Print Automation: How to Automate Workplace Printing and Save Time
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When we think about keeping an office printer running reliably, most of us think about toner, paper, servicing and replacing worn parts. However, there is another important part of your printer that you cannot physically see: its firmware.
Printer firmware is the built-in software that controls how your printer operates. It affects everything from processing a print job and connecting to your network to scanning documents and protecting the device against security vulnerabilities.
Keeping this software up to date can therefore be just as important as maintaining the physical components of your printer.
In this guide, we explain what printer firmware is, how it works and why regular firmware updates should be part of managing your office printers.
What is printer firmware?
In simple terms,
Printer firmware is the core software installed directly onto your printer that tells the device how to operate.
Our engineers describe it as the software responsible for “anything and everything” computerised within the machine.
This includes how the printer starts up, processes information and communicates with other devices, as well as many of its security and networking features.
Unlike an application installed on your computer, firmware resides on the printer itself and acts as a bridge between the printer’s hardware and the instructions it receives from computers, networks and other systems.
How does printer firmware work?
When you click Print on your computer, there is much more happening behind the scenes than simply sending your document to the printer.
Your printer driver first prepares or ‘packages’ the print job into information that the printer can understand and sends this data to the device.
The printer’s firmware then needs to interpret that information and determine what to do with it.
The firmware then coordinates the different components within the machine to produce the finished document. Depending on the device, it can also control scanning, paper handling, finishing options, networking and many other functions.
This is why firmware problems can sometimes appear to be hardware faults when the physical components of the printer are actually working correctly.
What does printer firmware control?
Modern office printers and multifunction devices are sophisticated network-connected systems and their firmware can control a significant proportion of their functionality.
This can include:
- Processing print jobs
- Network connectivity
- Print quality and formatting
- Scanning functionality
- Authentication and access controls
- Security features.
Firmware updates can also introduce new functionality or configuration options.
This means an older printer may sometimes gain additional functionality without replacing the machine itself, simply by installing newer firmware.
Why are printer firmware updates important?
Printer manufacturers periodically release firmware updates throughout the life of their devices.
These updates aren’t simply about adding new features. They can fix known problems, improve compatibility, increase reliability and address security vulnerabilities.
Our engineers typically see firmware releases approximately every three months, although this can vary depending on the manufacturer and device.
If a significant fault or security vulnerability is discovered, a manufacturer may also release an update or emergency security patch rather than waiting for its normal update cycle.
There are three particularly important reasons to keep firmware updated.
Firmware updates frequently contain fixes for problems discovered after a printer has been released.
A problem that appears to be caused by a physical component can sometimes actually originate from the software controlling it.
Our engineers have encountered firmware-related problems presenting themselves as everything from print quality and formatting issues to paper jams and network connectivity problems.
Installing the latest firmware can resolve these issues and help the machine operate more reliably.
The technology surrounding your printer doesn’t stand still.
Operating systems, email platforms, networks, security standards and other software can all change while the printer remains in place.
Firmware updates help existing printers continue communicating with these newer technologies.
A good example our engineers have encountered is scan-to-email.
Changes to email authentication meant that some older printer ranges did not initially support the authentication method required by newer email environments. Updated firmware was needed to add the necessary functionality.
Without the firmware update, users could potentially find that scan-to-email suddenly stopped working even though there was nothing physically wrong with the printer.
Perhaps the most important reason for keeping firmware current is cybersecurity.
Modern multifunction printers are network-connected devices that can process, transmit and sometimes temporarily store business information. They therefore need to be treated as part of your wider IT environment rather than simply as standalone office equipment.
Firmware updates can include patches for vulnerabilities identified by manufacturers.
As our engineer explains:
The longer firmware is left on the printer, the more time malicious people have to find an exploit.
Importantly, a vulnerability doesn’t necessarily need to have already been exploited before a manufacturer releases a patch. Manufacturers can identify potential weaknesses and proactively address them through firmware updates.
For businesses concerned about network and data security, keeping printer firmware updated should therefore form part of routine IT security and device management.
What happens if printer firmware becomes outdated?
A printer won’t necessarily stop working as soon as its firmware becomes outdated.
In many cases, it may continue operating normally for months or even years.
However, as the surrounding IT environment changes, problems can begin to develop.
