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Printing Troubleshooting

Step-by-step fixes for common printing issues across USB Direct, Print Server (V2), Legacy Print Server (V1), and wireless methods.

Which printing method are you using?

Start by identifying which printing method you're using below, then jump to the right section.

USB Direct Printing

iPad → USB cable → DNP or Citizen printer. No computer or Wi-Fi required.

Printer not recognized by the app

Almost always a missing step in iPad Settings. The print driver must be enabled before connecting a printer.

  1. Open Settings on your iPad (not the Curator app)

  2. Go to Apps and look for Curator Live

  3. Toggle Curator Live Print Driver to On

  4. Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable to the printer

⚠️ iPad model requirement: USB Direct Printing only works on iPads with an M-series chip (iPad Pro M1–M4, iPad Air M1–M3). Older iPads without an M-series chip are not supported — use the Print Server instead.

Photos are cutting in half (or not cutting when they should)

Cut behavior is controlled by the Cut Middle option in your event layout.

  1. Log in to my.curatorlive.com and open your event

  2. Go to Page 4 of the event settings → Layout

  3. Click the pencil icon and find the Cut Middle checkbox — check it to cut prints in half, uncheck it to print without cutting

  4. Save, then refresh the event in the app, take a new photo, and do a test print

Nothing is printing — print job sent but nothing comes out

  1. Confirm Curator Live Print Driver is enabled in iPad Settings → Apps → Curator Live

  2. Try a different USB cable, or a shorter one, to rule out a faulty cable

  3. Connect directly to the printer (bypass the hub) to isolate a hub issue

  4. Confirm media is loaded and the printer shows "Ready"

  5. Force-quit the Curator app, reopen it, and try again

Prints coming out the wrong size

Print sizes are set in your event config on the Curator website — not in the app.

  1. Log in to my.curatorlive.com and open your event

  2. Go to Page 4 and confirm the Image Dimension setting matches your desired print size and loaded media

  3. Confirm the correct media cassette is installed for the size you want

📷 Camera note: Some older DSLRs (including the Nikon D300) produce non-standard aspect ratios. If photos consistently print smaller than expected, check that your camera's output resolution and aspect ratio match your chosen print size.

Print margins are slightly off

  1. In the Curator app, open Printer Settings and go to USB Printer

  2. Adjust the Scale, X, and Y values to fit your layout

  3. Do a test print to confirm

Printer jammed during a Jumbo Photo Strip

⚠️ Do not pull the strip while it's printing. Jumbo strips (6×14, 6×20, 8×22, 8×32) print in multiple passes — the printer pulls media in and out repeatedly. Grabbing the strip mid-print causes a jam and may damage the printer.

Wait until the printer fully releases the strip and shows "Ready." If a jam has already occurred: power off, gently remove the media cassette, clear the jam per your printer's manual, reload media, and power back on.

iPad battery draining during the event

Use a powered USB-C hub — it charges the iPad and powers the printer connection. Unpowered hubs don't pass power to the iPad. Curator has tested USB cables up to 15 feet.

Curator Print Server (V2)

Mac or Windows running Curator Print Server software. iPad connects via USB cable, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Cloud.

Things to check before contacting support

Run through this list first — most Print Server issues are caused by one of these:

  • Printer is powered on and connected to the computer

  • Printer driver is installed — test by printing a page directly from macOS or Windows (not from Curator)

  • Computer was restarted after installing Print Server — it won't work until you reboot

  • iPad appears in the Print Server device list — if not, check the connection steps in the next section

  • PC and iPad are on the same private network — not a hotel or venue guest network. Use a mobile hotspot or your own router if needed.

  • Correct printer is selected in Print Server (if a test page works but Curator isn't printing, check the Printers section in the Print Server)

  • Running the latest versions of the Curator Live app and Print Server software

  • Firewall allows Print Server — macOS: System Settings → Network → Firewall → add an exception. Windows: Defender Firewall → Allow an app → enable Curator Print Server. Best workaround: use a USB cable, which bypasses the network entirely.

💡 Still not working after all of the above? Force close the Curator app, reopen it, and test. If that doesn't help, restart the iPad and the computer, then reopen Print Server.

My iPad doesn't appear in the Print Server device list

The Print Server supports three connection methods — try USB first, it's the most reliable:

  1. USB Cable (recommended): Connect your iPad to the computer via USB and tap Trust when prompted on the iPad. If you don't see the Trust prompt, try a different cable.


    ​Windows: Install Apple Devices and Bonjour first — your iPad must appear and be trusted in Apple Devices before Print Server can see it.

  2. Wi-Fi: Both devices must be on the same private Wi-Fi network — not a guest network. Also go to iOS Settings → Apps → Curator Live and enable Local Network Access.


    ⚠️ Guest networks at hotels, venues, and cafes block device communication. Use a mobile hotspot or your own portable router instead.

  3. Ethernet: Connect your iPad to the network via an Ethernet adapter. Works the same as Wi-Fi but more stable — useful at venues with unreliable wireless.

Prints aren't coming out

The Print Server uses the operating system's printer list — your printer must be installed in macOS or Windows first.

  1. Download and install the official driver from your printer manufacturer's website (DNP, Citizen, Mitsubishi, Hiti, Sinfonia)

  2. Connect the printer and print a test page directly from the computer (not from Curator) — if it prints, the OS can see it

  3. In Print Server Settings, confirm your printer appears in the dropdown

Prints coming out the wrong size

  1. Log in to my.curatorlive.com and open your event

  2. Go to Page 4 and confirm the Image Dimension setting matches your desired print size and loaded media

  3. In the Print Server app, click the gear icon next to your printer → in the Print Sizes panel, select your size and click Configure Printer to verify the size mapping is correct. Toggle off any sizes you don't use.

