Microsoft has officially confirmed the public preview launch of Universal Print support for Apple macOS users. The expansion of the service is a significant stride in cross-platform capability, providing an opportunity for businesses that employ both MacOS and Windows systems in their operations to maintain a streamlined printing workflow.
Universal Print: A Cloud-based Innovation
Launched in 2020, Universal Print leverages Microsoft's Azure cloud services, eliminating the necessity for localized driver installations on individual computers by hosting the printing ecosystem online. Introduced almost four years ago, it marked a paradigm shift in managing print services for organizations, simplifying access to printers from different brands including Brother, Canon, Epson, HP, and others.
Microsoft 365 business and education users have had access to Universal Print since March 2021. The service's recent expansion to macOS as a public preview underscores Microsoft's dedication to integrating platforms and enhancing user experiences for a broader audience.
Setting Up Universal Print on macOS
Organizations interested in adopting Universal Print for their Mac systems can initiate the process via the Microsoft Azure Portal. Within the Global Settings menu, administrators will find a “macOS Support (preview)” option that will lead them to download the necessary Universal Print app from Apple's Mac App Store.
Once the application is installed, users can authenticate using their Microsoft 365 credentials provided they have Universal Print support incorporated into their plan. The app facilitates the discovery and addition of printers to one's account, enabling printing tasks directly from the native system print dialog of any Mac application.
While participating in the public preview, users are encouraged to anticipate potential technical discrepancies and report bugs to enhance the robustness of the service. Microsoft has yet to reveal the exact date when Universal Print for macOS will transition from public preview to general availability.
