Thursday, April 14, 2016

When You Don't Have a Network Printer...Google Cloud Print!

I was using my desktop and Chromebook (you can never have too many screens) at my "standing desk" (really just a double wide, horizontal filing cabinet) today, and needed to print (I know, I'm anti-printing, but sometimes...). 
"Standing desk"

I have a black and white printer in my office, but it is not on the network, so usually when I print from the standing desk, I will print to the mailroom, or switch to my laptop and print from there.
Sitting desk
Let's not even talk about the Chromebook. Its installed printers are all on the 4th and 5th floor, and my office is on the 1st floor- NOT! Today, I thought, "Hmmm, maybe I can print to my desk with Google Cloud Print...and I did it!
Google Cloud Print connects your printers (home or work) to the web. Because your printer is connected to the web, you can print to it from anywhere, using any Internet-connected device- your PC, Mac, Chromebook, phone, or tablet. #YES

Here's how you set it up:

Open a browser window and go to chrome://devices

Under Classic Printers, Click Add printers

Choose which printers to add

Click Add Printers

Google will say, "Thanks, you're ready to go!"


Share your printer(s)

Open chrome://devices again

Under My Devices, click the Manage button next to the printer you'd like to share

Choose the printer and click the green Share button at the top center of the page
You can allow anyone to print, or invite selected users by entering their email addresses
Click the Add button when done
Printer users will be listed like users that share a Google Doc
Invited user(s) will receive an email from Google Cloud Print Notifications that you shared the printer
Accept the invitation
Printer will be added to your list of Cloud Print Printers


Woohoo! #FTW

Of course, I had to test it from my phone too :) I tried with a single page Google Slide.
With the slide desk open, press the three dots at the top right (traffic light?)

Select Share & Export

Print

Google Cloud Print

There's your printer!

Choose your print settings and tap Print

You will see a message in the top left that says Print Job Added

#TaDa!


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