  4. Confirm the correct media cassette is loaded in the printer

Prints aren't cutting (or cutting when they shouldn't)

Cut behavior is controlled in two places — both need to match. Start on the Curator website, then configure the printer in Print Server.

  1. Log in to my.curatorlive.com, open your event, go to Page 4, and confirm the Cut Middle checkbox matches what you want — checked to cut, unchecked to not cut

  2. Confirm your printer driver is installed on the computer — Print Server can't control cut behavior without it. Test by printing a page directly from macOS or Windows first.

  3. In Print Server, go to Printers and click the gear icon ⚙ next to your printer

  4. In the Print Sizes panel, select your size — for strips, choose the Photo Strip(s) variant; for standard sizes (e.g. 4×6), choose Normal — then click Configure Printer and check the 2-inch cut setting.

  5. Click Save All, then refresh the event in the app, take a new photo, and print to test

Prints are coming out the wrong orientation (portrait vs. landscape)

Some printers require Auto-Rotate to be enabled in Print Server to output prints in the correct orientation. This setting is at the bottom of each printer's settings screen.

  1. In Print Server, go to Printers and click the gear icon ⚙ next to your printer

  2. Find the two Auto-Rotate toggles at the bottom of the settings screen

  3. Enable the matching toggle: Auto-Rotate to Portrait (e.g. DNP QW410) or Auto-Rotate to Landscape (e.g. DNP DS-RX1)

  4. Click Save All, then refresh the event in the app, take a new photo, and print to test

AI photos are printing late or out of order

AI-generated images require processing time before they're ready to print. The Print Server automatically sends them once processing is complete — this is by design, not a bug.

At busy events, AI prints may be delayed by a few minutes relative to standard photos; the delay depends on Curator's server processing times and cannot be shortened.

Cloud Sync Printing

A Print Server feature that pulls photos from Curator's cloud — no iPad connection required. Good for printing from a past event, or when the iPad can't connect directly.

How to enable Cloud Sync

  1. Open Print Server, log in, and click Events in the left sidebar

  2. If your event isn't listed, click + Add Event and enter your event code (found in the Curator app or on my.curatorlive.com)

  3. Choose a sync window from the Sync Options dialog

    • Only New — photos taken from this point forward only

    • Last Hour / 3 Hours / 6 Hours — recent photos from the event

    • Last 24 Hours / 48 Hours — for printing from yesterday's event

    • All Images — entire event history (may be slow for large events)

  4. Click Start Sync, then click the eye icon next to your event to view and print the downloaded photos.

If the event is already added:
Click the cloud icon to the right of your event — it turns green when Cloud Sync is enabled.

Cloud prints are delayed — photos not printing right away

This is expected. Cloud Sync prints are not real-time — photos must download from Curator's servers before printing, so there's always some delay. At busy events or with a slow connection, that delay can be noticeable.

For immediate printing, connect the iPad directly via USB, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet.

Cloud Sync is on but nothing is printing

  1. Check that the cloud icon is green next to your event — a red or strikethrough cloud means sync is off. Click it to re-enable and choose a sync window.

  2. Click the eye icon next to your event to view synced photos, then select the ones you want and print from there.

  3. Make sure photos exist for the time range you selected — if the sync window predates any photos, nothing will print. Try a wider window like Last 3 Hours or All Images.

  4. Confirm the computer has an internet connection — Cloud Sync requires it to pull photos from Curator's servers

  5. Try disabling sync, then re-enabling it and selecting Only New to test if a fresh photo triggers a print

Legacy Print Server (V1)

Older Curator Print Server version — recommended for Sinfonia printers.

When to use Legacy (V1) instead of V2

The current (V2) Print Server is recommended for most setups. The Legacy V1 Print Server is primarily used for Sinfonia printers, which currently have a compatibility issue with V2. If you're using a Sinfonia printer and prints aren't working on V2, switch to V1.

For all other supported printers (DNP, Citizen, Mitsubishi, Hiti), use the V2 Print Server — it has better support, more features, and Curator can troubleshoot it more easily.

How to activate the Legacy (V1) Print Server

Delete and reinstall the app. Open the App Store, search for Curator Live, and reinstall — this ensures you're on the latest version. Make sure the Legacy Print Server software is already running on your PC or Mac before proceeding.

  1. In the Curator app, go to Printers

  2. Make sure Autoprint is set to 1 — tap + if it shows 0

  3. Scroll down and toggle Enable V1 Curator Print Server (deprecated) to On

  4. Tap FIND SERVERS

  5. Select CuratorPrintServer from the list — Host and Port should auto-populate (host = your computer name, port = 3000)

  6. Tap TEST PRINT to confirm the connection is working

💡 If auto-populate doesn't work: enter the Host (your computer's network name) and Port (3000) manually. The printer name in the software must be exactly CuratorPrintServer.

CuratorPrintServer not showing up in Find Servers

  1. Confirm the Legacy Print Server software is running on your PC or Mac (check system tray on Windows, menu bar on Mac)

  2. Make sure your iPad and computer are on the same Wi-Fi network

  3. Tap Search Again in the server picker

  4. If still not found, enter Host and Port (3000) manually, then tap Test Print

📶 AirPrint & Wireless Printing (WCM, AirCast Pro)

WCM, AirCast Pro, or native AirPrint — wireless-only methods

Wireless printing methods have their own dedicated setup guides. If you're using one of these and something isn't working, start there.

💡 Curator recommends: If your printer supports it, switch to USB Direct Printing or the V2 Print Server — these are more reliable and easier to troubleshoot than wireless methods, especially at venues with unpredictable Wi-Fi.

Still stuck? Contact support via chat and include your Event Code and which printing method you're using.

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