Microsoft has quietly but decisively closed one of the more embarrassing security gaps in everyday office life: printing confidential documents and walking away. The company's Universal Print service now offers a fully supported Pull print capability — marketed as Universal Print anywhere — which lets users send a job to a virtual, location-agnostic queue and only release it at the printer they actually approach, reducing the chance of sensitive documents sitting exposed on output trays.
Universal Print has been Microsoft’s cloud-first replacement for traditional on-premises print servers for several years, gradually expanding functionality and platform coverage. The service moved beyond basic cloud-printing in 2023 and 2024 with secure release mechanisms and macOS support; the most recent step is the addition of pull-print — the long-favored enterprise feature sometimes called “Find‑Me” or “Follow‑Me” printing — into general availability.
Pull-print addresses two common pain points in shared-office printing: accidental disclosure of sensitive documents left on printers, and waste from uncollected print jobs. Organizations using Universal Print can now create pull-print queues that map to multiple physical printers; users print once to the virtual queue and then authenticate at any participating device to retrieve their job. The functionality builds on the existing Secure release with QR code flow, and Microsoft plans to broaden release options (for example, badge/card-based release) to better integrate with existing on-prem authentication systems.
This feature has appeared in Microsoft documentation and is referenced in the company’s administrative channels as having reached production readiness in mid‑2025. Universal Print anywhere is included under existing Universal Print licensing entitlements, meaning many Microsoft 365 and Windows Enterprise customers won’t need to buy extra software to use it.
Administrators can also configure a printer as a direct printer (classic immediate release) or as a member printer for secure release. Membership is at the core of the system’s flexibility: it determines what physical devices will accept release requests for a particular pull-print queue.
Practical technical points confirmed in the documentation:
Cautionary note: Microsoft’s public communications include roadmap intentions and partner integration plans, but precise delivery timelines and partner coverage vary; treat these items as planned enhancements rather than guaranteed timelines for mission-critical migrations.
Universal Print anywhere brings a long-awaited, practical feature to the Microsoft ecosystem: the convenience of printing from anywhere, combined with the security of authenticated release. For many IT departments, it will reduce a familiar source of embarrassment — confidential pages left on printers — without adding new servers or licensing complexity. The critical operational work is not technical, but managerial: selecting the right printers to include, planning print-job capacity, training users, and deciding when to replace or retire specialized print-release systems. Organizations that treat the rollout like a change-management project rather than a pure technical switch will get the most value while managing the inevitable edge cases.
Universal Print’s Pull print is not revolutionary in concept — the enterprise printing world has used find‑me and badge-release systems for years — but its arrival as a native, no‑additional‑license option for many Microsoft customers removes a key barrier to adoption. For most organizations invested in Microsoft 365, the default next step should be a measured pilot: test the QR-based flow, evaluate user acceptance and print-job counts, and prepare badge integrations where needed. The end result is a safer, cleaner, and more user-friendly print environment — and one less reason for confidential documents to end up in the wrong hands.
Source: theregister.com Microsoft pushes Pull print to lessen your dash 'n' grabs
Background
Universal Print has been Microsoft’s cloud-first replacement for traditional on-premises print servers for several years, gradually expanding functionality and platform coverage. The service moved beyond basic cloud-printing in 2023 and 2024 with secure release mechanisms and macOS support; the most recent step is the addition of pull-print — the long-favored enterprise feature sometimes called “Find‑Me” or “Follow‑Me” printing — into general availability.Pull-print addresses two common pain points in shared-office printing: accidental disclosure of sensitive documents left on printers, and waste from uncollected print jobs. Organizations using Universal Print can now create pull-print queues that map to multiple physical printers; users print once to the virtual queue and then authenticate at any participating device to retrieve their job. The functionality builds on the existing Secure release with QR code flow, and Microsoft plans to broaden release options (for example, badge/card-based release) to better integrate with existing on-prem authentication systems.
This feature has appeared in Microsoft documentation and is referenced in the company’s administrative channels as having reached production readiness in mid‑2025. Universal Print anywhere is included under existing Universal Print licensing entitlements, meaning many Microsoft 365 and Windows Enterprise customers won’t need to buy extra software to use it.
