How to Print from iOS Devices Directly to Dropbox

Printopia is a small System Preferences pane that, once installed, will give you access to non-AirPrint printers directly from your iOS device, but also includes a feature to print directly to your Dropbox folder on your Mac. With this feature, whenever you print, a PDF file will be immediately transfered to your Mac's Dropbox folder and opened.

What You Need:

>> Printopia ($19.95; free trial available)

>> iOS device (iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch)

>> Dropbox account

 

1. Install Printopia

Check the boxes next to the printers or services you wish to activate.

Printopia can be downloaded from the developer's website. It costs $19.95 for the full version, but a free trial is also available. After installing, you will get a new System Preference pane. If you already have Dropbox set up on your computer, the "Send to Dropbox on Mac" option will automatically be turned on and shared by default. You may configure other settings as needed.

2. Print to a file from iOS

On your iOS device, open the Printer dialog in any application. We'll show it working in Safari on an iPhone, but you could also use an iPad or iPod touch running iOS 4.

If you set up a password for your Dropbox "printer" in Printopia, you will need to enter that login information before continuing.

After selecting Printer, you will be able to select "Send to Dropbox on Mac." Now, when you print, the file will automatically be added to a "Printopia" folder in your Dropbox and opened with Preview on the Mac you printed to. Note that because Printopia works just like AirPrint, this will only work when your iOS device is connected to the same network that your Mac is also connected to.

You can change this save location in the Printopia settings for the Dropbox "printer."

 

Follow this article's author, Cory Bohon on Twitter.

http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_print_ios_devices_directly_dropbox

Sent with MobileRSS HD FREE