Outdated firmware could potentially result in:
- Network connection problems
- Reduced printer reliability
- Print quality and formatting problems
- Scanning or scan-to-email failures
- Compatibility problems with newer systems
- Security vulnerabilities.
This can also make diagnosing printer faults more difficult.
An issue that appears to be a mechanical problem could actually be caused by outdated software.
Vulnerability scanning
Businesses can also include network-connected printers within their regular IT vulnerability scans. These scans can help identify known security vulnerabilities, outdated software or other potential risks associated with devices on the network.
If a printer is flagged during a vulnerability scan, your IT team can work with your printer support provider to investigate the issue and determine whether a firmware update or other action is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
The process for checking and updating firmware varies depending on the printer manufacturer and model. On many modern office printers, you can check the current firmware version through the device’s control panel or administration settings.
You can then check the manufacturer’s support resources to see whether a newer versions is available for your printer. Some devices may also be able to check for and install updates automatically.
Before carrying out a firmware update, it’s important to:
- Make sure the update is intended for your exact printer model
- Only download firmware from the manufacturer or another trusted source
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully
- Avoid switching off or disconnecting the printer while an update is being installed.
For businesses with managed or maintained office printers, firmware updates may be handled by your print provider or service engineer. If you’re unsure whether your devices are running the latest firmware, it’s always worth checking before attempting an update yourself.
Surprisingly, yes.
One of our engineers encountered an interesting example after a customer reported that their saddle-stitch finisher was faulty because it was repeatedly reporting paper jams.
When our engineer investigated, however, there was no paper trapped in the machine or any obvious mechanical reason for the error.
Rather than replacing the saddle-stitch finisher, our engineer advised that the issue could be firmware-related and updated the printer’s firmware. Once the update was completed, the repeated jam errors completely disappeared and the finisher continued to operate normally.
It’s a good example of how a printer problem can sometimes appear to be a physical fault with a particular component when the actual cause is software related. Firmware plays an important role in how different parts of a printer communicate and work together, so keeping it up to date can help prevent these types of issues.
There isn’t necessarily a single warning that tells you your firmware needs updating.
Instead, you may start noticing unusual or intermittent problems.
Network connectivity is one area our engineers particularly recommend watching.
A printer that suddenly struggles to join the network, repeatedly disconnects or behaves inconsistently could have outdated firmware, particularly if changes have recently been made to the wider network environment.
Other warning signs could include unusual formatting, previously working functions becoming unavailable or unexplained errors.
However, you don’t need to wait until something goes wrong.
If your printer hasn’t received a firmware update for a year or more, it is worth checking whether newer firmware is available.
Generally, firmware updates are safe when carried out correctly using the appropriate firmware for the device. However, installing the wrong firmware or interrupting an update could cause problems with the printer and potentially prevent it from operating correctly.
For this reason, we recommend that firmware updates are carried out by a trained engineer or your printer support provider rather than attempting them yourself.
For our customers, firmware updates are something our engineers can manage as part of maintaining and supporting their devices, ensuring the correct updates are installed safely when required.
Firmware and printer drivers are closely connected, but they perform different jobs.
Printer firmware is installed on the printer itself and controls how the device operates and interprets information.
A printer driver is software on your computer or IT environment that prepares the print job and communicates the necessary instructions to the printer.
A simple way to think about it is that the driver packages and sends the instructions, while the firmware receives, interprets and acts on them.
Both need to work together for reliable printing.
There isn’t one update schedule that applies to every printer manufacturer or model.
Our engineers commonly see new firmware becoming available around every three months, although updates can be released sooner if an important bug or security vulnerability needs to be addressed.
Rather than relying on a fixed schedule, businesses should periodically check whether firmware updates are available for their devices.
This is particularly important for printers connected to a business network.
Don’t overlook your printer’s firmware
Firmware isn’t something most printer users ever need to think about – until something stops working.
But for IT managers and businesses responsible for managing multiple devices, it is an important part of maintaining a reliable and secure print environment.
Regular firmware updates can resolve known faults, maintain compatibility with changing technology, introduce new functionality and importantly address security vulnerabilities.
Need Help?
Keeping your printer firmware up to date can help improve reliability, maintain compatibility and protect your devices against security vulnerabilities.
If your experiencing printing, scanning or network issues, or simply want to make sure your office printers are properly maintained, our experienced engineers are here to help.
Call us on 01322 643826 or fill in the contact form to speak to one of our print specialists.
