I tested Polaroids kitschy square-format printer its an addictive way to print and frame your smartphone snaps

Date:
Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Description:
An instant printer and frame for phone photos, the Polaroid Hi-Print 3x3 is a charming way to get more from your camera roll.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Polaroid
Hi-Print 3x3: review Im an instant photography fan, and a firm believer that one photographic print is worth a thousand forgotten files mouldering away in a cloud-storage account so new products from Polaroid always grab my attention. Since its revival in 2017 following the acquisition of the brand name by a group of analog evangelists named The Impossible Project Polaroid has gone from strength to strength, building up an impressive range of
instant cameras and printers (my personal favorite is the Polaroid Flip ).

The Polaroid Hi-Print 3x3 is the brands newest Bluetooth printer, designed to quickly turn images from your phones camera roll into real, tangible prints measuring 3x3 inches. It doesnt take classic Polaroid instant film, instead using a heat-based dye-sublimation to quickly transfer images to paper. Very quickly, in fact the Hi-Print 3x3 can spit out a print in comfortably under
a minute. Polaroid offers two other similar printers the smaller HiPrint 2x3 and the larger Hi-Print 4x6. However, the Hi-Print 3x3 offers two key USPs that make it more than just a gap-filler in the lineup. Image 1 of 4 The Polaroid Hi-Print is able to free-stand vertically, making it a versatile display frame. (Image credit: Jon Stapley) (Image credit: Jon Stapley) (Image credit: Jon Stapley) (Image credit: Jon Stapley) The first, and most significant, is that the Hi-Print 3x3 has a built-in slot for a square photo on one side, with a transparent protective cover that can be placed over the top. Thanks to its boxy rectangular shape, it can be stood vertically on a flat surface and used to display the inserted image meaning it functions as printer and frame all in one. Nifty!

The second is the fact that it prints images in square format, rather than
the rectangular 2x3 or 4x6 formats of the other printers. Your mileage may vary on this one, but for me, a Polaroid isnt a Polaroid if it doesn't have that distinctive square shape, and even though the prints from the Hi-Print 3x3 are made using an identical process to the other two printers, they just feel much more like Polaroids than the rectangular prints do.

Printing is done via your phone, using the Polaroid Hi-Print app available
for iOS or Android. Be warned that the printer can only connect through the app at first I tried connecting via Bluetooth directly, and was confused as to why it wasnt working. Once I booted up the app, the pairing was instant. Image 1 of 4 Prints happen in four key stages: yellow, magenta, cyan, and protective layer. (Image credit: Jon Stapley) (Image credit: Jon Stapley) (Image credit: Jon Stapley) (Image credit: Jon Stapley) Once youve selected
an image to print from your phones camera roll, you are presented with a fairly comprehensive selection of editing tools, including sliders for brightness, contrast, shadows, highlights, saturation, etc, as well as cropping and straightening. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from
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Its the latter two compositional tools that will likely get the most use. As far as color, dynamic range and exposure are concerned, the majority of
modern smartphones have automatic photo-processing that probably beats anything youre going to achieve with a set of fairly imprecise sliders. However, since youre printing in square format and your phone will shoot
wider than that, your images are always going to be cropped, so its worth getting into the habit of ensuring the crop is where you want it, and the composition is to your taste.

There are also options to add stickers and text to your images, and the box contains a set of physical stickers for use on the finished print, if so desired. I did not desire, but you do you. The battery lasts well, and can quickly and easily be topped up via USB-C when needed.

The print quality itself, I would call pretty good. Youll likely be pleased the first time a print comes out the colors are big, bold and vivid. Theres none of the washed-out look that can plague some instant digital printers, especially those that use zero-ink (ZINK) printing like Kodaks Printomatic camera or Canon s Canon Ivy Cliq+2. In terms of visual impact, Polaroid has them both beat. It doesnt quite have the lo-fi magic of Polaroids I-Type film utilized by cameras such as the premium I-2 , but thats what makes it much cheaper to run. Image 1 of 4 You have to remember to tear off the perforated white strip at the bottom for your prints to fit correctly once this is
done, they slot in very easily. (Image credit: Jon Stapley) (Image credit:
Jon Stapley) (Image credit: Jon Stapley) (Image credit: Jon Stapley) In my time with the Hi-Print I did run into one mis-print, caused apparently by paper misalignment. This necessitated a restart of the printer and a redo of the print, cutting my pack of ten down to nine. Not ruinous, but a shame, and since it was my first print, it wasnt the best first impression!

The prints dont hold up to super-close scrutiny, not that Id expect them to. When inspected closely, fine detail can appear rather smudgy. Landscape-style images with distant detail tend to fare the worst in general, the best subject for a print is one with a nice big subject, front and centre. The tonal range isnt bad though I fed through some images featuring sunset
skies, and the printer did a better job than I expected of reproducing the subtle interplays of blues and oranges. Not amazing, but not bad. (Image credit: Jon Stapley) The frame functionality may sound like a gimmick, but I found it rather charming, and I think it extends the fun factor of the printer. Being able to slot in different images whenever you want, according to your mood or the time of year or whatever else its fun! I could
especially see it appealing to a younger person who wants some changeable decoration for their room. The small dimensions and freestanding design of
the Hi-Print allow it to easily be displayed on a shelf, windowsill or
bedside table.

