MyQ Desktop Client (MDC) is a software application installed on users' workstations. It provides user identification, server communication, print accounting, secure printing, print driver capture, and printer provisioning on supported Windows and macOS workstations.
This page covers the decisions to make before deploying MDC. Installation procedures, including Intune deployment where supported, are covered in the relevant MyQ Desktop Client guide for each platform.
Why Deploy MDC?
MDC deployment is optional, but useful in many environments, especially where workstation identification, printer provisioning, client spooling, fallback printing, or local print monitoring are required.
The main reasons to deploy MDC are:
User Convenience
MDC can be installed and preconfigured on users’ computers through Intune, or made available through Company Portal for self-service installation. Server connection parameters can also be included in the installer so that users do not need to configure the server connection manually.
Fallback Printing
MDC supports printing when the MyQ server is temporarily unavailable. To make fallback printing available broadly, install the client on all workstations that should be covered by the fallback printing plan, not only on workstations where users have already requested it.
Visibility and Control
Deploying MDC centrally helps you identify which devices have it installed, roll out updates consistently, and keep clients aligned with the intended configuration.
If your environment relies on embedded terminals for all print release and you have no requirement for client spooling, fallback printing, or workstation-level user identification, MDC may not be necessary. Where printing must continue during temporary server unavailability, fallback printing can be enough reason to deploy MDC broadly.
Prerequisites for MDC
Before beginning deployment, confirm the following:
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Certificates: If your MyQ server uses a certificate issued by a certificate authority that is not automatically trusted by the client operating system, that certificate (or the issuing CA certificate) must be installed on client computers before MDC is deployed. Clients that cannot verify the server certificate may fail to connect or may show trust warnings, depending on the configured security mode and certificate state.
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Dependencies: Check the current Desktop Client system requirements before deployment. If the selected client version or deployment method requires additional components on target devices, deploy them before or alongside MDC. In Intune, required components can be handled as app dependencies.
Deployment Method
MDC can be deployed in two ways:
Intune (recommended for managed environments). MDC can be packaged and distributed through Microsoft Intune. This is the appropriate choice if your organization already manages endpoints through Intune and you want MDC installed and configured without user intervention. Use the platform-specific Desktop Client guide for Windows and macOS packaging details.
Manual installation. Users run the installer directly on their workstation. This is suitable for small deployments, pilots, or environments without MDM infrastructure. The installer filename can be customized to include the server address and port so that MDC connects automatically on first launch – otherwise users must configure the connection themselves.
Deploying MyQ Desktop Client with Intune
To deploy MDC to your managed endpoints without requiring user action, distribute it using Microsoft Intune. Both Windows and macOS are supported, though the packaging steps differ between platforms.
MDC can be deployed in two modes via Intune: pushed silently to all assigned devices without user involvement, or made available through Company Portal for users who prefer to install it themselves. Silent deployment is usually preferable for managed fleets where MDC must be available without user action. It helps ensure MDC is installed on assigned workstations, subject to Intune deployment status and device eligibility.
Before you start, confirm that your Intune environment is configured – users, groups, devices, policies, and assignments should be in place in the Microsoft Intune admin center. If you are new to Intune, review the Microsoft Intune Overview and Win32 app management in Microsoft Intune before proceeding.
Configuration Profiles
MDC configuration profiles are created and managed in MyQ X Settings. A profile defines the features and behavior of MDC for a set of client computers, matched by IP range or hostname.
If a client does not match any specific configuration profile, it uses the Default profile. If a client matches multiple profiles, the highest matching profile in the list is used.
Profiles can be prepared before deployment begins. Once MDC connects to the server after installation, it automatically downloads settings from the applicable profile. This means key configuration decisions, such as fallback printing behavior, client spooling, printer provisioning settings, and authentication mode, should be prepared in profiles before rollout where possible.
The default profile applies to any client not matched by a more specific profile. If you have multiple office locations or user populations with different printing requirements, plan your profile structure accordingly.
Personalization
Two settings in MyQ X affect how the Desktop Client appears to users. Both are configured in Settings > Personalization in the MyQ Web Interface, and both should be set before MDC is deployed – users see the client interface immediately after installation.
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Custom Application Logo: Replaces the default MyQ logo with your organization's logo. The logo appears in the Desktop Client, the Web UI, and reports. When no custom logo is configured, the MyQ logo is shown.
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Custom Link in the Desktop Client: Adds a link to the Desktop Client interface that you can point to any URL – your intranet, a help page, the MyQ Web Interface, or any other resource useful to your users. The link title should not exceed 25 characters.