The Canon SELPHY Square QX10 is a compact photo printer that uses dye sublimation and heat to print images. It uses one color cartridge with individual dye transfer films for cyan, yellow, and magenta that transfer to the photo sheets when a certain amount of heat is applied. This helps it print much nicer-looking photos than some other inkless and cartridgeless printers, and its colors look much more natural. Unfortunately, its cartridge is only good for 20 photos, meaning you'll need to carry around an extra cartridge and pack of photo sheets if you want to print more than that while you're out with friends, journaling, or creating a photo wall.
Our Verdict
The Canon SELPHY QX10 is bad for home use, but it isn't for printing anything but photos. That said, it prints decent-looking photos with reasonably accurate colors, especially for a compact photo printer. It uses dye-sublimation transfer film instead of ink, but it's good for 20 photos only.
- Compact and easy to carry around.
- Prints decent-looking photos.
- Cartridge needs to be replaced every 20 photos.
- Only compatible with Canon proprietary paper.
- Can only print via iOS or Android devices using the dedicated app.
- Isn't for printing documents.
The Canon SELPHY QX10 isn't for small or home office use. It's a compact, dye-sub printer made for printing small photos, and it can't print text documents.
- Isn't for printing documents.
The Canon SELPHY QX10 is bad for student use, but it isn't for printing documents. It's a dye-sub photo printer to print out pictures from your phone.
- Compact and easy to carry around.
- Prints decent-looking photos.
- Can only print via iOS or Android devices using the dedicated app.
- Isn't for printing documents.
The Canon SELPHY QX10 isn't for black and white printing. It's a compact, dye-sub photo printer that can't print text documents.
- Isn't for printing documents.
The Canon SELPHY QX10 is inadequate for printing photos of many different sizes. It's limited to proprietary 2.84" x 3.35" (72mm x 85mm) sheets, meaning it can only print 2.4", 2.6", and 2.7" square photos. On the bright side, its sheets are a great size for journaling or hanging on your wall, and the sheet backing is sticky, so you can easily use your photos as stickers. Printed images have a decent amount of details, and while some colors don't look exactly like the originals, they still look reasonably accurate.
- Compact and easy to carry around.
- Prints decent-looking photos.
- Cartridge needs to be replaced every 20 photos.
- Only compatible with Canon proprietary paper.
- Can only print via iOS or Android devices using the dedicated app.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Feb 28, 2025:
Added mention of the Fujifilm instax mini Link 3 as an alternative that produces smaller prints in the Photo Printing Size 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.
- Updated Mar 16, 2023: We've changed the printer type to Photo Only in the Build Quality section because this printer can only print photos. This change doesn't affect the score.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Canon SELPHY Square QX10 in white, but it's also available in pink, green, and black. You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Printer Comparisons
The Canon SELPHY Square QX10 is a compact photo printer. It's an inkless thermal printer like the Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer. However, instead of using ZINK sheets that contain color within them, it uses dye transfer film that transfers the color to a photo sheet. It prints on Canon proprietary photo paper, 2.84" x 3.35" in size, which is sold with the cartridge. Its printed photos have a decent amount of detail for an instant photo printer, and while colors aren't perfect, they still look fairly good for casual prints. Unlike many other printers we've tested, this one's purpose is to print small, instant photos from your phone that you can then use for journaling, sticker-making, and other craft hobbies.
See our recommendations about the best photo printers, the best wireless printers, and the best home printers.
The Fujifilm instax Link WIDE and Canon SELPHY Square QX10 are both portable photo printers; however, they work differently from one another. The Fujifilm printer uses film rather than paper, similar to Polaroid film, whereas the Canon uses dye sublimation and heat. Both require proprietary film and paper to print. The Fujifilm has the edge when it comes to print and color quality, as its wider color gamut and better color accuracy make photos appear more vivid and detailed. That being said, the Canon gives you a wider range of customization, as you can print in various paper sizes. The Canon also prints faster, as photos from the Fujifilm printer take a long time to develop.
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.
The Canon PIXMA TS6320 is an all-in-one color inkjet printer, while the Canon SELPHY Square QX10 is a compact, battery-powered model made for printing casual photos on the go. The PIXMA is a better option if you want a traditional printer to print photos and documents. It supports many paper sizes, and its photos look much more detailed. On the other hand, the SELPHY is a better option if you want an easy-to-carry printer to easily print small photos for journaling or decorating.
The Canon SELPHY Square QX10 and the HP OfficeJet 250 are both compact battery-powered printers. The Canon is a pocket-sized printer for printing small photos taken with your phone. The HP is a traditional inkjet printer for printing and scanning documents when on the go. It accepts many different paper sizes, including Letter and Legal, and it has an automatic document feeder for scanning.
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