Enhance Microsoft Universal Print with Pharos Cloud
Microsoft Universal Print provides a cloud-native print service for Microsoft 365 organizations. Pharos Cloud complements Universal Print with enterprise print workflows, flexible authentication, pull printing support, print analytics, and broader device support for more complex environments.
Rather than choosing between Universal Print and Pharos Cloud, many organizations use them together: Universal Print provides the Microsoft cloud print foundation, while Pharos Cloud adds the release workflows, authentication options, print data, and user support needed to manage printing across the enterprise.
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Pharos Integration with Universal Print
Pharos Cloud integrates with Microsoft Universal Print to help organizations extend Microsoft cloud printing into enterprise print workflows. Pharos Cloud creates a single virtual printer within Universal Print, allowing employees to print to one shared queue and release documents at Pharos-enabled printers across the organization.
Users authenticate before releasing documents through the method that best fits the organization’s policies and workplace reality: card readers or badges, mobile devices for QR code release, or keyboard login credentials such as passcodes or PINs. This supports pull printing workflows without requiring every employee to use a mobile phone, while helping protect confidential documents, reduce abandoned print jobs, and provide a consistent experience across multi-vendor printer fleets.
As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, Pharos works alongside Microsoft technologies to help organizations modernize print while meeting enterprise security, compliance, cost management, and operational requirements.
Why Use Microsoft Universal Print?
Microsoft Universal Print is well suited for organizations that want a Microsoft-native cloud printing solution to reduce traditional print infrastructure and manage print through Microsoft’s built-in capabilities.
Universal Print may be a strong fit when:
- You need a simple Microsoft cloud print solution.
- Your print requirements are relatively straightforward.
- Your organization can work with direct print workflows, secure print workflows, or a small set of standard print workflows managed through Universal Print.
- Native Universal Print administration meets your current needs.
- Your users have mobile devices available for QR code secure release when that workflow is used.
- Your main goal is to reduce print server dependency while keeping print management inside your Microsoft environment.
Where Pharos Cloud Complements Microsoft Universal Print
Pharos Cloud complements Universal Print when organizations need to extend Microsoft cloud printing into broader enterprise workflows. As print environments grow more complex with multiple locations, mixed printer fleets, diverse user groups, shared devices, and evolving security or compliance requirements, Pharos Cloud helps IT teams support pull printing, flexible authentication, print analytics, and consistent release experiences at scale.
Pharos Cloud complements Universal Print when you need:
- Pull printing is required, but QR code release alone does not fit every employee or workplace environment
- Authentication through card readers or badges, mobile devices for QR code release, or keyboard login credentials such as passcodes or PINs
- Enterprise print workflows across locations, devices, and user groups
- Print data and analytics to manage print costs, understand usage, and guide fleet decisions
- Consistent secure release workflows across complex, distributed, or multi-vendor print environments
- Support for users who need to print from iOS devices, including iPhone and iPad
Example Integration Scenario
Universal Print can provide the Microsoft cloud print foundation for secure print workflows. In environments where pull printing is required but not every employee has a mobile phone for QR code release, Pharos Cloud complements Universal Print by adding release options that better fit the workplace. For example, documents can be sent through Universal Print and held until the user authenticates at a Pharos-enabled printer with a badge, mobile device, passcode, or PIN.
Decision Guide: How Pharos Cloud Complements Universal Print
| Decision Factor | Universal Print provides the foundation when… | Pharos Cloud complements it when… |
|---|---|---|
| Print environment | You have a relatively straightforward print environment with limited workflow variation. | You manage a distributed, multi-location, or multi-vendor fleet with different user, device, and release workflow needs. |
| Cloud print goal | You want a Microsoft-native cloud print service and reduced dependence on traditional print servers. | You want to extend Microsoft cloud printing with enterprise PrintOps workflows, reporting, and consistent release experiences. |
| Pull printing and release | QR code release fits the employee experience and users have mobile devices available when QR release is required. | Pull printing is required, but QR code release alone does not fit every employee or workplace environment. |
| Authentication | Microsoft account-based access and native Universal Print release workflows meet the need. | You need card reader or badge authentication, mobile QR release, or keyboard login credentials such as passcodes or PINs. |
| User and device support | Your supported user base fits native Universal Print workflows. | You need to support additional user workflows, including printing from iOS devices such as iPhone and iPad. |
| Print data and cost visibility | Native Universal Print reporting is enough for your current needs. | You need print analytics to manage print costs, understand usage, and guide fleet decisions. |
| Scale and governance | Your IT team can manage print with native Universal Print administration. | You need consistent secure release workflows across complex, distributed, or multi-vendor environments. |
| Best fit | Universal Print is the Microsoft cloud print foundation. | Pharos Cloud complements Universal Print when enterprise workflows, authentication flexibility, iOS printing, and print analytics are needed. |
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m already a Pharos customer. Do I need to change anything?
