Microsoft Universal Print is revolutionizing office printing, much like OneDrive transformed file storage, by eliminating the need for traditional print servers. This innovative cloud-based print solution is designed to accelerate your digital transformation journey and simplify cloud adoption. It leverages the robust and secure cloud infrastructure that powers Microsoft 365 services like Teams and SharePoint, platforms trusted by millions globally.
In today’s dynamic business landscape, your team needs agility and flexibility, along with seamless access to essential tools. Simultaneously, robust digital security is paramount. To thrive, organizations require a printing solution that is not only secure and scalable but also effortlessly manageable. Universal Print rises to this challenge, meeting businesses where they are in their cloud evolution.
What Exactly is a Cloud Print Solution Like Microsoft Universal Print?
While server rooms have largely migrated to the cloud, print infrastructure has lagged behind, primarily due to the complexity of securely connecting physical printers to the cloud. On-premises print management often involves intricate server configurations and scripts, leading to management overhead and potential security vulnerabilities.
Microsoft Universal Print streamlines this cloud migration by replacing these complex on-premises setups with a centralized, cloud-managed print solution. It offers a highly available infrastructure and a simplified user experience. This shift not only empowers IT administrators to focus on strategic initiatives but also dramatically reduces the costs, complexities, and common issues associated with maintaining on-site print servers. Universal Print represents a significant step forward in modernizing print infrastructure for the cloud era.
Key Benefits of Choosing Microsoft Universal Print
Microsoft Universal Print offers compelling advantages for organizations of all sizes, particularly if you’ve encountered any of these common printing frustrations:
- Security Concerns: Worried about the security of your print data in the cloud?
- IT Headaches: Spent countless hours troubleshooting printing issues after server or driver updates?
- Reporting Challenges: Struggled to gather comprehensive print cost and usage data from disparate sources?
- User Support Overload: Drowning in support tickets from users struggling to find or connect to printers?
Built upon decades of Microsoft’s print technology expertise, Universal Print delivers a streamlined and intuitive printing experience for both IT administrators and end-users. The core requirement is simply a printer with an internet connection and a device from which to print.
By simplifying print management and eliminating print server overhead, Microsoft Universal Print demonstrably reduces operational costs. Furthermore, it enhances security and reliability by leveraging the trusted Microsoft 365 infrastructure your organization already depends on.
| Benefits for IT Admins | Benefits for Print Users |
|---|---|
| ✓ Centralized Management for Global Control | ✓ Printing That Simply Works, Effortlessly |
| Manage your entire organization’s print environment from a single pane of glass within the Azure Portal, regardless of whether your operations span continents. | Users enjoy a seamless print experience integrated with Windows, macOS, Intune, OneDrive, and even Excel. The intuitive design means zero learning curve, allowing users to remain focused on their core tasks. |
| ✓ Reduced Downtime and Worry-Free Operation | ✓ Effortless Printer Discovery, Wherever You Are |
| Rely on a robust infrastructure to ensure uptime and data security. Universal Print is built on the same hardened platform that powers mission-critical Microsoft services like Teams and OneDrive, ensuring a zero-trust environment (explore our upcoming zero-trust guide for deeper insights). | Moving between offices or locations shouldn’t mean printer setup hassles. Universal Print simplifies printer discovery, making it easy to find and connect to nearby printers instantly. |
| ✓ Say Goodbye to Print Servers | ✓ Print From Anywhere, On Any Device, From Any App |
| Eliminate the burden of print server maintenance, upgrades, and troubleshooting. With Universal Print compatible printers, all you need is the printer itself and users ready to print – no middleware required. | Universal Print operates over the internet, empowering users to print from any location without the complexities and costs of VPNs. Cross-platform compatibility across Windows, macOS, and web applications means users can print from virtually any app on any device. |
| ✓ Driverless Printing – A Thing of Beauty | |
| Print drivers are notorious for maintenance overhead, system crashes, and security vulnerabilities. Universal Print eliminates print drivers entirely, simplifying management and enhancing security. | |
| ✓ Cloud-Native Identity Management with Microsoft Entra ID | |
| Leverage Microsoft Entra ID for unified identity management across your organization, including print. Say goodbye to complex hybrid identity setups. | |
| ✓ Maximize Your Existing Hardware Investments | |
| Universal Print integrates seamlessly with your existing printer fleet and supports printing from diverse endpoints, including macOS devices, extending the lifespan and value of your current hardware. | |
| ✓ Simplified Regulatory Compliance | |
| Benefit from Microsoft’s extensive suite of compliance certifications, which extend to Universal Print, including SOC, ISO 27001/2 and 27018, FedRAMP, and more. |
Robust Partner Integrations Expand Universal Print’s Capabilities
Microsoft Universal Print boasts a thriving ecosystem of software and hardware partners, further extending its functionality and compatibility.
