macOS holds the print job for authentication
The printer or print server asked the Mac to prove who is sending the job, and the credentials it has are missing or rejected. The job sits in the queue labelled Hold for Authentication and nothing prints until you supply working details. It is common on office printers with accounting or secure release enabled.
What causes it
- The stored password in Keychain is out of date after a password change
- The queue was created without credentials on a printer that requires them
- The username format expected by the server differs from what was entered
- The account is locked, expired or lacks print permission
- Kerberos or single sign-on has expired on a managed Mac
How to fix it, in order
Work down the list and stop when the printer recovers. The steps are ordered from most likely and least invasive to last resort.
Enter credentials from the queue
Open System Settings › Printers & Scanners, click the printer, choose Printer Queue, and click the small refresh or padlock icon next to the held job. Type the username and password the printer or server expects and tick Remember this password in my keychain. The job should release immediately if the details are correct.
Use the correct username format
Some servers expect DOMAIN\username, others just the short username, and a few want an email address. Ask which format your print server uses, because a correct password with the wrong username format fails in exactly the same way. Try the short name first if you are unsure.
Remove the stale Keychain entry
Open Keychain Access, search for the printer or server name, and delete the saved password entries you find. Then print again and enter the current credentials when prompted. A cached old password is the most frequent cause after a workplace password change.
Delete and re-add the printer
In System Settings › Printers & Scanners remove the printer, then click Add Printer and add it again, supplying credentials during setup where offered. This rebuilds the queue with fresh authentication settings rather than patching an old one.
Check your account can print
Ask whether your account has print permission on that queue and whether it is in a group required for accounting or secure release. An account that authenticates for other services may still be denied on the print server, which produces the same repeated prompt.
Renew single sign-on on a managed Mac
On a corporate Mac using Kerberos or a single sign-on extension, sign out and back in, or use the company portal to refresh your ticket. An expired ticket makes every print job hold even though nothing about the printer changed.
Try printing to a different queue
If your organisation offers a secure release queue and a direct queue, test both. Success on one tells you the credentials work and the problem is with a specific queue's configuration, which is useful information for whoever supports it.
Stopping it happening again
When it is not worth fixing yourself
If you would rather not work through this alone, a printer specialist can take a look with you on a screen-share and tell you honestly whether the machine is worth saving.
Frequently asked questions
Which password does it want?
Usually your network or print server account, not your Mac login. Ask your IT team which credentials the queue expects.
Why does it ask every time?
The credential was not saved to the Keychain, or the saved one is being rejected and silently retried. Tick the remember option when entering it.
Can I remove authentication?
Not from the Mac. It is enforced by the printer or print server, and only its administrator can change it.
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