Most deployments use directory synchronization for managed users. Self-registration is useful for users who are not already covered by the directory, such as guests, contractors, temporary staff, or BYOD users.
Plan the registration method, group assignment, and credential delivery before enabling user self-registration.
The following methods are available and can be enabled in combination:
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Web Interface registration
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Register by sending a job via LPR/IPPS/RAW
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Register by sending a job via email
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Register by Swiping an Unknown ID Card
Web Interface Registration
Users click New Account on the MyQ login screen, enter their name and email address, and receive account details by email. They must know the MyQ Web Interface URL before they can use this method.
This method works well where the Web Interface URL can be distributed to users before they need to print, for example during student, guest, or contractor onboarding.
Register by Sending a Job via LPR/IPPS/RAW
An unregistered user sends a print job and MyQ creates an account using the detected job sender name. No email address is captured, so MyQ cannot send account details automatically. In practice, an administrator usually needs to locate the new account and provide the credentials manually.
This method is occasionally useful in tightly controlled environments where an IT technician is present during onboarding and can hand off credentials in person. As a self-service method it falls short – users end up waiting for someone to find their new account and tell them their PIN, which defeats the purpose. It is not recommended as a primary registration path.
Register by Sending a Job via Email
If Jobs via Email is configured, a user who sends a job from an unrecognized email address is registered under that address and receives their account details automatically.
This method works best where Jobs via Email is already part of the normal print workflow and users know the print email address. If email printing is not familiar to users, this method may be overlooked or misunderstood.
Before enabling this method, check the group assigned to self-registered users and confirm that it has the rights needed for the expected email-printing workflow.
Register by Swiping an Unknown ID Card
When an unrecognized card is swiped, MyQ creates an account named anonymX and logs the user in automatically. The user can then edit their account details at the terminal if "Enable user profile editing" is active.
This method works best where users already receive physical ID cards and can be instructed to complete their profile at the terminal after the first swipe. Because no automatic email is sent, users should be told what happens when they register with an unknown card.
New accounts created through self-registration can be added automatically to a selected group. Before enabling self-registration, decide which group these users should join and what access, quotas, terminal actions, and printing options that group should provide.
Self-registration introduces accounts that may be incomplete, duplicated, or created by accident. In environments where it is actively used, plan a periodic review of the Users tab to identify accounts with missing information or multiple registrations for the same person. The patterns you see will inform whether the enabled methods are working as intended or need adjustment.