What Universal Print anywhere actually does
Universal Print anywhere, or pull print, changes the mental model of printing in the corporate environment. Instead of selecting a printer name from a long list before printing, users:- Send their document to a single "pull-print" queue (a virtual printer share).
- Walk to any registered printer that participates in that pull-print configuration.
- Authenticate at the device and release their document for printing.
- User-facing simplicity: Print once, retrieve anywhere. This reduces user errors when choosing an incorrect printer and lowers help-desk tickets related to wrong‑printer output.
- Security-first design: Jobs are held until authenticated release, eliminating the typical “dash‑and‑grab” problem where confidential documents print while the user is away.
- Serverless cloud architecture: Pull-print is built atop the Universal Print cloud service and uses existing printer registration and secure-release configuration; no new on-prem print server is required when using cloud‑ready printers or the Universal Print connector.
- Device-agnostic printing: Works across Windows and macOS clients; the release flow currently leverages phone-based QR scanning via the Microsoft 365 mobile app or the native phone camera.
How it works: the mechanics under the hood
Printer onboarding and membership
Administrators register physical printers into Universal Print — directly for Universal Print–ready hardware or via the Universal Print connector for legacy devices. Once registered, printers are assigned to one or more pull-print printers (virtual queues). A single physical printer can be a member of multiple pull-print queues, giving admins flexible grouping options by building, floor, or department.Administrators can also configure a printer as a direct printer (classic immediate release) or as a member printer for secure release. Membership is at the core of the system’s flexibility: it determines what physical devices will accept release requests for a particular pull-print queue.
Secure release (current implementations)
At General Availability, Universal Print anywhere is paired with Secure release with QR code, a flow that requires the user to authenticate before a job is released. The release is initiated by scanning a QR code affixed to the physical printer using the device’s camera app or the Microsoft 365 mobile app. The app verifies the user’s corporate identity and shows available held jobs for release.Practical technical points confirmed in the documentation:
- The Microsoft 365 mobile app is required for the app-based flow; developers published recommended minimum versions for Android and iOS to ensure compatibility.
- The administrator prints and physically attaches a QR code to each participating printer after enabling QR code secure release in the Universal Print portal.
- When secure release is activated on a printer, print jobs sent to that printer are held until released by the scanning flow — they will not print automatically.
Print option and format control
Pull-print virtual queues inherit a restricted set of print options that administrators select when creating the pull-print printer. Administrators can constrain:- Document formats (PDF, PWG‑Raster, PCLm, URF, XPS, RAW)
- Orientation, duplexing, color modes, paper sizes, quality settings
- Output finishing like stapling and hole punching (subject to device capabilities)
Administrator experience: setup and management
Implementing Universal Print anywhere involves a set of administrative steps in the Universal Print management portal:- Register physical printers to Universal Print (direct registration or via connector).
- Enable secure release with QR code on each member printer you want to include.
- Create a pull-print (anywhere) printer queue in the Universal Print portal.
- Add member printers to the pull-print queue and define the organizational location and descriptive metadata for discovery.
- Print and affix QR codes to each participating physical printer (Microsoft recommends physically attaching printed QR codes).
- Configure the allowed print options and limit the user-facing choices to reduce errors and extra support overhead.
- Monitor usage and print-volume consumption through Universal Print reporting tools.
Client requirements and caveats
- Users need a licensed account that grants Universal Print access. Many Microsoft 365 and Windows Enterprise SKUs include Universal Print entitlement and a pooled monthly print-job allowance; organizations without those SKUs can purchase Universal Print as a standalone subscription or buy the new Universal Print user SKU.
- The QR code-based release flow requires either the Microsoft 365 mobile app (corporate account sign-in) or a device camera that triggers the Microsoft 365 app. Mobile device management and company BYOD policies will affect whether employees can use their phone for releases.
- Pull-print’s current secure release option is QR-based. Organizations with strict no-phone policies, or where phones cannot be used at printers, will need to wait for badge/card release integrations or use third‑party systems that already support swipe-based release.
- Not all advanced, vendor-specific print options may be available through Universal Print — administrators should test device capabilities when migrating complex printing workloads.
