Microsoft OneDrive Adds Universal Print Capability

Microsoft added their recently released Universal Print technology to OneDrive to simplify employee access to organizational printers.

Richard Hay, Senior Content Producer

August 17, 2021

2 Min Read
universal print microsoft 365
Microsoft

Microsoft introduced their Universal Print service earlier this year as a way for Microsoft 365 commercial and education customers to use the cloud to manage printing hardware across an organization. This Azure cloud-based printing service allows authorized users access to organizational printer resources. That simplicity of the Universal Print service is now coming to Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage system.

Universal Print Service Benefits

Typically, to access an organizational printer, a device needs to be configured so it’s recognized as a safe device controlled by an approved user. So what happens in a workplace where users typically have more than one device? Prior to this Universal Print service, it meant a lot of work:  Each potential printer a user would need had to be configured on their devices separately by the IT department.

Universal Print removes that configuration requirement. In addition, according to Microsoft, the printing experience will now be the same across all of their browsers and devices, which makes the process more familiar and easier to use.

Adding Universal Print to Microsoft OneDrive enables this same ease-of-use capability without the need to locally store a cloud-based file on a device just to print it out.

How Universal Print Works on Microsoft OneDrive

universal-print-microsoft-one-drive-dialog-1.png

universal-print-microsoft-one-drive-dialog-1

While browsing their files on OneDrive, a user simply selects the file and then selects the Print button that appears in the web user interface toolbar above the file list in the web browser.

The user can then search and select the organizational printer plus modify other basic print settings such as the number of copies, orientation, color, paper size, printing on both sides, and how many pages per sheet. An option is also available directly below the printer drop down box to print the document from the web to a local printer that is attached to the device currently in use.

Note: Some of these options will depend upon the capabilities of the target printer.

Availability and Support for Universal Print in OneDrive

Microsoft confirmed the new cloud-based universal printing service and experience will be available for Microsoft 365 customers this week.

Initial support includes PDF, XPS, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint file types with additional options being added in the future.

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About the Author

Richard Hay

Senior Content Producer, IT Pro Today (Informa Tech)

I served for 29 plus years in the U.S. Navy and retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer in November 2011. My work background in the Navy was telecommunications related so my hobby of computers fit well with what I did for the Navy. I consider myself a tech geek and enjoy most things in that arena.

My first website – AnotherWin95.com – came online in 1995. Back then I used GeoCities Web Hosting for it and WindowsObserver.com is the result of the work I have done on that site since 1995.

In January 2010 my community contributions were recognized by Microsoft when I received my first Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award for the Windows Operating System. Since then I have been renewed as a Microsoft MVP each subsequent year since that initial award. I am also a member of the inaugural group of Windows Insider MVPs which began in 2016.

I previously hosted the Observed Tech PODCAST for 10 years and 317 episodes and now host a new podcast called Faith, Tech, and Space. 

I began contributing to Penton Technology websites in January 2015 and in April 2017 I was hired as the Senior Content Producer for Penton Technology which is now Informa Tech. In that role, I contribute to ITPro Today and cover operating systems, enterprise technology, and productivity.

https://twitter.com/winobs

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