Everything you need to know about The Printer App
The Printer App is a lightweight Windows desktop application for arranging and printing photos with customizable layouts. Import your photos, choose a paper size, arrange them in a grid, make edits, and print — all in one simple interface.
Currently, The Printer App is available for Windows only. We may consider Mac and Linux versions in the future based on demand. Join the waitlist to stay updated.
No. The Printer App works entirely offline. All image processing, editing, and printing happens locally on your computer. No internet connection is required after installation.
WebView2 is a Microsoft runtime component that The Printer App uses for its user interface. It comes pre-installed on most Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems. If it's not installed, the app installer will prompt you to download it from Microsoft's website. It's a small, free download.
The Printer App supports a wide range of image formats:
Standard formats are loaded natively in the browser engine for maximum speed. RAW formats are processed through a full RAW development pipeline built in Rust.
When you import a RAW file, The Printer App performs full RAW development locally on your computer. This includes:
This means you get accurate, high-quality results directly from your camera's sensor data — not a lower-quality embedded preview.
RAW files contain unprocessed sensor data that must be fully developed (demosaiced, color corrected, etc.) before they can be displayed. This is computationally intensive and takes a few seconds per file. JPGs and PNGs are already processed images that can be displayed immediately.
The trade-off is accuracy — full RAW development produces significantly better results than extracting a compressed embedded preview.
All paper sizes are dimensionally accurate on screen at 96 DPI, giving you a true what-you-see-is-what-you-get preview.
You can arrange 1 to 12 images per page. The app automatically calculates the optimal grid layout based on the number of images. For example:
Yes. You can switch between portrait and landscape orientation for any paper size. The layout grid adjusts automatically to fit the new orientation.
Yes. When you import more images than fit on a single page, the app automatically creates additional pages. You can navigate between pages, drag images between pages, and each page will be printed separately.
There are two ways to import photos:
Both methods support all standard image formats and camera RAW files.
The built-in editor lets you adjust each image individually or in batch:
All edits are non-destructive — your original files are never modified.
Yes. Use the checkboxes on each image to select multiple images, then open the editor. Any slider adjustment will apply to all checked images simultaneously. You can uncheck specific images to protect them from further changes while continuing to edit the rest.
Yes. Click and drag any image to swap it with another image on the same page. You can also drag images to the edge of the canvas to move them to adjacent pages, or drag them onto page thumbnails to move them to any page.
No, never. The Printer App only reads your image files for display and printing. Your original files are never modified, moved, or deleted. All edits (brightness, contrast, rotation, etc.) are applied in memory only and do not affect the source files.
Click the Print button in the toolbar. The app opens your system's standard print dialog where you can select your printer, number of copies, and other printer-specific settings. The layout you designed on screen is sent to the printer at full resolution.
The Printer App sends your images to the printer at full resolution. The final print quality depends on your printer's capabilities, the paper you use, and the resolution of your source images. The on-screen canvas displays at 96 DPI (standard screen resolution), but the actual print output uses your images' native resolution.
Yes. The Printer App uses the standard Windows printing system. Any printer that works with Windows (local USB printers, network printers, wireless printers) will work with The Printer App. This includes inkjet, laser, and photo printers from any manufacturer.
Yes. Windows includes a built-in "Microsoft Print to PDF" printer. Select it in the print dialog to save your layout as a PDF file instead of sending it to a physical printer.
You choose which pages to print. Each page thumbnail has a checkbox — checked pages are included in the print job, unchecked pages are skipped. All pages are checked by default, so clicking Print sends everything to your printer in one go.
The Print button shows a count like Print (3/5) so you always know how many pages will be printed. Unchecked thumbnails are dimmed with a "SKIP PRINT" overlay so it's clear at a glance which pages are excluded.
No. The Printer App does not collect, transmit, or store any personal data. It does not use analytics, tracking, cookies, or telemetry. The app works entirely offline and never communicates with any server. Your photos stay on your computer.
No. The Printer App makes zero network requests. It does not phone home, check for updates automatically, or send any data anywhere. It is a fully offline application. You can even run it without an internet connection.
Your photos stay exactly where they are on your computer. The Printer App reads them for display and printing but does not copy, move, or upload them. When you save a layout, only the file paths and layout settings are saved — not the images themselves.
Yes. You can save your layout as a project file that includes the paper size, orientation, grid settings, image positions, and all editing adjustments. Load the project file later to pick up where you left off.
The project file stores references to your image file paths. If you move or rename the source images after saving, the app may not be able to locate them when you reload the project. Keep your source images in the same location for best results.
Make sure you have the following:
If the app still won't start, try running it as administrator or reinstalling.
Make sure your RAW file format is one of the supported types: DNG, CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, ORF, RW2, or RAF. RAW processing takes a few seconds per file — you should see a loading indicator while the file is being processed. If a specific RAW file fails, it may be from an unsupported camera model or a corrupted file.
Minor differences between screen and print are normal due to the difference between how monitors display light (RGB, backlit) and how printers deposit ink (CMYK). For the best results:
This usually means the source image resolution is too low for the print size. For sharp prints, use high-resolution source images. As a general guideline, you need about 300 pixels per inch (PPI) of printed size. For example, printing a 4×6 inch photo requires at least a 1200×1800 pixel image.
The Printer App is developed by Acme Factory Inc., a software company focused on building practical, privacy-respecting tools for creative professionals.
The Printer App is built with Tauri, a modern framework that combines a Rust backend with a lightweight web-based frontend. This gives you native desktop performance with a small footprint (~2 MB installer). The RAW processing engine is written entirely in Rust for speed and reliability.
Email us at support@theprinterapp.com. We aim to respond within 24–48 hours.