While it's primarily meant for use as a compact photo printer, it prints poor-quality photos that aren't suitable for detailed family photos or professional-grade graduation portraits. It doesn't have scanning features, and you can only use Android or iOS devices to print using the dedicated Canon Mini Print app.
- Extremely compact and easy to bring around.
- No moving parts or consumables to worry about.
- Poor-quality photos with lost details and red pixelation.
- Lots of banding within color gradients.
- Can only print via iOS or Android devices using the dedicated app.
- No scanning features.
The Canon IVY Mini isn't designed for small or home office use, as it's a portable photo printer that can only print 2" x 3" photos on proprietary ZINK paper.
- No scanning features.
- Very slow to print overall.
- 2" x 3" ZINK photo paper unsuitable for documents.
The Canon IVY Mini is awful for student use, although it works well for recreation, like casually printing out snaps with friends. Unfortunately, it's slow to print, it doesn't have a scanner, and you can't directly print most commonly used files other than photos.
- Extremely compact and easy to bring around.
- No moving parts or consumables to worry about.
- Can only print via iOS or Android devices using the dedicated app.
- No scanning features.
- Very slow to print overall.
- 2" x 3" ZINK photo paper unsuitable for documents.
The Canon IVY Mini isn't designed to print black & white sheets, as it's a portable photo printer that can only print 2" x 3" photos on proprietary ZINK paper.
- No scanning features.
- Very slow to print overall.
- 2" x 3" ZINK photo paper unsuitable for documents.
The Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer performs poorly overall as a photo printer. Since the sheets are so small, it loses fine details that would be present on larger prints. There's also lots of banding in gradients and transitions between colors, as well as red pixelation that's most visible in darker areas. Colors are passably accurate, but the tone could make faces look off. However, it's designed to be a portable printer for recreation, so it's great for printing casual snapshots while on the go.
- Extremely compact and easy to bring around.
- No moving parts or consumables to worry about.
- Poor-quality photos with lost details and red pixelation.
- Lots of banding within color gradients.
- Can only print via iOS or Android devices using the dedicated app.
- Compatible only with 2" x 3" ZINK sheets.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Feb 28, 2025:
Added mention of the Canon SELPHY QX20 as an alternative with better color accuracy in the color accuracy section.
- Updated Oct 02, 2024: Added mention of the Polaroid Hi-Print Generation 2 as an alternative that can reproduce fine elements with superior clarity in the Small Details section.
- Updated Sep 30, 2024: Added mention of the Fujifilm instax Link WIDE as a portable photo printer alternative with a wider color gamut in the Color Gamut section.
- Updated Jul 15, 2024: Added mention of the Epson WorkForce WF-110 as an alternative that prints documents in the Black & White Documents section.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Canon IVY Mini in the Rose Gold trim. It's also available in Mint Green and Slate Gray trims.
You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Printer Comparisons
The Canon IVY Mini is a compact photo printer that's easy to carry around for on-the-go recreational use. Its print quality isn't nearly as good as most desktop printers; however, it may still be a good option if you're looking for a more polaroid-like look.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best photo printers, the best cheap printers, and the best Canon printers.
The Canon PIXMA TR8620 is a color inkjet printer that produces excellent-quality photos, while the Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer is a compact, battery-powered model that only prints photos. The PIXMA performs better as a traditional printer, as it has a far superior cost-per-print, prints significantly better-detailed, vibrant photos with much more accurate colors, and has an outstanding variety of connectivity options, including direct printing from SD cards. On the other hand, the IVY is a better option if you want a printer that can quickly and easily print casual 2" x 3" photos from a mobile device while on the go.
The Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer is a compact, battery-powered photo printer for casual photo printing, while the Epson EcoTank ET-2760 is a supertank printer that's great for families or students. On paper, the Canon performs worse in almost every way, but it prints 2" x 3" photos in under a minute using special water-resistant, adhesive-backed paper and is great if you only need to print from your mobile device. On the other hand, the Epson has incredible page yields, an exceptionally low cost-per-print, a flatbed scanner, and great connectivity options that make it better suited for general, all-purpose use.
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 is a professional-grade photo printer with a 10-cartridge system, while the Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer is a compact, battery-powered photo printer that easily produces casual prints from your smartphone. The imagePROGRAF is far superior for photo printing, as it produces superbly detailed photos with no banding, amazingly accurate colors, and an outstanding color gamut. Also, it has significantly more connectivity options. On the other hand, the IVY performs much worse on paper, but the quality of its 2" x 3" prints and its method of use might appeal to people who want a simple-to-use photo printer that you can bring along on the go.
The Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer and the Canon SELPHY Square QX10 are both instant photo printers. The IVY uses ZINK sheets, which contain dye crystals that become visible when exposed to different heat intensities. While you only need to worry about refilling the paper, its colors and photos are much darker and bluer than they should be. On the other hand, the SELPHY has a cartridge with dye transfer films for each color that transfer to the photo sheet once heat is applied. It has much more detailed photos, and its colors look much more vibrant and accurate.
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