FMX for iPad: Printer and Printing Settings

Printing on FMX for iPadOS works differently from Windows. Most customer builds use network-based or cloud-based printing. Supported builds may also provide Direct USB — DNP on compatible iPads. FMX provides two dedicated settings tabs -- Printer (connection method) and Printing (layout and behavior) -- to configure the full print experience.

Printer Tab: Connection Methods

The Printer tab controls how FMX connects to a printer. FMPrint, PrintPal, AirPrint, and Direct USB — DNP.

FMPrint (Cloud Printing)

FMPrint routes print jobs through the Foto Master Cloud to a Windows PC running the FMPrint application.

• How it works -- The iPad uploads the print job to the cloud, and a Windows PC running FMPrint downloads and prints it on a locally connected printer
• Setup -- Install and configure FMPrint on a Windows PC with a connected printer. Both the iPad and the PC must have internet access
• Best for -- Setups where the printer is physically distant from the iPad, or where you want to use a USB printer that cannot connect to PrintPal
• Latency -- Cloud routing introduces some delay compared to PrintPal. Print times depend on internet speed and cloud processing

Tip: FMPrint is the recommended general-purpose printing solution for many iPad-based booths. Lenticular printing is an exception and requires the enabled Direct USB — DNP route described below.

PrintPal (Network-Based Wireless Printing)

PrintPal is a dedicated network printing accessory designed for photo booth environments.

• How it works -- The iPad sends print jobs over the local network to a PrintPal device, which manages the connected printer
• Set up -- Connect PrintPal to the same Wi-Fi network as the iPad and configure the PrintPal IP address or hostname in the Printer tab
• Best for -- On-site events where reliable, high-volume printing is needed without a Windows PC

AirPrint

AirPrint is Apple's built-in wireless printing protocol.

• How it works -- The iPad sends print jobs to any AirPrint-compatible printer on the same Wi-Fi network
• Setup -- No additional hardware or software required. Select your AirPrint printer in the Printer tab
• Best for -- Quick setups or venues where a compatible printer is already available
• Limitations -- Not all photo printers support AirPrint. Print quality and speed depend on the specific printer model and its AirPrint implementation

AirPrint is also the only iPad printer service that accepts FMX's multi-page Flipbook jobs. Assign a printer for the selected full-sheet media or the required dedicated cut queue before the event. See How to Create, Print, and Assemble a Flipbook in FMX for iPadOS for workflow setup, page settings, AirPrint routing, and assembly.

Direct USB — DNP 

FMX includes a dedicated DNP Direct USB path for compatible physical M-series iPads, supported DNP printers, and recognized 4×6 media. The feature also requires iPadOS 16 or later and the FMX driver extension.

Calibrated lenticular printing specifically requires an enabled Direct USB — DNP build. Other iPad printer services print the regular Final Photo instead of the exact lenticular raster. See How to Create and Print Lenticular Photos in FMX for iPadOS for requirements, calibration, and the current availability warning.

Printing Tab: Layout and Behavior

The Printing tab controls what gets printed and how:

Print Layout

• Layout selection -- Choose which layout template is used for prints. Layouts are defined in the Cloud dashboard as part of your event configuration and downloaded during sync
• Paper size -- Configure the print paper size to match your printer's loaded media
• Orientation -- Portrait or landscape orientation for the printed output

Copy Settings

• Default copies -- Set the number of copies printed per session by default
• Guest-selectable copies -- When enabled via the Print Copies workflow step, guests can choose how many copies they want
• Maximum copies -- Set an upper limit on the number of copies per session to manage print costs and supplies

Print Behavior

• Auto-print -- When enabled, printing happens automatically at the end of a session without requiring guest interaction. When disabled, printing only occurs if the workflow includes a Print Copies step or the operator prints from the Offline Gallery
• Print queue -- Print jobs are queued and processed in order. The dashboard shows print queue status so operators can monitor for errors or paper-out conditions

Tip: Always run a test print during setup to verify the layout, paper alignment, and color output. What appears on the iPad screen may look different on paper due to color space differences between screens and printers.