Printing

Patterns
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Best practices

Make printing discoverable.

Present a printing option only when it’s possible.

Present relevant printing options.

Platform considerations

macOS

If your macOS app offers app-specific print options that the system doesn’t offer, consider creating a custom category for the print panel.

If your app supports document-specific page settings, consider presenting a page setup dialog.

Make sure interdependencies between options are clear.

Separate advanced features from frequently used features.

Consider letting people preview the effect of a setting.

Consider storing modified settings with the document.


For the complete guidance, including worked examples and illustrations, see the canonical page: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/printing

Apple HIG text and imagery are © Apple Inc. This page is a structured index of Apple’s canonical documentation (snapshot 2025-02-02), provided for quick reference and AI-agent consumption — it isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by Apple. Read the original at developer.apple.com (opens in new tab).

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