> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.iru.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Custom Printers Overview

> Deploy custom printer configurations to Mac computers using Iru Endpoint. Add network printers, set default options, and manage driver installation.

<Callout icon="apple" color="#B84A7A" iconType="regular">Custom Printers are available for Mac computers</Callout>

### Getting Started

Before you create your Custom Printer library item, you'll need two things:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Get Driver Package">
    The driver installer package associated with that printer.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get PPD File Path">
    The file path to the PPD (PostScript Printer Description) file installed by the package. Typically the correct PPD can be identified by the model name appearing in the filename.
  </Step>
</Steps>

After you've collected these two things, you'll then need to gather the following information:

* The display name of the printer (for example, Marketing Printer)
* The CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) name of the printer (for example, marketing\_printer)
* The location description (for example, 2nd Floor)
* The printer URI (for example, lpd://192.168.0.43/queue\_name or ipp\://hostname.local/queue\_name)

### Creating a Custom Printer Library Item

#### Add a Custom Printer Item:

To add this Library Item to your Iru Endpoint Library, follow the steps outlined in the [Library Overview](/en/endpoint/library/library-items-profiles/library-overview) article.

#### Configure the Custom Printer Item:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Name and configure icon">
    Give your Custom Printer a name and optionally upload a custom icon for it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign to Blueprints">
    Assign your Custom Printer to a [Blueprints](/en/endpoint/getting-started/blueprints-and-library/configuring-blueprints).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose installation option">
    Choose an option from the Installation pop-up menu:

    * **Install printer once per device**: This installation option will install the printer and associated driver once per device. Flushing the item status for a device will trigger a reinstall.
    * **Install printer and continuously enforce**: This installation option will install the printer and associated driver and continually enforce the installation by checking for the presence of the printer's configuration at every check-in.
    * **Install on demand from Self Service**: This installation option will install the printer only if the user triggers the install through Self Service.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Self Service options (optional)">
    Optionally configure Self Service options. [Learn more about Self Service options](/en/endpoint/settings/self-service/self-service-library-items).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Display Name">
    In the Display Name field, enter the display name that the user will see within printer preferences.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Printer Name">
    In the Printer Name field, enter the CUPS printer name. You should remove any special characters and replace spaces with underscore characters. Dashes are not allowed in CUPS queue names.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Location">
    In the Location field, enter the location. This will be visible to the user in the location field of their printer preferences.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Device URI">
    In the Device URI field, enter the device URI. This is usually the print protocol (ipp\:// or lpd:// or dnssd://) followed by the hostname or IP address of the printer. If you are sending print jobs to a print server, you will typically see the queue name appended to the hostname (for example, lpd://print-server.local/queue\_name).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose PPD path">
    Choose a PPD path, use the Apple-provided generic driver, AirPrint, or upload a custom PPD.
  </Step>

  * When uploading a custom PPD, the PPD file name must match the Printer Name.
  * You can retrieve a PPD file from a Mac with the printer already configured from the /etc/cups/ppd folder.

  <Step title="Provide printer driver PKG (optional)">
    Optionally choose to provide a printer driver PKG file. This PKG will be installed as part of the printer installation. The installer file must be a PKG.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload PKG file">
    If you do choose the **Install provided software package** option, upload the PKG.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save configuration">
    Click **Save**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

After the Iru Agent installs a custom printer, macOS may take a few minutes to update the printer configuration file. When printer installation or enforcement issues generate alerts in Iru Endpoint, see our [Global Alerts](/en/endpoint/devices/global-alerts) support article for details.

### Related Articles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Library Overview" icon="books" href="/en/endpoint/library/library-items-profiles/library-overview">
    Curate, create, and manage Library Items and add them to Blueprints
  </Card>

  <Card title="Configuring Blueprints" icon="cog" href="/en/endpoint/getting-started/blueprints-and-library/configuring-blueprints">
    Create and configure device Blueprints for policy management
  </Card>

  <Card title="Self Service: Library Items" icon="box" href="/en/endpoint/settings/self-service/self-service-library-items">
    Configure Library Items for Self Service (macOS)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Global Alerts" icon="bell" href="/en/endpoint/devices/global-alerts">
    Configure how Iru Endpoint surfaces alerts when Custom Printers or other Library Items report issues
  </Card>
</CardGroup>