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Learning how to print photos on Mac isn’t always as straightforward as you might think.
Printing a document can be done in just a couple of clicks, so that must be the same for Mac, right?
Unfortunately…it isn’t.
There are quite a few additional options to choose from and several settings that you need to comb over.
It’s definitely not the same as quickly printing a document or short text. There’s quite a bit more to it.
This isn’t to say that the process is really complicated, as that wouldn’t be true. It’s easy to do once you know the process.
It can be difficult for new users, first-time photo printers, and those who might not be particularly tech-savvy.
Mac OS is typically easier to use and perform actions than the Windows equivalent, so you have that going for you.
The point of this article is to guide you through the steps to make sure that you don’t make any accidental mistakes or of course too early.
Some points may seem overly basic but just stick with me because I’m sure there’s something for everyone to learn here.
We’ll also take a look at the most commonly asked questions. You’ll also find solutions to some of the likely issues you’ll face when learning how to print photos on a Mac.
By the end of the article, you should feel fully equipped and confident enough to print photos on Mac without too much time and effort.
Before long, you should be able to get it done in no time. You’ll have a better overall grasp of what to do, and how to manipulate the settings to get the exact results you’re looking for.
Let’s get into the guide!
Step 1: Loading the Paper into Your Primary Input Tray
Exactly how this is done will depend on the model of your printer and the manufacturer. If you aren’t sure what to do (or it’s a new printer) then I suggest you find your printer’s manual.
Look for the section on loading paper and follow the instructions. Once you’ve done it the first time, you shouldn’t have trouble with it again.
Your printer might have a separate photo paper tray. If yours has one, then you need to read your manual to see the correct way to load your paper.
Here’re the steps you need to follow when loading your photo paper:
- Take out any plain paper that is currently in the tray
- Load in your photo paper in (short edge first) – if the paper has a handling section for you to hold after printing, make sure to feed it in facing up towards you (to avoid being printed on)
- Once the paper is incorrect, line the guides up with the edges of the paper
P.S. Not all printers have guides and the exact process you should follow needs to be based on your specific printer model. These steps are perfect if you’re learning how to print photos from a mac to HP printer
Also Read: How to Print Double Sided Google Docs – a Very Quick Guide
Step 2: Here’s How to Set Up For Printing the Photo
Before you even go through this section, make sure you have the correct photo printing software for Mac and the compatible software that lets you connect to your printer.
Check to see if your printer is recognized by your Mac and possibly run a test print to see if everything is in working order.
Here are the “How to print on Mac” steps you should follow in this section:
- Finish up editing the photos (to improve the colors and add other effects)
- Open up the photo, open the File dropdown menu, and then click on Print
- If you’re in the Photos app, you’ll have to manually select the layout you want it to print
- When you click Print, a pop-up window will show with a bunch of options on it
- If you aren’t seeing all the options, you’ll need to click Show Details to bring up the complete set of printing options
- Go ahead and select your specific printer from the Printer menu
- Depending on your printer and the model, it might offer you some photo printing presets to choose from
- Locate the Paper Sizes menu and select the size that corresponds to the paper that you loaded into your input tray earlier. Some sizes have more than one option; make sure you choose the correct one (for printing borderless photos, etc.)
- Choose the Orientation that you want to print in (portrait = vertical; landscape = horizontal)
If you’ve made it up to this point, you’re doing excellently. Don’t get worried if you’re feeling a little confused. It’ll all fall into place once you’ve done this a couple of times.
There are some additional settings you might want to change if you like more control over your printing, so that’s what we’ll look at here. Continue from where the last section left off and follow these steps:
- Change additional settings that are found in the unnamed print option drop-down menu; here are some of the things you’ll be able to change:
- Paper type: this decides how your printer will apply the ink onto the paper you’re using. The option is under the Media & Quality section
- Print in color or black and white
- Paper tray to feed on: this is particularly important to check if you have more than one input tray for your printer
- Altering the print quality via the quality slider
- Removing or adding a border to the final photo printout
- Mirror printing: this flips the image 180 degrees horizontally
These don’t cover all the options and some get pretty advanced – but they’re the most important to look out for.
- Click Print!!
That covers all the most important steps you need to take to print successfully.
Now we’ll take a look at some common questions that you might have wondered about.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How to print multiple photos on Mac?
A: In the preview app, you can open multiple photos by selecting them all and opening them. From here all the options are the same as when printing one option. You can choose to print only some of the previewed options by clicking view > thumbnails. You can click the thumbnails of the photos you want to proceed with.
Q: Printing 4×6 photos Mac? How does this work?
A: Insert 4×6 photo paper. Open the photo you want to print with iPhoto. Click File > Print and select “Print Size” to 4 inches by 6 inches. Click “Print” to finish off. Avoid touching the printout until the ink has dried.
Q: How to print wallet-size photos on Mac?
A: When you select the photo size, choose the 4×6 option. You’ll need to manually drag and adjust the image size to the one you want. You can follow the normal procedure before and after this action.
Q: How to print a picture on a Mac from Google?
A: Drag the picture from your browser onto your desktop. Click the icon. It will open in the preview. Follow the same procedures you’ve already followed in this article to complete the print process.
Final Thoughts
We’ve looked at how to print photos on Mac, and discussed some troublesome areas and how to overcome any issues.
We also looked at the most commonly asked questions about how to print on Mac.
By now you should have a really firm grasp of printing photos on your Mac. You’ll see now that it’s not complicated as you might have thought before.
It doesn’t matter if you’re totally new to using Mac, or you just got a new printer. Perhaps this was your first time learning how to print a photo on a Mac from Google.
Regardless, you’ve learned all you need to in this guide.
Take what you’ve learned on how to print photos on Mac, get some practice and you’ll be getting the results you want in no time!
Related Posts:
- What is Duplex Printing
- How to Print Pictures from Digital Camera
- Why Does My Printer Not Print Anything
- What is a Monochrome Printer
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