# Understand how Starshipit printing works URL: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/90200000000155-understand-how-starshipit-printing-works Canonical: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/90200000000155-understand-how-starshipit-printing-works Markdown: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/90200000000155-understand-how-starshipit-printing-works.md Updated: 2026-09-03 > For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.starshipit.com/llms.txt). > Learn how Starshipit routes print jobs to a Desktop App and how that app chooses the physical printer. Starshipit printing uses two sets of settings: the originating Starshipit workflow chooses which Desktop App receives the job, then that Desktop App chooses the physical printer or PDF destination. ## How print routing works Think of printing as two separate decisions. | Decision | Where it is configured | What it controls | | --- | --- | --- | | Which Desktop App receives the job? | The printing settings for the Starshipit account or workflow that creates the print job | The Print Client machine that receives the label or document | | What happens after the Desktop App receives it? | **Print Settings** in that Desktop App | The physical printer or PDF destination, paper size, and orientation for each document or shipping label type | For example, your Starshipit account can route packing slips to a Desktop App named `Packing bench 1`. On that computer, the Desktop App can send packing slips to an A4 printer and shipping labels to a thermal printer. The computer that receives the job must be on and its Desktop App must show that its Print Client connection is online. The physical printer must also be installed and available to that computer. For a Print Client route, the device that triggers the job does not need to be connected directly to the printer or share the receiving computer's local network. ## Understand the print flow When you use a Desktop App as a Print Client, a print job follows this sequence: 1. Start a print action from a supported Print Client workflow, such as Starshipit web, Starshipit WMS web, or the Pick & Pack mobile app. 2. Starshipit creates or retrieves the label or document. 3. The originating workflow routes the job to the selected Print Client machine. 4. The Desktop App on that machine receives the job. 5. The Desktop App applies its local document default or shipping-label route. 6. The Desktop App sends the output to the mapped physical printer or downloads it as a PDF. The available print action and destination choices depend on the workflow and your account settings. Set up and test the path your team will use before processing live orders in bulk. ## Know when the Desktop App is bypassed Some mobile workflows can send a label directly to the mobile device's system print flow. For example, an iPhone or iPad may print to an AirPrint printer. Starshipit WMS Mobile uses direct device printing and does not use the Pick & Pack Print Client fallback. Direct mobile printing bypasses the Print Client machine and its Desktop App mappings. The printer selected on the mobile device controls the physical output instead. In Pick & Pack, select the Print Client workflow instead of direct device printing when you want to use a Desktop App and its mapped printers. Do not troubleshoot an AirPrint job in Desktop App Print Settings because the Desktop App never receives that job. ## Choose a setup Use the setup that matches where your team starts printing. | Where printing starts | What to configure | | --- | --- | | Inside the Desktop App on the printer's computer | Configure the physical printer mappings in that Desktop App. | | Starshipit web or another browser-based Starshipit workflow | Connect a Desktop App as a Print Client, route the account's document types to that machine, and configure the machine's physical printer mappings. | | Pick & Pack using a Print Client | Connect and select the receiving Print Client, then configure the receiving Desktop App's physical printer mappings. | | Pick & Pack or WMS Mobile using the device's system print flow | Select a compatible printer on the mobile device. A Desktop App is not required for that print path. | For the recommended Print Client path, [set up the Starshipit Desktop App](/articles/360000693156-set-up-desktop-print-application). ## Verify the complete route Test both routing decisions before relying on the setup: 1. Confirm the receiving Desktop App shows its Print Client connection as **Online**. 2. Confirm the originating Starshipit printing settings show the expected machine for the document or label type. 3. Confirm the receiving Desktop App maps that document or label type to the expected physical printer or PDF destination. 4. Reprint an existing label or use another low-risk document to test the route without creating an unnecessary shipment. 5. Confirm the job reaches the expected Desktop App and then appears in the expected printer queue or PDF destination. ## Troubleshoot the correct part of the route Use where the job stopped to identify which settings to check. | What happened | Check next | | --- | --- | | The expected Desktop App did not receive the job | Check the selected machine, account, document-type route, and the Desktop App's **Online** status. | | The Desktop App received the job but used the wrong printer | Check that Desktop App's local document default or shipping-label route. | | The job reached the correct printer queue but did not print correctly | Check the printer connection, driver, queue, loaded paper, paper size, and orientation. | | A direct mobile print did not reach the printer | Check the printer selected by the mobile device and its network or system print service. | For more fixes, see [Troubleshoot printing](/articles/213724603-printing-troubleshooting). ## Related articles - [Set up the Starshipit Desktop App](/articles/360000693156-set-up-desktop-print-application) - [Set up your printer](/articles/9171767654799-setting-up-your-printer) - [Choose a shipping label printer and label size](/articles/360001921655-shipping-label-printers-and-label-sizes)