Security and privacy benefits
Pull-print addresses a conspicuous security risk in offices: confidential pages printed to a shared device, forgotten by the owner, and read by an unintended party. Benefits include:- Reduced accidental disclosure: Jobs sit encrypted in the cloud until release, preventing casual viewing of sensitive material.
- Better auditability: Release events are tied to authenticated user actions, which improves logging and post-incident forensics.
- Reduced waste: Jobs that aren’t released do not consume print-job volume and do not waste paper and toner.
- Simpler enforcement of policies: Admins can limit print options (e.g., force black-and-white, duplex) at the pull-print queue level to enforce cost and environmental policies.
Limitations and risks — what to watch for
Despite clear benefits, Pull print is not a panacea. Consider these limitations and operational risks before a broad rollout:- Physical QR code dependency: The initial secure-release method relies on printed QR codes taped to devices. That’s a pragmatic but inelegant hack; codes can be removed, damaged, or copied. Until badge/card release becomes available, organizations that require higher assurance around physical device authentication may not find the QR approach acceptable.
- BYOD and mobile app concerns: The secure-release workflow expects users to use mobile devices for release. Where employees don’t have phones, refuse to install the Microsoft 365 app, or are restricted from using personal devices, this creates friction. Some environments (secure labs, visitor printers) may need alternative release mechanisms.
- Feature parity with third-party systems: Mature print-management platforms (PaperCut, Equitrac, uniFLOW) often include rich features: dedicated on-prem release servers, card/badge readers, quota enforcement, advanced reporting, single sign-on integrations, and driver-level options. Universal Print is advancing fast, but organizations that need these enterprise features may find gaps.
- Managed release complexity: If a printer already has another secure-release mechanism (badge, PIN), combining flows can create double-release complexity — for example, a QR release from Universal Print releases the job into the printer, but the printer may still require a secondary badge swipe to actually produce pages.
- Licensing and print volume planning: While many Microsoft 365 licenses include Universal Print entitlements, print-job volume is pooled across the tenant and could be insufficient when an organization scales up usage without checking allowances. Organizations that underestimate usage may incur the need to buy add-on print-job packs.
- Operational readiness and training: Universal Print anywhere simplifies the user experience at the point of use, but the admin setup, signage, and user guidance need to be rolled out carefully. Expect an initial bump in support tickets as staff get used to scanning QR codes and locating the right printer.
How Universal Print compares to established alternatives
Pull-print patterns aren’t new. Vendors such as PaperCut, YSoft, and PrintFleet have offered “Find‑Me,” “Follow‑Me,” or badge release functionality for years. Universal Print’s arrival at GA means Microsoft is providing a zero-additional-cost option (for eligible customers) that is tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory. Important comparison points:- Cost: For tenants already licensed with eligible Microsoft 365 or Windows Enterprise SKUs, Pull print arrives with no incremental product license cost. Third‑party products usually require separate licenses or appliance fees.
- Integration: Native integration with Azure AD and Microsoft 365 simplifies authentication for cloud-first environments and provides a single identity model across services. Third‑party vendors may offer broader device and badge reader integrations today.
- Feature depth: Established print-management suites typically include mature features for release via badges, kiosks, network authentication, encrypted print spooling on-prem, detailed reporting, and multi-tenant management. Universal Print is rapidly catching up functionally but may not yet match every niche capability.
- Deployment model: Universal Print eliminates on‑prem print server infrastructure for many scenarios, which simplifies management and reduces server maintenance. Conversely, some organizations prefer on‑prem systems for complete control or offline resilience.
- Vendor neutrality: Third‑party solutions are often vendor-agnostic and can provide guardrails for multi-manufacturer fleets with advanced finishing capability mapping. Universal Print works well with Universal Print–ready printers and connector-attached printers, but some advanced device features may be limited in the cloud model.
Licensing, quotas and cost considerations
Universal Print is available to many Microsoft 365 and Windows Enterprise subscribers. Important licensing realities:- Many Microsoft 365 commercial SKUs (for example E3, E5, Business Premium) include Universal Print entitlement and substantial pooled monthly print-job allowances per licensed user. Some lower-tier or specialized SKUs have smaller allowances.
- Universal Print also exists as a standalone subscription for tenants that don’t already have eligible Microsoft 365 licenses.
