2023-09-06 19:28:21 -04:00

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<!--
Title: How to disable CUPS printer job history on macOS
Description: Learn how to disable CUPS printer job history on macOS.
Author: Sun Knudsen <https://github.com/sunknudsen>
Contributors: Sun Knudsen <https://github.com/sunknudsen>
Reviewers:
Publication date: 2022-10-29T13:05:18.112Z
Listed: true
Pinned:
-->
# How to disable CUPS printer job history on macOS
[![macOS stores a copy of everything one prints forever](macos-stores-a-copy-of-everything-one-prints-forever.jpg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAgfeVNKdoo "macOS stores a copy of everything one prints forever")
## Requirements
- Computer running macOS Monterey or Ventura
## Setup guide
### Step 1: clear job history
> Heads-up: purges `/var/spool/cups`.
```shell
$ cancel -a -x
```
### Step 2: create `/usr/local/sbin` directory
```shell
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/sbin
sudo chown ${USER}:admin /usr/local/sbin
```
### Step 3: create `cups.sh` script
```shell
cat << "EOF" > /usr/local/sbin/cups.sh
#! /bin/sh
set -e
if grep -qe '^PreserveJobHistory Off$' /etc/cups/cupsd.conf; then
exit 0
fi
echo "PreserveJobHistory Off" | sudo tee -a /etc/cups/cupsd.conf
sudo launchctl unload /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.cups.cupsd.plist
sudo launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.cups.cupsd.plist
EOF
```
### Step 4: make `cups.sh` executable
```shell
chmod +x /usr/local/sbin/cups.sh
```
### Step 5: create `local.cups.plist` launch daemon
```shell
cat << "EOF" | sudo tee /Library/LaunchDaemons/local.cups.plist
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Label</key>
<string>local.cups</string>
<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
<string>/usr/local/sbin/cups.sh</string>
</array>
<key>RunAtLoad</key>
<true/>
</dict>
</plist>
EOF
```
### Step 6: reboot
👍
---
## Want things back the way they were before following this guide? No problem!
### Step 1: delete `PreserveJobHistory Off` line from `cupsd.conf`
```shell
sudo sed -i "" "/PreserveJobHistory Off/d" /etc/cups/cupsd.conf
```
### Step 2: delete `cups.sh` script
```shell
sudo rm /usr/local/sbin/cups.sh
```
### Step 3: delete `local.cups.plist` launch daemon
```shell
sudo rm /Library/LaunchDaemons/local.cups.plist
```
### Step 4: reload CUPS
```shell
sudo launchctl unload /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.cups.cupsd.plist
sudo launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.cups.cupsd.plist
```
### Step 5: reboot
👍