Its nothing groundbreaking, but its a fun way to get photos off your phone
and into the real world. Ive enjoyed my time with it, and while digital instant printing doesnt capture the alchemical magic of instant film, this
for me is as close as it has ever come. Polaroid Hi-Print 3x3: price &
release date Polaroid took the wraps off the Hi-Print 3x3 in April 2026. Its available for a starting price of $119.99 / 99.99 / AU$ 194.00, and thats
with a set of ten sheets included. Once youve blown through those, a re-up cartridge of 30 sheets can be picked up for $24.99 / 22.99 / AU$44 (there are also bulk-buy packages that work out a little cheaper per sheet). True Polaroid I-type instant film is much pricier per print.

This starting price puts it in the middle of Polaroids printer range the smaller Polaroid HiPrint 2x3 Generation 2 is available for $109.99 / 89.99 / AU$176, while the larger-format Polaroid Hi-Print 4x6 starts at $149.99 / 129.99 / AU$264. (Image credit: Jon Stapley) Polaroid Hi-Print 3x3: specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

Dimensions

103 x 131 x 30 mm

Print size

76.2mm x 76.2mm (3" x 3")

Printing process

Dye diffusion thermal transfer

Connectivity

Bluetooth

Battery

Lithium-ion rechargeable

Charging port

USB-C

Print time

< 50 sec

Weight

390g

App compatibility

iOS / Android (Image credit: Jon Stapley) Should I buy the Polaroid Hi-Print 3x3? Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Quick, easy photo printing, augmented by fast charging and an intuitive app.

4/5

Design

Clever free-standing box design gives the printer additional function as a display frame.

4.5/5

Performance

Prints deliver punchy color and decent tonal range, though fine details can get smudgy.

4/5

Value

Its cheaper than a Polaroid camera, though still not exactly cheap (and
papers an ongoing cost).

3.5/5 Buy it if You want a fun, changeable way to display your images The
ease of printing and swapping out your photos makes the Hi-Print 3x3 an at-home photo display that can change with your mood. You want to print your smartphone images If youve got a lot of images languishing in your phones camera roll, the Hi-Print 3x3 is a great way to do something with them. Dont buy it if You want prints that feel like Polaroid photos While the square format is a step in the right direction, dye-sub printing isnt the same as instant film. You'd rather not rely on an app You're limited to just the Polaroid Hi-Print app for this one. Polaroid Hi-Print 3x3: also consider
Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell - Column 0

Polaroid Hi-Print 3x3

Kodak Mini 2 Retro

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3

Type

Digital instant printer

Digital instant printer

Instant film printer

Print size

3 x 3

2.1 x 3.4"

1.8 x 2.4

Connectivity

Bluetooth

Bluetooth

Bluetooth

Charging port

USB-C

Micro USB

USB-C

Printing time

Approx. 50 sec

Approx. 70 sec

Approx. 15 sec (approx. 90 sec developing time)

Weight

390g

245g

210g

Dimensions

131 x 103 x 30mm

134 x 80 x 26mm

125 x 90 x 37.3mm Kodak Mini 2 Retro A smaller, cheaper alternative to the Hi-Print, the Kodak Mini 2 Retro is also a dye-sub printer meaning its much better than the ultra-cheap ZINK printers. However, its prints are smaller
and slower to make, and it doesnt match the vivid colors of Polaroid.
Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3 If youll accept no substitute for printing on actual film, then Fujifilms Instax Mini Link 3 is what youre looking for
itll take your phone photos and transfer them to Instax Mini film. The
quality is lovely and long-lasting, but it does make the printer more expensive to run.

Read our in-depth Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3 review Other Polaroid Hi-Print models Polaroid Hi Print 129.99 119 View See all prices Polaroid HiPrint 2x3 42.79 View See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for
the best prices powered by How I tested the Polaroid Hi-Print 3x3 I tested
the Polaroid Hi-Print 3x3 using two full cartridges of paper I transferred
and edited photographs from my phone using the Android version of the app I mounted the photos into the frame and displayed them at various points around my home Polaroid sent me the Hi-Print 3x3 to try, along with several cartridges of paper. I downloaded the app to my phone and used it to connect to the printer, testing out the editing functions before sending images to
the printer.

I selected a variety of different images, including landscapes, selfies, pet images, food shots and more, with a range of colour tones and compositions.

Once images were printed, I displayed them in the slot as specified, and placed them in various spots around my home to see how they looked. First reviewed: April 2026 Read more about how we test



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/cameras/camera-accessories/polaroid-hi-print-3x3-rev iew


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