No. Universal Print is an option Pharos customers can use as part of their Microsoft 365 environment. If your current Pharos deployment is meeting your needs, you do not need to change your print environment simply because Universal Print is available. Pharos can help you evaluate whether an integration with Universal Print makes sense for your cloud print strategy.
What printers work with Universal Print?
Some newer printers natively support Universal Print. For existing printers that do not have the required firmware, Microsoft provides a connector that connects printers to the Microsoft 365 cloud. Pharos Cloud also supports mixed printer fleets, helping organizations manage secure release workflows across printer manufacturers and device models.
Do I need a print driver?
Universal Print is designed to reduce traditional print driver management. Pharos Cloud complements that foundation by helping organizations provide consistent print and release workflows across supported devices, locations, and user groups.
Will the integration support a mixed-OS environment?
Yes. Microsoft Universal Print supports Windows and macOS. Pharos Cloud extends support for additional environments and workflows, including Linux, ChromeOS, Android, and iOS devices such as iPhone and iPad.
What versions of Windows are supported?
The current integration supports Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise 1903 or later. Confirm current Microsoft and Pharos support requirements before publication or implementation.
Do I need a Microsoft account?
Yes. To use Microsoft Universal Print, users need a Microsoft 365 account connected to Microsoft Entra ID. The Pharos Cloud integration can leverage that Microsoft identity as part of the print workflow.
How does Universal Print integrate with Pharos Cloud to enable secure printing workflows?
Pharos Cloud creates a single virtual printer inside Universal Print. Users print to that shared printer object, then walk to a Pharos-enabled printer. Depending on the organization’s configuration, users can authenticate with a card reader or badge, a mobile device for QR code release, or keyboard login credentials such as a passcode or PIN before releasing their documents.
Why would I use both Pharos Cloud and Microsoft Universal Print?
Use both when Universal Print provides the Microsoft cloud print foundation you want, and your organization needs complementary enterprise capabilities from Pharos Cloud. Common reasons include pull printing when not every employee can rely on mobile QR release, print analytics for managing costs, flexible authentication methods, support for iOS printing, and consistent secure release workflows across complex environments.
When does Microsoft Universal Print work well on its own?
Universal Print can work well on its own when your organization needs a Microsoft-native cloud print solution, has straightforward printing requirements, and can use Universal Print’s native direct or secure print workflows. Pharos Cloud complements Universal Print when you need pull printing workflows that do not rely only on mobile QR release, flexible authentication, print analytics, iOS printing, or consistent release experiences across complex environments.
When does Pharos Cloud complement Universal Print?
Pharos Cloud complements Universal Print when print is part of a broader enterprise modernization effort and IT needs pull printing workflows, flexible authentication, print analytics, support for additional operating systems and mobile devices, or consistent release experiences across many locations, printers, and user groups.
How does Pharos Cloud expand secure release options with Universal Print?
Pharos Cloud expands release options by supporting authentication through card readers or badges, mobile devices for QR code release, and keyboard login credentials such as passcodes or PINs. This is useful when pull printing is required but QR code release alone is not practical for every employee.
What credentials are needed to integrate with Microsoft Universal Print?
In addition to your Pharos Cloud account, you need a Microsoft 365 account connected to Microsoft Entra ID.
Easily Enable Secure Printing Workflows on Any Office Printer
Pharos solutions support mixed environments made up of printers from multiple manufacturers and device models. Whether your organization uses Xerox, Toshiba, Sharp, Ricoh, Lexmark, Konica Minolta, HP, Canon, or other supported devices, Pharos Cloud helps create a consistent secure release experience across the fleet.
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