PaperCut MF 26 just landed, and if you run print management on PaperCut, this release is worth paying attention to. PaperCut MF is the software a lot of Tallahassee offices lean on to control who prints what, track costs, and lock down scanning — and version 26 brings real upgrades to logins, security, and device support. Here’s the plain-English rundown on what changed and whether it matters to you.
What’s New in PaperCut MF 26
The headline of this PaperCut MF release is a modernized login experience. PaperCut rebuilt the authentication side so users sign in once and stay signed in across everything — web portals, the user client, and the panel on the copier. No more logging in three times to do one job. That sounds small, but in a busy office it adds up fast.
The two changes that stand out:
- Unified Authentication — One login carries across all PaperCut MF components instead of forcing a fresh sign-in at every step.
- SAML 2.0 Support — Your team can now authenticate against SAML 2.0 identity providers like Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, Ping Federate, and JumpCloud. If your office already uses single sign-on, this hooks the copier right into it.
For a deeper look at the full feature set, PaperCut publishes its release details on the official PaperCut MF product page.
Security and Device Changes Worth Knowing
This PaperCut MF update leans hard into security, and that’s a good thing. SAML support means logins can run through your identity provider with the same multi-factor protection you use everywhere else. Phishing-resistant authentication isn’t a luxury anymore — the federal CISA Secure Our World guidance has been pushing stronger sign-in standards for years, and tying your fleet into SSO is a clean way to get there.
A few other changes you should know about:
- End-of-life devices get disabled automatically. On upgrade, PaperCut MF 26 turns off device types that have hit end-of-life. Admins can manually re-enable them, but only after acknowledging the risk — so legacy hardware doesn’t quietly become a hole in your network.
- ARM64 support is now official in Print Deploy, so the newest laptops and Chromebooks get the right driver automatically.
- New embedded apps for Ricoh and Sharp panels — faster logins and quicker screen loads right on the copier glass.
The Maintenance and Support Catch
Here’s the one that’ll trip people up. PaperCut MF 26 now enforces active Maintenance & Support (M&S) for cloud features like Scan to Cloud and OCR. PaperCut always technically required it — now the software actually checks. Let your M&S lapse and those cloud-hosted features simply disappear from the menu. No error, no broken workflow, they’re just gone until you renew.
The good news? It’s clean for the end user. If a feature is unavailable, it won’t show up, so nobody’s staring at a cryptic error at the copier. Admins can see the status in the portal, and a temporary trial license can bridge the gap while a renewal processes. Still — if you depend on Scan to Cloud or OCR, keep that M&S current.
What This Means for Tallahassee Businesses
If your office already runs PaperCut MF, version 26 is a worthwhile upgrade — better security, fewer logins, and cleaner handling of aging devices. But upgrades like this are exactly where a copier and print fleet “just works” or turns into a help-desk headache, depending on how the rollout is handled. The M&S enforcement and end-of-life device changes in particular are the kind of thing you want planned, not discovered.
That’s where we come in. Advanced Business Systems has supported print management for offices across Tallahassee, Thomasville, and North Florida & South Georgia since 1984. We sell and service Canon, Kyocera, Ricoh, and Toshiba equipment, and we handle the PaperCut MF side too — upgrade planning, SSO setup, and making sure your scanning and OCR keep working through the transition. For law firms and medical offices, we can build configurations to support HIPAA requirements so sensitive documents stay locked down. Questions about your PaperCut MF setup? Call us at (850) 222-2308.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I have to upgrade to PaperCut MF 26 right away?
A: No. But the security improvements — especially SAML 2.0 and automatic end-of-life device handling — make it a smart upgrade to plan sooner rather than later. We can help you time it around your office’s schedule.
Q: Will the upgrade break my scanning or OCR?
A: Only if your Maintenance & Support has lapsed. Version 26 enforces active M&S for cloud features like Scan to Cloud and OCR. Keep your M&S current and everything keeps working. If you’re not sure of your status, we can check it for you.
Q: Does PaperCut MF 26 work with our existing copiers?
A: In most cases, yes — including new embedded apps for Ricoh and Sharp panels. Very old, end-of-life devices may be disabled on upgrade for security reasons. We’ll audit your fleet before any upgrade so there are no surprises.