The paperless office was supposed to arrive years ago.
Instead, people are still printing return shipping labels, tax documents, lease paperwork, work presentations, school assignments, legal forms, and the occasional event ticket.
Some documents are easier to read on paper.
Others require physical signatures.
And some simply can't be replaced by pulling up a PDF on your phone.
People may print fewer documents than they once did, but the need to print remains part of everyday life. And that's why apartment printing services have become one of the most practical amenities multifamily communities can offer.
Whether you're comparing self-managed printers you buy from office supply stores, printer leasing, printer rental, or fully managed resident printing solutions, the goal is the same: provide a reliable solution without creating more work for staff.
Fully managed apartment printing services at a glance
Why residents still need printing in 2026
Most residents don't want to own a printer anymore. Like so many other things, they'd rather have access than ownership.
Instead of owning a printer, today's residents simply want:
- No ink to replace.
- No drivers to download.
- No device taking up valuable apartment space.
- Just a reliable way to print whenever the need arises.
For property managers, that creates an interesting challenge.
Without a resident printing amenity, the leasing office often becomes the community's unofficial print shop. And that's not an ideal experience...for anyone.
Residents have to rely on office hours and staff availability, while leasing teams are interrupted by requests that have little to do with leasing.
Modern apartment printing services solve that problem by giving residents secure, self-serve access to printing whenever they need it, while eliminating the need for property teams to manage the experience themselves. Everyone gets what they want: residents get convenient access to printing, staff get their time back.
Why every multifamily property needs a resident printing solution
The best apartment amenities all have something in common. They solve problems residents would rather not think about.
Nobody gets excited about package lockers until they're expecting an important delivery.
Nobody thinks about Wi-Fi until a video call freezes.
And nobody thinks about printing until they suddenly need a hard copy of something.
The amenities that create the most value for residents are the ones they'd miss immediately if they disappeared.
The amenities that create the most value for property teams are often the ones that practically manage themselves.
A resident printing solution checks both boxes. And here's why that matters.
Improves the resident experience.
Having a printer available inside the community turns what could be an inconvenient errand into something that takes just a few minutes. That kind of convenience is exactly what modern residents have come to expect from the places they live.
Reduces staff workload.
Every time a resident walks into the leasing office asking to use the office printer, someone has to stop what they're doing to help. Over the course of a month, those small requests become another recurring responsibility for staff. A dedicated resident printing solution shifts those requests away from the leasing office so they can focus on higher-value work.
Differentiates your amenity package.
Today's renters have more choices than ever, and many apartment communities offer remarkably similar amenity packages. Resident printing might not always be the reason someone signs a lease, but it will absolutely become one of the reasons they're glad they did.
Supports modern resident lifestyles.
For many residents, their apartments are where they work, attend virtual classes, interview for new jobs, run small businesses, and handle life's administrative tasks. Resident printing supports all the demands of modern life so residents always have convenient access to printing, no matter what life throws their way.
A fully managed printing solution doesn't just save time, it helps communities reduce the hidden costs of resident printing by eliminating surprise repair bills, automating supply replenishment, and reducing the staff time spent managing printers.
What residents print most often
Apartment printing services support a wide variety of resident needs, from everyday errands to major life moments. Here are some of the documents residents print most often.
What this tells us about resident behavior
Residents don't think in terms of amenities. They think in terms of accomplishing tasks. The easier a community makes those moments, the better the overall resident experience becomes. Resident printing succeeds because it gives them the confidence that whenever printing becomes necessary, the solution is already there.
The hidden costs of leasing office printing
In the absence of a resident printing solution, the leasing office often fills the gap. The result is more than just extra printing. It's additional work, additional costs and additional risk.
The most obvious costs are paper, toner and more frequent maintenance. Because leasing office printers aren't intended to serve an entire community, those expenses grow faster than many teams anticipate, putting pressure on office budgets that were never built to support resident printing.
But the true cost extends far beyond office supplies.
It's measured in interrupted conversations with prospective residents, delayed leasing tasks, additional administrative work, and countless moments spent helping residents print instead of focusing on the responsibilities that move a community forward. A few minutes here and there may not seem significant, but over the course of a month, those interruptions can add up to hours of lost productivity.
How to choose the right apartment printing service
Every vendor promises convenience, but service can vary significantly depending on the technology, support, pricing model, and management requirements.
Here are a few key factors to consider.
Ease of use.
A printing amenity only delivers value if residents actually use it. Look for a solution with a simple, intuitive printing process that doesn't require complicated setup, lengthy instructions, or staff assistance.
Device compatibility.
Residents expect to access services from the devices they already use. Choose a vendor that supports mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and cloud-based document storage so residents can print from any device, anywhere in the building.
Security and privacy.
Resident documents often contain sensitive information. A quality apartment printing service should include secure document transmission, user authentication and print release features that help ensure personally identifiable information is never compromised.
Support and maintenance.
The goal of a resident printing solution isn't simply to provide a printer, but to eliminate printer management from your team's responsibilities. Ask how a provider handles support requests, maintenance, supply replenishment and equipment monitoring. A fully managed solution should minimize staff involvement while ensuring residents always have access to a reliable printer.
Reporting and analytics.
