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What Is Mopria and Why Does It Matter When Choosing an Office Printer?

The word Mopria now appears regularly in printer specifications, Windows compatibility information and Android printing settings.

It can be easy to dismiss it as another manufacturer feature or mobile printing app. Mopria is broader than that. It is a set of industry standards designed to help computers, phones and tablets print to compatible devices without requiring a different driver or application for every printer brand.

For a business choosing a new office printer or multifunction device, Mopria certification can provide useful evidence of modern, cross-platform compatibility. It does not, however, guarantee that every advanced printer feature or business workflow will operate in exactly the same way.

What Is Mopria?

Mopria is a universal printing and scanning standard developed by the Mopria Alliance.

The alliance brings together printer manufacturers, operating-system developers and print-software companies to create common technical standards for printing and scanning.

It was founded in 2013 by Canon, HP, Samsung and Xerox. Its current membership includes printer manufacturers and technology companies such as Adobe, Brother, Epson, Google, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Lexmark, Microsoft, PaperCut, Sharp and Toshiba.

A Mopria-certified printer is designed to communicate with compatible computers and mobile devices through these common standards rather than depending entirely on a traditional model-specific printer driver.

Mopria Is Not a Printer Brand

Mopria does not manufacture printers.

It is also not a replacement toner brand, managed print provider or individual printer operating system.

The term can refer to several related things:

Keeping those elements separate helps avoid confusion when reading a printer specification.

A device described as “Mopria certified” has been submitted through the alliance’s certification programme and approved to carry the Mopria brand. Certification applies to particular products rather than automatically covering every printer made by the manufacturer.

How Does Mopria Printing Work?

Traditional computer printing often requires a software driver written for a particular printer model and operating system.

That driver tells the computer about the printer’s capabilities and converts the print job into a form the device can process.

Mopria uses standardised printing technology so that a compatible operating system can discover the printer, identify its supported functions and send a job without first installing a conventional manufacturer driver.

On a typical local network, the process is:

  1. The computer, phone or tablet discovers a compatible printer.
  2. The printer reports the functions it supports.
  3. The user chooses the printer and available settings.
  4. The device sends the job using the supported printing standard.
  5. The printer processes and produces the document.

For Android mobile printing, the phone or tablet and printer normally need to be connected to the same wireless network. They may alternatively connect directly where both devices support Wi-Fi Direct.

What Does “Driverless Printing” Mean?

Driverless printing does not mean that no software is involved.

It means the user does not normally need to find, download and install a separate traditional driver package for each printer model.

The operating system already contains support for the common printing standard. It can therefore communicate directly with a compatible printer.

This can simplify deployment where a business has:

It can also reduce reliance on old printer drivers that may become difficult to maintain as operating systems change.

Microsoft describes its Windows Ready Print platform as a driverless printing route based on technologies including Internet Printing Protocol, or IPP, and eSCL scanning. Windows Ready Print is designed to work with Mopria-certified devices.

What Is the Mopria Print Service?

The Mopria Print Service is an Android printing application.

It allows an Android phone or tablet to discover and print to Mopria-certified printers over a local wireless network or through Wi-Fi Direct where supported.

This is only one part of Mopria.

Mopria technology is also incorporated into the Android Default Print Service used on many devices. A user may therefore already have Mopria-based printing available without knowingly installing a separate Mopria application. Mopria states that its technology powers printing through both its own Print Service and the Android Default Print Service.

Where an Android app provides a print function, Mopria can be used for documents, PDFs, photographs, emails and web pages. Examples of Android applications with printing support include Chrome, Gmail, Google Drive, Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat Reader.

What Printing Options Does Mopria Support?

The settings available depend on the capabilities reported by the printer.

The Mopria Print Service can support common options including:

Not every certified printer supports every option. For example, Mopria cannot provide stapling if the printer does not have a compatible finishing unit.

The available controls can also vary according to the operating system, application, printer configuration and connection method. Mopria describes these functions as dependent on the capabilities of the printer.

Does Mopria Work with Windows?

Yes. Mopria has become increasingly important to Microsoft’s modern Windows printing platform.

Windows Ready Print is designed to communicate with Mopria-certified printers without requiring a third-party print driver. Microsoft states that Windows provides support for Mopria-compliant devices over network and USB connections through the Microsoft IPP Class Driver.

Mopria-certified printers are also the supported device type for Windows Protected Print Mode.

When Protected Print Mode is enabled, Windows prevents the use of traditional third-party printer drivers and prints exclusively through Windows Ready Print. A printer must therefore be Mopria certified to work through that mode.

This does not mean that every Mopria-certified printer is automatically installed through the modern printing route under every Windows configuration. Microsoft notes that some certified printers may initially be installed with a manufacturer driver. If Protected Print Mode is subsequently enabled, the printer may be removed and need to be installed again using Windows Ready Print.

Can Manufacturers Still Add Their Own Features?

Yes.

A common standard can provide the basic connection and printing route, while a manufacturer may still offer additional controls or device-specific functions.

On Windows, manufacturers can use a Print Support App to customise the Windows Ready Print experience without returning to a traditional third-party printer driver.

A Print Support App may expose additional settings, provide status information or support features specific to that manufacturer.

When comparing office printers, ask whether a Print Support App is available for the exact proposed model and whether any required feature depends on it.

