The Apple Printing Policy allows administrators to centrally manage printing behavior on macOS devices.
Using this policy, IT teams can control which printers users can access, define default printer settings, enforce administrative permissions for adding or using printers, and restrict printing only to managed devices.
This policy is particularly useful for organizations that require consistent, secure, and compliant printing workflows across their macOS fleet.
Overview
macOS supports a wide range of printing workflows, including network printers, IP-based printers, local USB printers, and managed printers.
The Apple Printing Policy enables administrators to standardize this experience by defining:
Whether users can use local printers
Default printer configuration
Printer footers and metadata printing
Whether adding or using printers requires admin privileges
A list of approved, managed printers
Locking printers to prevent modification
This helps maintain compliance, simplify IT support, and reduce unauthorized use of external or personal printers.
Requirements
macOS 10.7+
Device must be enrolled in Swif.ai MDM
Some settings require macOS 10.7 or later
Admin permissions may be required depending on printer restrictions
Configurable Settings
Below is a detailed explanation of each configurable setting available in the Apple Printing Policy.
Allow Local Printers
Controls whether the system allows users to use local printers (USB-connected or directly attached printers).
Setting | Description | Minimum Requirement |
True | Users may use local printers. | macOS 10.7+ |
False | Blocks the use of locally connected printers. | macOS 10.7+ |
Default Printer Configuration
You may define a default printer using two fields:
Field | Description |
Device URI | The printer’s URI (e.g. |
Display Name | The human-readable name shown in macOS. |
If set, this printer becomes the system’s default unless overridden by user restrictions.
Footer Settings
Allows organizations to control footer text displayed on printed documents.
Setting | Description | Minimum Requirement |
Footer Font Name | The font used when printing footer text. | macOS 10.7+ |
Footer Font Size | The size of the footer text. | macOS 10.7+ |
Footer | True = enable footers, False = disable. | macOS 10.7+ |
Footers are often used for compliance, such as printing username, timestamp, or classification labels.
Print MAC Address
Controls whether the printer includes the client device’s MAC address in the print job.
Setting | Description | Minimum Requirement |
True | MAC address is printed. | macOS 10.7+ |
False | No MAC address is included. | macOS 10.7+ |
Useful for asset tracking and compliance logging.
Require Admin To Add Printers
Determines whether adding printers requires admin rights.
Setting | Description |
True | Only admins can add new printers. |
False | Standard users may add printers. |
Require Admin To Print Locally
Controls whether printing to a local (physically connected) printer requires admin rights.
Setting | Description |
True | Users need admin rights to print to USB/local printers. |
False | Standard users may print locally. |
Show Only Managed Printers
Defines whether macOS only displays printers configured by this policy.
Setting | Description |
True | Only policy-managed printers appear to the user. |
False | Users may see other detected printers. |
This is recommended for organizations needing strict printer control.
Managed Printer List (User Printer List)
You can define a collection of managed printers.
Each printer entry contains:
Field | Description |
IP / Hostname (Device URI) | The printer’s URI. |
Display Name | Printer name shown to users. |
Location | Physical location of the printer (e.g., “3rd Floor East Wing”). |
Model | Printer model identifier. |
PPD / Location | PPD file name or IPP resource path. |
Printer Locked | When true, printer cannot be modified by the user. |
Printer Locked = True prevents renaming, deleting, or updating the printer configuration.
Best Practices
Use Show Only Managed Printers to enforce printing consistency across teams.
Disable Allow Local Printers to prevent users from printing sensitive documents on personal or insecure printers.
Use Printer Locked for high-security environments where printer settings must remain fixed.
Apply Footer + MAC address printing for compliance auditing.
Combine this policy with the Apple AirPrint Policy if using IPP/Bonjour-based centralized printers.
How to Configure
Navigate to Swif Admin Console → Policies → Create New Policy
Select Apple Printing Policy
Configure general printer restrictions (local printers, admin requirements, etc.)
Optionally add default printer settings
Add managed printers to the User Printer List
Assign the policy to devices or device groups
Review and save the policy
Devices will automatically receive and apply the printer configuration on the next sync.
Compliance & Operational Benefits
Ensures printers are used in accordance with corporate IT policies
Prevents unauthorized or insecure printing
Standardizes printer configurations across the organization
Reduces help desk tickets related to printer setup
Improves auditability for regulated industries