Printing at UWE Bristol

UWE Bristol offers a chargeable student printing system called Pharos. This is created automatically as part of your student computer account.

To add money to your print account, please go to UWE Card Account.

Pharos Printers are located in all libraries, learning zones and some open access areas and computer labs.

Printing and photocopying costs

In response to a campaign led by students and driven by The Students’ Union, UWE Bristol has decided to make black and white printing free, for a trial period.

Single-sided printing  / photocopying                   Printing cost
Black and white A4 FREE
Black and white A3 FREE
Colour A3 or A4 15p per sheet
Double-sided (duplex) printing / photocopying Printing cost
Black and white A4 duplex FREE
Colour A3 or A4 duplex 30p per sheet

For example,  a four page colour A4 or A3 document, printed single-sided, would print on four sheets of A4 or A3 and cost 60p.

Please note: sending any print jobs that require colour content must be sent to the Colour Print Queue COLOURprinting.

This queue will charge 15p per page by default, irrespective of the page content, ie mono text or colour text/ pictures.

Please consider this before committing to print, as we will not be able to refund for mono printing sent to the colour printer.

How to print? (double-sided, multiple, large scale)

For guidance on how to print and use your Pharos account, please see the short video at the top of this page.

Alternatively, step-by-step guides on printing, Wi-Fi and installing Office 365 are  also available.

Sending your job to a print queue?

This is an example of how to print from Word 2016.

  1. Within Word click File and then Print.

    Word 2016 Printing

  2. Choose the appropriate print queue:
    • BWprinting for black and white.
    • COLOURprinting for colour.
    • Faculties such as FET may also see LargeFormatFET queue.
  3. Check the other options such as paper size, orientation, margins etc.

When you are sure everything is correct click Print.

Your print job will now be sent to the print queue.  It will not be printed until you log in to a printer and release it.

For instructions on how to print from our own device, please see Printing 2 - Printme and duplex - ITS Guide 2018.

How long will it stay in the print queue?

It will stay on the queue for 8 hours, or until you print it.

Multiple pages

Send one page as a test print.

If this page prints out incorrectly, check all of your settings and once you are happy send another test print.

If you believe your print is failing due to a fault with the printer, visit the nearest IT Service Desk for assistance.

Double-sided

Printing is single-sided by default.

To find out how to print double-sided from various different applications, see the second page of Printing 1 - Basics and double sided - ITS Guide 2018.

Large scale

Find out more about Large scale printing across our campuses.

Release your job from a printer

Printers are located in all libraries and most open access areas.

  1. Log on to the printer and you will see a list of your print jobs.
  2. Click on the job you want to release and check the displayed cost is correct.
  3. Click Print. Your job will now be printed and the cost of the job will be deducted from your Pharos account.

Please note: if you sent a colour print job and you log on to a black and white printer you will not see your job available to print.

What is my Pharos username and password?

Your Pharos username and password are the same as your UWE Bristol network username and password.

What to do if something goes wrong?

  • If your print job prints incorrectly, please visit an IT Service Desk with your failed print job (if possible) as soon as possible - do not try to print again as your account may be charged again.  
  • If the printer is found to be at fault we will re-print your document at no extra charge.

    Important note: we can only re-print jobs; we cannot re-credit Pharos accounts.

Can I get refunds from my Pharos account?

Refunds will only be given on request for students that have completed their studies or have withdrawn from the University.

More information can be found via the Pharos Online Payments - Terms & Conditions.

Printing from your own device

It is possible to print from your own device by visiting http://pharos.uwe.ac.uk/printme.

  1. Log in with your normal UWE Bristol username and password and upload your document.
  2. When it says Awaiting Release you can select a print queue, either bwprinting for black and white or colourprinting for colour printing.
  3. Once a queue is selected you can log on to a printer and select the job to be printed by pressing Print.

All print jobs will be removed from the Pharos server if they have not printed after 6 hours.

Trial period - Free black and white printing

As long time champions of sustainability, we will be monitoring print usage closely to measure the environmental impact of this decision.

At the end of the trial period, the SU and the University will decide whether free black and white printing will continue, so please think before you print!

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