How to Prevent Kids or Guests from Printing 100-Page Jobs

🔧Step-by-Step Fixes

Fix 1: Enable PIN or Password Printing

Many printers support secure printing where jobs are held until someone enters a PIN at the printer.

1. Access your printer's web interface (type its IP address in a browser)
2. Log in with admin credentials
3. Navigate to Security, Access Control, or Job Management
4. Look for Secure Print, PIN Printing, or Job Hold
5. Enable Require PIN for all jobs or Hold all jobs for release
6. Set a PIN code (like 1234, or require users to set their own)
7. Save settings

Now, when someone prints, the job sits in a queue. They have to go to the printer, enter the PIN on the control panel, and manually release the job. This gives you a chance to see what's being printed before it wastes ink and paper.

Brands with PIN printing: HP LaserJet (Job Storage), Canon (Secure Print), Epson (Job Hold), Brother (Secure Function Lock), Ricoh/Xerox (User Authentication)

Fix 2: Set Up User Accounts and Quotas

Some printers let you create user accounts with print quotas—limits on how many pages each person can print.

1. Access your printer's web interface
2. Go to User Management, Access Control, or Authentication
3. Enable User Authentication
4. Create user accounts:
   • Parent/Adult account: Unlimited or high quota (500 pages/month)
   • Kids account: Limited quota (20 pages/week)
   • Guest account: Very limited quota (5 pages) or require approval
5. Assign print quotas to each account
6. Require users to log in at the printer or via print dialog before jobs are accepted
7. Save settings

When the quota is reached, the printer refuses additional jobs until you reset the counter or increase the quota.

Note: This feature is more common on business printers. If your printer doesn't support it, see Fix 4 for software solutions.

Fix 3: Use Print Management Software

If your printer lacks built-in controls, install print management software on your computers.

For Windows - Use Group Policy or Third-Party Software

Free options:

• PaperCut NG (free for home use): Full-featured print management with quotas, pop-up alerts showing page count before printing, and user tracking.
• Print Conductor: Controls batch printing.
• Windows Print Management (built-in): Can restrict printer access by user account.

Setting up PaperCut NG (recommended):

1. Download PaperCut NG from papercut.com (free for basic home use)
2. Install it on the computer connected to the printer (or on a dedicated server)
3. Open PaperCut web interface (usually http://localhost:9191)
4. Create user accounts for family members
5. Set print quotas for each user (e.g., kids get 10 pages/week)
6. Enable Print Confirmation Popup—before any job prints, users see the page count and cost
7. Require them to click "Confirm" or the job is canceled
8. Set up Print Policies: block color printing for kids, enforce duplex (double-sided), etc.

PaperCut shows a popup on the computer before printing: "You're about to print 147 pages. Are you sure?" This catches accidents before they happen.

Fix 4: Configure Windows Printer Permissions

You can restrict who can print using Windows built-in security settings.

1. Open Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners
2. Click on your printer and select Manage
3. Click Printer properties
4. Go to the Security tab
5. You'll see a list of users and groups (Everyone, Administrators, specific users)
6. Remove Everyone or set their permissions to Deny
7. Add specific user accounts and give them Print permission only
8. Kids' accounts can have Print permission but you can limit it via parental controls (see below)
9. Click Apply

Now only approved user accounts can print. Kids using guest accounts or limited accounts won't have access unless you grant it.

Fix 5: Use Parental Controls on Computers

Windows and Mac have parental control features that can limit printer access.

Windows Parental Controls:

1. Create a Child account for your kids (Settings > Accounts > Family & other users)
2. Add them to your Microsoft Family
3. Go to family.microsoft.com and log in
4. Under your child's account, go to App and game limits
5. You can't directly block printing, but you can:
   • Set screen time limits (they can't print if they can't use the computer)
   • Restrict which apps can run (block direct PDF readers that bypass print dialogs)
   • Monitor activity reports to see if they're printing excessively

For more direct control: Use third-party parental control software like Qustodio, Net Nanny, or Norton Family, which can block printer access entirely or require parent approval for print jobs.

Fix 6: Isolate Guest Devices from Your Printer

Prevent guests from accessing your printer by putting their devices on a guest network.

1. Enable your router's Guest WiFi Network
2. Make sure Guest Network Isolation is enabled (this blocks access to local devices like printers)
3. Give guests the guest WiFi password, not your main network password
4. Your printer stays on your main network, invisible to guest devices

If a guest genuinely needs to print something, you can:

• Let them email you the file and you print it from your computer
• Temporarily connect them to your main network while you supervise
• Set up a "guest print" feature where they send files to a specific email or folder that you approve before printing

Fix 7: Physical Printer Controls

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best:

• Turn off the printer: Keep it off when not in use. You control when it's available.
• Remove it from WiFi: Connect the printer via USB to only your computer. Others physically can't access it.
• Lock the printer in a room: For businesses or large families, keep the printer in a locked office or room. People must ask you to unlock it.
• Remove paper: Keep the paper tray empty or locked. Even if someone sends a job, it won't print without paper.
• Use a smart plug: Connect the printer to a smart plug you control via phone app. Turn it on remotely only when approved users need it.