→ Explore Universal Print’s Partner Integrations: fundamentals/universal-print-partner-integrations
Universal Print Ready Printers: Hardware Partners
Universal Print hardware partner logos showcasing compatibility and seamless integration.
Expanding the Ecosystem: Solution Partners
Logos of Universal Print solution partners, highlighting the breadth of integrated services and applications.
Universal Print vs. Traditional On-Premises Print Solutions: Key Differences
As a cloud-native print solution, Microsoft Universal Print operates fundamentally differently from traditional on-premises printing setups:
- Internet-Based Architecture: All print jobs and print management tasks are executed over the internet. This liberates users from network constraints and enables centralized printer management via the Azure Portal. Microsoft’s dedicated security and operations teams manage the service infrastructure, adhering to stringent security and reliability protocols, resulting in a more secure print environment compared to self-managed, firewalled infrastructures.
- Centralized Reporting and Visibility: Every printer is registered with Universal Print in the cloud, providing instant access to management, status monitoring, and comprehensive reporting. Gain an at-a-glance overview of your entire print infrastructure or drill down into specific printer details, all from a unified interface.
- Driverless Printing Paradigm: Built on industry standards like IPP and Mopria, Universal Print enables printers to communicate directly with the cloud service, eliminating the need for driver deployment, maintenance, and associated troubleshooting.
- Automatic and Continuous Updates: Universal Print follows a continuous delivery model, ensuring your organization consistently benefits from the latest security enhancements, quality improvements, reliability updates, and feature additions. These updates are applied automatically in the background, minimizing disruption and freeing up IT resources.
Tip: Delve deeper into Universal Print’s architecture and operational mechanics to gain a comprehensive understanding.
Universal Print vs. Other Cloud Print Solutions: Unique Advantages
While sharing similarities with other cloud print solutions, Microsoft Universal Print distinguishes itself with several key advantages:
- Native Integration Across the Microsoft Ecosystem: Universal Print is seamlessly integrated within Windows, OneDrive, Excel, and macOS environments. This native integration translates to effortless operation – no complex configurations or deployments required. Users simply discover and utilize printers directly from their devices and applications.
- Unmatched Security, Privacy, and Scalability: Built on the same robust platform as Microsoft’s mission-critical services like Teams, Exchange, OneDrive, and Office, Universal Print inherits their industry-leading security, availability, and scalability. This ensures a print environment with unparalleled levels of trust and performance.
- Advanced Print Functionality via Print Support Apps (PSAs): While driverless printing enhances security and simplifies management, it can sometimes limit access to advanced printer features not universally supported by standards like Mopria. Universal Print and Windows address this through Print Support Apps (PSAs). PSAs enable printer manufacturers to securely and efficiently deliver their unique and advanced functionalities.
- Customizable Functionality with Microsoft Graph API: For organizations with custom applications requiring print capabilities, Universal Print offers the Microsoft Graph API. This powerful API allows for seamless integration and extension of Universal Print functionality to meet specific business needs.
Take the Next Step with Microsoft Universal Print
Microsoft Universal Print is poised to transform your organization’s printing infrastructure, offering enhanced security, simplified management, and a seamless user experience. Embrace the future of printing and unlock the full potential of your digital workplace with Microsoft Universal Print.
