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Can I move print jobs from one printer to another?

I have multiple printers that I use, depending on my location (it's on my Mac laptop) and sometimes I forget to check printing devices before I queue up a print job. Usually I just leave the job to print when I get back to that location, but isn't there some way to move print jobs from one printer to another in Mac OS X?

Dave's Answer:

There is, and once I show you how to do it, you'll marvel at how simple Apple's made something that in other operating systems is extraordinarily complicated. I've set up a similar situation on my computer, queueing up a print job called "Mail * Dave". When I look at that particular printer (its icon is in my Taskbar), it looks like this:

Mac OS X: Stopped Print Job

Look familiar?

Now, that's the stopped printer and the job we want, it's time to open up the target printer. That's done by launching the Printer Setup Utility, which you can find in your Applications --> Utilities folder. It'll look like this:

Mac OS X: Printer Setup Utility

I have three printers I use, actually, but the one I want to use to redirect this particular print job is called "LJ2100TN @ Home". To get to that specific printer, I just double-click its name in the list and see a similar window for the printer without any jobs listed, of course:

Mac OS X: Printer Active

Now, finally, we have both the stopped printer and the active printer on the screen. To redirect the print job all you need to do is literally drag and drop the job from one window to the other:

Mac OS X: Printer Copying Print Job

Within seconds the job will be printing on your local printer and the offline printer will have nothing left in its queue. Neat, eh?




Categorized: Mac OS X Help   (Article 7157, Written by )
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Comments

What's the easiest way of doing this on Windows?

Posted by: matt cook at January 20, 2008 8:20 PM

Thanks - you helped me out:-)

Posted by: Michelle at October 7, 2008 10:38 AM

I was able to move print jobs from one printer to another in Windows by changing the settings of the original printer to those of the default printer. First, I added a printer from the Control Panel/Printers tab using the autofind for Network printers. I think this created a TCP/IP address. Using the Printer/Properties/Advanced tab, I changed the driver to the same one as the default printer (an HP C6100 wireless). Then, using the Printer/Properties/Port tab, changed the port to the unused TCP/IP address and the jobs startedd printing immediately. Good luck!

Posted by: Tom Lampros at November 11, 2008 9:22 AM

How do I do it on Mac OS X 10.5???

Posted by: Rick Richardson at January 1, 2009 2:15 PM

Hi Guys, You can easily do this if they are network printers by changing the port of the printer with the jobs stuck in it, to the port of a working printer. Just right click on the printer, choose properties, and then go to the ports tab. Click on the printer that has the jobs stuck and click the 'configure port' button. Set it to a port that has a working printer and the jobs will start printing when you hit apply.

Hope this helps. Cheers, Steve

Posted by: steve at June 15, 2009 3:13 AM

Bless you, Dave Taylor! I was able to re-route my "Print Only Once" Dairy Queen coupon from my wireless connection to wired connection thanks to your posting.

Posted by: Jon at July 16, 2011 9:00 PM

I love Apple/ :D

Posted by: Lindsey at August 20, 2011 10:32 AM

I recently sent to print on my laptop but didn't print. The printer showed they were being sent. When I got home. I realized it was sent to the other printer. Now I can't access that printer spool to transfer the pages. Is there anyway to retrieve the printer? It isn't listed on my printer list!!
Thanks

Posted by: Carol Schall at November 17, 2011 11:49 AM

Thank you, thank you, thank you - it's 12:13 a.m. and I had 8 letters on the wrong printer. You saved my life!

Posted by: Carolyn at December 23, 2011 1:14 AM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...
Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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