What is Universal Print? Moving print servers to the cloud with Microsoft 365 E3/E5
About this article
This article was created using an automated generation workflow leveraging generative AI. Based on official Microsoft information as of September 17, 2026, it outlines the role of Universal Print, Microsoft 365 E3/E5 licensing and print job capacities, and key verification points during deployment.Verification Status: 📘 Official Microsoft information verified, physical device not tested
Universal Print is a service that uses Microsoft's cloud to manage and share printers. It reduces reliance on traditional on-premises Windows print servers and enables a configuration where printers are assigned via the cloud to Microsoft Entra ID users.
- Is it available with E3/E5?
- Try this first: Check Usage and Reports
- Universal Print Ready and Connectors
- Key considerations when verifying with PowerShell
- 2026 Caution: Changes to the QR secure release entry point
- Business use cases
- Points for administrators to verify
- Official Microsoft Information and Primary Sources
Is it available with E3/E5?
Yes. According to official Microsoft information, both Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3 and E5 are eligible licenses for Universal Print.
| Item | Microsoft 365 E3 | Microsoft 365 E5 |
|---|---|---|
| Universal Print Usage Rights | Included | Included |
| Monthly Print Job Capacity | 100 jobs per license added to the shared tenant pool | Same as left |
Crucially, this is not a per-user personal limit of "100 jobs per person." The print jobs provided by eligible licenses are added to an organization-wide shared pool, from which users with the license consume them.
When a single document is printed, it is basically counted as 1 print job regardless of the page count or number of copies. In organizations with high print volumes, monitor not only the user count but also the actual job volume.
Try this first: Check Usage and Reports
If you are already using Universal Print, rather than registering or deleting printers right away, check your current usage via Usage and Reports in the Universal Print portal.
What to check here
Total available print jobs for the tenant
Current month's consumption
Registered printers
Sharing status
Job history
Change one setting
Change the display period rather than the settings to compare monthly usage. Determine whether the pool is likely to run short by the end of the month before considering additional capacity.
Universal Print Ready and Connectors
With Universal Print-compatible printers, some models can be registered directly to the cloud. When utilizing existing incompatible printers, a configuration using the Universal Print connector is available.
Do not assume that moving to cloud printing will completely eliminate servers. Verify existing printer compatibility, site networks, specialized drivers, and multifunction printer features.
Key considerations when verifying with PowerShell
Universal Print includes print-related resources that can be managed via the Microsoft Graph API. Begin automation by retrieving lists rather than deleting printers or modifying shares.
If you are in an environment where the Graph PowerShell SDK can be used, you can consider procedures to retrieve printer lists after confirming the necessary read permissions. In production, avoid casually granting Graph permissions that require administrator consent, and ensure the principle of least privilege.
2026 Caution: Changes to the QR secure release entry point
Starting August 18, 2026, Microsoft retired the QR code secure release experience within the Microsoft 365 Copilot app and transitioned to the new Universal Print portal. Existing QR codes remain functional, and printer reconfiguration is reportedly unnecessary.
If older documentation states to "open QR using the Microsoft 365 Copilot app," it is subject to update.
Business use cases
Reduction of print servers per branch office
Entra ID-based printer sharing
Device deployment combined with Intune and other tools
Visualization of print volumes
Reduction of abandoned print jobs through secure release
Points for administrators to verify
Universal Print eligible licenses for users and administrators
Monthly capacity of the print job pool
Universal Print Ready compatibility status
Availability when deploying connectors
Functional differences among printers
Conditional Access
Branch office networks and disaster recovery operations
Printing is not just about successfully outputting paper. Review existing workflows—including authentication, site failures, specialized forms, label printers, and multifunction scanner features—before migrating.
Official Microsoft Information and Primary Sources
Get access to Universal Print: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/universal-print/get-access-to-universal-print
Universal Print documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/universal-print/
Universal Print portal for secure release: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/universal-print/fundamentals/universal-print-portal-secure-release
What's new in Universal Print: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/universal-print/whats-new
Universal Print is a service that not only replaces print servers in the cloud but also reorganizes the printing environment around identity and cloud management. It is safest to start by assessing existing print volumes and printer compatibility using read-only access.
