Install and open
Download the build for the station's platform and install it like any desktop application. The agent runs in the background with a menu-bar or tray icon.
curl -fsSL https://get.rocketprint.io | shDownload
Put the agent next to your printers.
The agent is a small desktop application. It signs in to your organization, reports the printers the operating system can see, and holds one outbound connection open so jobs can reach it.
Builds
Pick the machine that sits closest to the printer.
Every build speaks the same protocol and registers printers the same way. What differs is how the operating system exposes print queues.
| Platform | Requirement | Raw label printing | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| macOS (Apple silicon & Intel) | macOS 12 or later | Supported | Unsigned build |
| Linux (x64 & arm64, incl. Raspberry Pi) | CUPS installed and reachable | Supported | Unsigned build |
| Windows | Windows 10 or later | Not yet | Unsigned build |
Install
Three steps, about five minutes.
Sign in
Log in with your RocketPrint account inside the agent. It binds itself to your organization — there is no key to copy onto the machine.
rocketprint loginWatch the printers appear
The agent reports every printer the operating system exposes, then re-reports on reconnect and on a regular interval. Each one shows up in the console with a stable ID.
Console → Printers$ rocketprint login
✔ Logged in as ken@example.com
✔ Station registered — bldr-wh-01
✔ Agent online — 3 printers registered:
Zebra ZD421 → 6a4738f7462183c7f5d70598
Zebra GK420d → 6a4738f7462183c7f5d70599
HP LaserJet M110 → 6a4738f7462183c7f5d7059aWhat it does on the machine
Stated precisely, because you are installing it on someone's workstation.
What it does
- Enumerates the print queues the operating system exposes
- Holds one authenticated outbound TLS connection to RocketPrint
- Prints jobs addressed to printers it registered
- Reports job outcomes and printer presence back
- Keeps a local ledger of finished jobs so it never reprints one
What it does not do
- Accept inbound connections of any kind
- Browse the filesystem or read documents on the machine
- Provide remote access, screen capture, or a shell
- Receive jobs for any organization other than the one it signed in to
The full model is on the security page.
Troubleshooting
The three things that go wrong.
A printer is missing from the console
If the station's operating system cannot print to it, neither can we. Print a test page locally first. If that works and the printer still is not listed, restart the agent to force a re-report.
The station shows offline
Check that the machine is awake and that outbound HTTPS is allowed. The agent reconnects on its own; queued jobs dispatch automatically once it does.
A raw job failed on Windows
Expected — raw pass-through on Windows is not finished and returns an explicit error. Use a macOS or Linux station for label printing today.
Jobs queue but never print
The printer is registered but its queue is paused or unreachable from the station. Look at the failure reason on the job in the console — it carries the error the print system returned.
Questions
Before you install.
Which machine should run the agent?
Any machine that stays on and can already print to the printers you care about — a pack-bench Mac mini, a back-office Linux box, a Raspberry Pi on the shop floor. One agent can serve every printer that machine can see.
Do I need one agent per printer?
No. One agent registers every queue its operating system exposes. You need a second agent only for printers a second machine reaches, typically at another location.
Does the agent need admin rights?
Only for the install itself, the same as any desktop application. It runs as a normal user and prints through the print system that user can already reach.
Why is the installer unsigned?
Code-signing identities are being obtained. Until they are in place your operating system will warn you on first launch — macOS will say the developer cannot be verified, and Windows SmartScreen will show a blue warning. We would rather tell you here than have it surprise a rollout.
How do I uninstall it?
Quit the agent and remove the application the way you remove any other. Printers it registered go offline in the console and can be deleted there; queued jobs for them can be canceled.
Next step
Agent online? Send it a label.
Create an API key in the console, then POST your first job. Two curl commands.