Reporting and analytics help property teams understand whether their printing amenity is delivering value. Look for a provider that offers visibility into usage, resident adoption, print volume and other performance metrics.
Pricing and contract considerations.
Pricing models vary between vendors . Some offer printer rentals, others provide office printer leasing or long-term printer leasing agreements, while fully managed resident printing services bundle hardware, supplies, maintenance, remote monitoring, and support into a predictable monthly fee. As you compare options, look beyond the monthly cost and evaluate installation fees, contract flexibility, maintenance responsibilities, and the level of service included.
Traditional office printer vs. fully managed solution
Traditional office printer
No
Depends
Rare
Usually no
Staff
Staff
Limited
Fully managed solution
Yes
Included
Included
Included
Provider
Provider
Included
Real multifamily success stories
What does a successful resident printing program actually look like?
The following multifamily communities chose PrintWithMe to make life easier for both residents and property teams.
Common outcomes across properties
Across thousands of communities, property teams consistently report:
Apartment printing by the numbers
Unique users have accessed PrintWithMe.
Pages printed annually across PrintWithMe communities.
Label shared printing “essential.”
Use printing as often as other community amenities.
Communities served nationwide.
Why remote workers still need printer amenities in 2026
The rise of remote and hybrid work has fundamentally changed what residents expect from their communities. Printing is an important part of that equation , especially as home and office printers become more expensive, frustrating and inconvenient to manage.
Remote workers still need to print contracts, presentations, shipping labels, client materials, tax documents, expense reports and signed paperwork. While standalone coworking spaces have helped meet some of these needs, they're not always the answer. Not every resident has access to one, and even if they do, it's not always convenient to leave home just to print a single document.
A productive work-from-home experience is built on more than fast Wi-Fi and ergonomic furniture. Meeting rooms, charging stations, quality coffee , and self-serve printing all work together to support how residents actually live and work today.
Because while residents may not need a printer sitting next to the desk in their apartment, they still expect printing to be simple, convenient and accessible.
The modern amenity nobody notices until they need it
Residents don't wake up thinking about printing. They're thinking about catching a flight, returning an online order before the deadline, finishing a presentation before a meeting or submitting an assignment on time.
Printing is simply one step in getting those things done.
That's what makes it such a valuable apartment amenity. Unlike a pool or rooftop lounge, its value isn't measured by how often residents use it or talk about it. It's measured by whether it's there when they need it.
As resident expectations continue to evolve, convenience has become just as important as novelty. The amenities that create lasting value are often the ones residents rely on without giving them much thought.
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Apartment printing services FAQs
Do residents still print?
Absolutely. The need hasn't disappeared. Our latest resident research found that 82% of residents consider community printing an "essential" amenity, and 40% say they use it as often as or more than other community amenities. In 2025 alone, residents printed more than 33 million pages through PrintWithMe.
How much does a resident printing amenity cost?
Pricing varies by vendor, but many apartment printing services offer predictable monthly pricing that includes equipment, supplies, maintenance and support. That eliminates surprise bills and makes budgeting easier than managing a traditional office printer.
Who maintains the printer?
With a fully managed apartment printing service, your provider handles ongoing maintenance, remote monitoring, automated supply replenishment, and resident support.
Is resident printing secure?
Yes. Modern apartment printing services are designed with security in mind. Residents typically upload documents through a secure portal or mobile app, authenticate at the printer before releasing their jobs, and collect their documents immediately, reducing the risk of sensitive information being left behind.
What should property managers look for in a resident printing solution?
Look for a solution that's easy for residents to use and easy for your team to manage. Features like mobile printing, secure document release, proactive monitoring, automatic supply replenishment, responsive customer support and predictable pricing all contribute to a better long-term experience.
Can residents print from their phones?
Yes. Most modern apartment printing services allow residents to print directly from their smartphones, tablets, or laptops without installing complicated software, making it easy to print from wherever they are.
How much staff time does resident printing save?
Every community is different, but fully managed resident printing solutions can save property teams more than six hours each month by reducing maintenance requests, eliminating manual supply ordering, and allowing residents to print without relying on the leasing office.
Is fully managed printing suitable for student housing?
Absolutely. Student housing communities often see some of the highest printing usage because students regularly print assignments, study materials, presentations, syllabi and other academic documents. A self-serve printing solution provides students with convenient access while reducing administrative work for teams.
How does resident printing compare to using a leasing office printer?
A leasing office printer is designed to support your staff, not your residents. Using it for resident printing often creates interruptions, consumes office supplies and requires team members to assist throughout the day. A dedicated resident printing solution gives residents convenient, self-serve access while allowing property teams to stay focused on leasing, resident support and community operations.
What's the difference between printer leasing, printer rental and a fully managed apartment printing service?
Many office technology providers offer printer leasing, office printer leasing or short-term printer rentals for businesses. Those solutions are designed to provide the equipment, but the day-to-day responsibility often stays with the customer. That means ordering supplies, troubleshooting issues, coordinating repairs and helping users when something goes wrong.
A fully managed apartment printing service is built differently because it's built specifically for multifamily. Instead of simply dropping off a printer, PrintWithMe manages the entire experience. Remote monitoring, automated supply replenishment, proactive maintenance, resident support and usage reporting all work together to elevate printing from another operational responsibility into a dependable resident amenity.
