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Windows RT v3 Print Queue Compatibility

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Applies To: Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2

Windows RT Legacy Print Queue Compatibility Overview

Windows 8.1 leverages in-box class drivers to provide Windows RT clients with the ability to connect to shared printers more easily, without putting extra burden on organizations to make changes to their existing print environment.

In Windows 8.1, RT PCs can connect to shared printers that use v3-print-drivers, as long as the device is supported by a print-class-driver. This is accomplished by creating a local port that points to a remote print share (i.e. \\server\printer).

System administrators previously had to upgrade potentially thousands of print queues to v4 drivers in order to accommodate Windows RT clients.

Windows RT Legacy Print Queue Compatibility Requirements and Limitations

This feature has three requirements:

  1. A Windows 8.1 RT client

  2. A Windows Server 2012 R2 print server.

    This is required to expose an accurate HardwareID and CompatibleID to the RT client machines.

  3. A physical print device for which the client has a compatible in-box class driver.

This feature provides basic printing functionality to RT clients when a print server or print queue has not been upgraded to support enhanced point and print. Users will only have access to features of the print class driver.

Queues created by this feature are subject to all of the limitations of a local print queue. (e.g. Pending print jobs on the server are not displayed, driver updates are not installed, etc.)

Windows RT Legacy Print Queue Compatibility Connection Flow

The following diagram illustrates the workflow when an RT client connects to a v3 print queue.

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