Microsoft Introduces Pull Print Feature, Allowing Users to Retrieve Print Jobs Remotely, Even for Sensitive Documents like "Termination of Employment" Memos
Microsoft Introduces Universal Print Anywhere for Secure and Convenient Printing
Microsoft has made its "Pull Print" feature, known as Universal Print Anywhere, generally available for Microsoft 365 organisations. This innovative system allows users to send print jobs to a virtual pull-print queue, rather than selecting a specific printer upfront [1][2][5].
In this system, users can walk up to any registered corporate printer and authenticate at the printer, often using a QR code scan with a mobile device, to securely release their print job [1]. This feature stores the print jobs encrypted in Microsoft’s cloud until released.
To implement this system, administrators need to register physical printers with Universal Print. This can be done either by using Universal Print-ready hardware or via the Universal Print connector for legacy devices, and then grouping them in pull-print queues [2]. A single printer can belong to multiple such queues, providing flexible printer grouping.
Universal Print Anywhere offers several key benefits for secure and convenient printing. One of the main advantages is increased privacy and security. By holding documents until the user authenticates at the chosen printer, sensitive material is prevented from being left unattended, eliminating the typical "dash-and-grab" problem [1][3].
Another significant benefit is user convenience. Users print once to a single virtual queue and release documents at any participating printer, removing the usual confusion of selecting the correct physical printer from long lists [2][3].
Moreover, Universal Print Anywhere reduces waste by only releasing print jobs when the user is physically at the printer, saving paper and toner [1][3]. Additionally, the cloud-based architecture means no need for on-premises print servers when using Universal Print-ready printers or the Universal Print connector, simplifying infrastructure [2].
The feature is device-agnostic, supporting Windows and macOS clients with print job release via QR codes scanned by phone cameras or the Microsoft 365 mobile app, enabling broad usability [2].
Universal Print has two ways to release a print job: direct print and secure release. In secure release, users send the job and then turn up at the destination printer to release it by scanning a QR code [4].
In conclusion, Universal Print Anywhere enhances security by holding print jobs until user authentication at the device, improves convenience by decoupling job submission and printer selection, lowers resource waste, and leverages cloud infrastructure fully integrated with Microsoft 365 [1][2][3][5].
