Overview
iPad with an M-chip required. Check if yours is compatible.
Sticker printing uses USB Direct printing: the sticker printer plugs straight into your iPad with a USB cable. There's no print server, no Wi-Fi printing, and no printer to add in the app. Once your event has a sticker experience, Curator prints each sticker and the printer cuts it out automatically.
Step 1: Enable the Print Driver in iPad Settings
Open the Settings app on your iPad.
Scroll down and tap Curator Live in the left-hand sidebar.
Turn USB Printing / Print Driver on.
⚠️ Make sure Low Power Mode and Low Data Mode are off on your iPad. Either one can stop the iPad from talking to the printer.
If you already use USB Direct printing for photos, this is already done. See USB Direct Printing - Getting Started.
Step 2: Connect Your Printers
We recommend a USB hub so you can connect several printers and keep the iPad charging during the event. Use a USB-C hub with a power pass-through port and enough USB ports for your printers.
A typical large-event setup on one iPad:
Two or more sticker printers for stickers
One photo printer (for example a DNP 620) for regular photo prints, if your event also prints photos
Curator routes jobs automatically: stickers go to the sticker printers, photos go to the photo printer. When you have more than one sticker printer, stickers are spread across them so guests wait less.
Step 3: Load 4x7 Sticker Sheets
Load the sticker printer with 4x7 sticker sheets. Every sticker, whether it's one big sticker or a sheet of small ones, prints on a 4x7 sheet.
Step 4: Set Up a Sticker Experience for Your Event
On the Curator Live website, open your event and set up one or more sticker experiences. Each experience can use AI sticker styles, your own sticker AI prompts, or classic photo stickers.
See Designing Sticker Experiences and Cut Shapes for layouts and cut options.
Step 5: Do a Test Print
Before guests arrive, take a test photo and print a sticker. Each sheet takes on average 1 minute 45 seconds to 2 minutes per printer: up to about 40 seconds to print, then about 1 minute to 1 minute 20 seconds to cut.
Tips for Large Events
Plan for at least two sticker printers. One printer makes roughly 30 sheets an hour.
Keep the iPad plugged in through the USB hub so it doesn't run low mid-event.
Bring extra 4x7 sticker sheets.
Quick Checklist
M-chip iPad with the print driver turned on in iPad Settings → Curator Live
USB hub connected, with the iPad charging
Sticker printer(s), plus an optional photo printer, plugged into the hub
4x7 sticker sheets loaded
A sticker experience set up for your event on the Curator Live website
Test print done
If you run into any issues, please reach out to our support team via the chat bubble below.