MAC TREAT #62: Make A Desktop Printer/Dock Droplet

ByMike Moffit

In OS 9 it was possible to create a “desktop printer,” which made printing as easy as dragging and dropping a file onto a printer icon. The advantage was that you didn’t have to launch an application to open a file before printing it. Fortunately, it’s easy to create a desktop printer in OS X. You can also create a printer droplet that you can keep in your dock for convenient printing.

To do this, launch System Preferences (under the Apple in the upper left corner of your Mac’s screen) and click on “Print and Fax.” In the left pane of this window, you’ll see the printers you’ve installed on your Mac. Drag the icon of the printer from the left pane and drop it on your desktop. The printer icon should appear on the desktop. Drag any file you’d like to print and drop it on this icon—as long as your printer is turned on, the file will print.

You can also drag that icon into your dock. Again, simply drag and drop any file you’d like to print on the icon in the dock for speedy printing. Note that once you drag the printer icon into your dock, you can then get rid of the icon on the desktop by dragging it to the trash. You’ll still be able to use the printer icon droplet in the dock.

Note: This tip was tested in OS 10.5; feel free to let me know if this works for you in other versions!

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