- Print volume is metered as jobs rather than pages. Microsoft provides add-on capacity in 500- and 10,000-job increments for tenants that hit their pooled allocation.
- Jobs that are not released do not count against the monthly pool.
- Administrators should plan capacity based on expected job volumes after enabling pull-print; unrestricted adoption can increase job counts as users find it easier to print from multiple devices.
Deployment checklist — practical steps for a smooth rollout
- Pilot with a representative group across departments (HR, Legal, Finance) that handle sensitive output.
- Identify and register a limited set of printers in mixed locations (open-plan, enclosed office, shared printer rooms).
- Enable Secure release with QR code on each physical device and print/affix QR labels using durable material.
- Configure a pull-print queue and add member printers; set location metadata so users can find devices easily in the Microsoft 365 mobile app.
- Lock down allowed print options in the pull-print queue to prevent unnecessary high-cost or high-finish jobs.
- Communicate clearly to users: how to send jobs, how to authenticate and release with their phone, and how to handle failure cases (e.g., phone not available).
- Test job accounting, ensure unreleased jobs do not consume job allowances, and validate reporting.
- Evaluate third-party integrations if your environment mandates card/badge release or local kiosks; plan a staged migration once badge integration is available.
- Monitor support tickets and user feedback, and iterate on signage and documentation.
Operational and privacy considerations
- Logging and auditing are improved when release events are tied to an authenticated identity. Ensure audit logs feed your SIEM or compliance pipeline if required.
- BYOD policies should be reviewed: if the release flows require personal devices, verify acceptable-use and mobile-app installation policies align with IT governance.
- For visitors or contractors without corporate accounts, consider controlled-release kiosks or designated print zones until badge release is supported.
- Accessibility: ensure release flows work for users with disabilities; QR code scanning may be less accessible than badge release for some employees, so plan inclusive options.
The roadmap: what’s next and what to expect
Microsoft’s official messaging indicates a clear prioritization of partner and OEM integrations to support badge release workflows and tighter hardware authentication hooks. Expected enhancements include:- Badge/card release support that leverages existing on‑device badge readers and card swipes, integrating with Universal Print release flows.
- Deeper OEM integrations for printers that embed Universal Print compatibility at the firmware level, enabling richer device capabilities and single‑step releases.
- Ongoing improvements to administrative tooling, including more granular print-option controls and reporting.
Cautionary note: Microsoft’s public communications include roadmap intentions and partner integration plans, but precise delivery timelines and partner coverage vary; treat these items as planned enhancements rather than guaranteed timelines for mission-critical migrations.
Bottom line: who should adopt Pull print now?
Universal Print anywhere is a pragmatic, low-cost way for Microsoft‑centric organizations to reduce document exposure risk and lower print waste. It is particularly well suited for:- Organizations already standardized on Microsoft 365 and Azure AD, seeking tighter integration and simplified management.
- Enterprises aiming to reduce on-prem print server footprint and move printing management to the cloud.
- Teams with a mix of Windows and macOS clients that need a common, consistent printing flow.
Universal Print anywhere brings a long-awaited, practical feature to the Microsoft ecosystem: the convenience of printing from anywhere, combined with the security of authenticated release. For many IT departments, it will reduce a familiar source of embarrassment — confidential pages left on printers — without adding new servers or licensing complexity. The critical operational work is not technical, but managerial: selecting the right printers to include, planning print-job capacity, training users, and deciding when to replace or retire specialized print-release systems. Organizations that treat the rollout like a change-management project rather than a pure technical switch will get the most value while managing the inevitable edge cases.
Universal Print’s Pull print is not revolutionary in concept — the enterprise printing world has used find‑me and badge-release systems for years — but its arrival as a native, no‑additional‑license option for many Microsoft customers removes a key barrier to adoption. For most organizations invested in Microsoft 365, the default next step should be a measured pilot: test the QR-based flow, evaluate user acceptance and print-job counts, and prepare badge integrations where needed. The end result is a safer, cleaner, and more user-friendly print environment — and one less reason for confidential documents to end up in the wrong hands.
Source: theregister.com Microsoft pushes Pull print to lessen your dash 'n' grabs
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