Does Mopria Support Scanning?

Mopria also defines standards for scanning.

Its scanning technology uses specifications including eSCL to allow compatible operating systems and applications to communicate with certified scanners and multifunction devices.

The Mopria Alliance requires products offering certified scanning capabilities to comply with both its eSCL and scan specifications.

Windows can use Mopria scan technology with certified scanners and multifunction printers. Supported settings can include:

Microsoft Windows 10 with the June 2022 update or later, and Windows 11, can support Mopria-certified scanners without requiring an external scanner driver when another driver is unavailable.

Printing Certification and Scanning Certification Are Not the Same

Do not assume that a multifunction printer’s scanning function is certified merely because its printing function is compatible with Mopria.

Printing and scanning involve separate capabilities and technical requirements.

This distinction is particularly important when evaluating a multifunction device for Windows Protected Print Mode. Microsoft advises businesses to check that the scanning component is also Mopria certified. Otherwise, printing may be available through Protected Print Mode while the Windows scanning function is not.

Check the exact model in the Mopria certified-products database and confirm which capabilities are listed.

How Is Mopria Different from AirPrint?

Mopria and Apple AirPrint both provide standards-based printing without requiring the user to install a conventional printer driver.

The main difference is the device ecosystem.

AirPrint is Apple technology for printing from devices including the iPhone, iPad and Mac. Mopria is an industry-developed standard used particularly by Android and modern Windows printing.

Many current office printers support both standards.

A business using a mixture of Windows computers, Android phones, iPhones, iPads and Macs should check for both Mopria and AirPrint compatibility rather than treating one as a universal replacement for the other.

Certification for one standard does not automatically prove certification for the other.

Is Mopria a Cloud Printing Service?

Mopria is primarily a print and scan compatibility standard. It is not, by itself, a cloud print-management service.

For Android printing through the Mopria Print Service, the device and printer normally communicate over the same local wireless network or through Wi-Fi Direct. The service does not directly support printing over cellular data, Bluetooth or a public Wi-Fi hotspot.

A separate cloud-printing or print-management platform may still be used alongside a Mopria-compatible printer.

Businesses needing users to print remotely, submit jobs from outside the office or release documents at multiple locations should confirm how the proposed cloud or managed-print platform interacts with Mopria and the printer.

Does Mopria Make Printing Secure?

Mopria can form part of a more modern printing architecture, but certification alone does not make every print job confidential.

The technology can support features such as PIN printing, authentication and accounting where the printer and implementation provide them.

The business must still decide:

Mopria compatibility should therefore be assessed alongside the printer’s security configuration and the organisation’s wider network controls.

What Does Mopria Certification Actually Confirm?

Mopria certification shows that a specific device has been certified against the relevant Mopria standards.

It provides stronger evidence than a general claim that a printer offers “mobile printing” or “driverless support”.

The Mopria Alliance reports more than 10,000 certified printer and scanner models from 24 printer companies.

However, certification should not be interpreted as confirmation that:

Certification confirms standards compliance. The complete business workflow still needs to be checked.

How Can You Check Whether a Printer Is Mopria Certified?

Start with the full manufacturer and model number shown on the printer quotation.

Do not search using only a product family or shortened sales name. Several models in the same range may have different specifications or regional variants.

Use the Mopria certified-products database to search by:

The Mopria Alliance provides a searchable list specifically for checking certified hardware and software.

Also ask the supplier to confirm the certification in writing and identify any additional software required for the proposed setup.

Questions to Ask When Comparing Printer Quotes

When Mopria compatibility matters, ask:

  1. Is the exact quoted model Mopria certified?
  2. Is it certified for printing, scanning or both?
  3. Does it support Windows Ready Print?
  4. Has it been tested with Windows Protected Print Mode?
  5. Can Android devices print through the Android Default Print Service?
  6. Is a separate Mopria application required?
  7. Does the printer support Wi-Fi Direct?
  8. Which paper, colour and finishing controls are available?
  9. Will secure printing, PIN release and account codes work?
  10. Is a manufacturer Print Support App available for Windows?
  11. Which functions still require manufacturer software?
  12. Will the printer work with the existing print server or management platform?
  13. Has the complete print and scan workflow been demonstrated?
  14. Who will configure and support the final setup?

Should Mopria Be a Requirement for a New Office Printer?

For many businesses, Mopria certification is now a sensible requirement when purchasing or leasing a new office printer.

It is particularly relevant where the organisation:

Mopria should not be the only selection criterion.

Print speed, recommended volume, paper capacity, scanning performance, finishing equipment, security, service support and total contract cost remain important.

The right question is not simply, “Does this printer have Mopria?”

It is:

Is the exact model certified for the print and scan functions we need, and has the complete setup been tested with our devices, network and software?

Confirm the Exact Device Before Accepting a Quote

Mopria helps different computers, mobile devices and printer brands communicate through common print and scan standards.

It can simplify printer installation, enable Android mobile printing and provide the compatibility needed for Microsoft’s modern Windows printing platform.

Certification is valuable evidence, but it is not a substitute for checking the exact model and demonstrating the required workflow.

Before accepting a printer proposal, confirm whether the device is certified for printing, scanning or both, identify any functions that require additional software and test the features the business will actually use.