---
name: "lpoptions"
section: "1"
platform: "macos"
package: "cups"
version: "522.4"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/lpoptions"
---

# lpoptions(1)

display or set printer options and defaults

## NAME

lpoptions - display or set printer options and defaults

## SYNOPSIS

**lpoptions** \[ **-E** \] \[ **-h** *server*\[**:***port*\] \] **-d** *destination*\[**/***instance*\] \[ **-l** \]\
 **lpoptions** \[ **-E** \] \[ **-h** *server*\[**:***port*\] \] \[ **-p** *destination*\[**/***instance*\] \] **-o** *option*\[**=***value*\] ...\
 **lpoptions** \[ **-E** \] \[ **-h** *server*\[**:***port*\] \] \[ **-p** *destination*\[**/***instance*\] \] **-r** *option*\
 **lpoptions** \[ **-E** \] \[ **-h** *server*\[**:***port*\] \] **-x** *destination*\[**/***instance*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**lpoptions** displays or sets printer options and defaults. If no printer is specified using the *-p* option, the default printer is used as described in [**lp**(1)](/lp/1.md).

If no *-l*, *-o*, or *-r* options are specified, the current options are reported on the standard output.

Options set with the **lpoptions** command are used by the [**lp**(1)](/lp/1.md) and [**lpr**(1)](/lpr/1.md) commands when submitting jobs.

When run by the root user, **lpoptions** gets and sets default options and instances for all users in the */etc/cups/lpoptions* file. Otherwise, the per-user defaults are managed in the *~/.cups/lpoptions* file.

## OPTIONS

**lpoptions** supports the following options:

- **-E**

  Enables encryption when communicating with the CUPS server.

- **-d** *destination*\[**/***instance*\]

  Sets the user default printer to *destination*. If *instance* is supplied then that particular instance is used. This option overrides the system default printer for the current user.

- **-h** *server*\[**:***port*\]

  Uses an alternate server.

- **-l**

  Lists the printer specific options and their current settings.

- **-o** *option*\[**=***value*\]

  Specifies a new option for the named destination.

- **-p** *destination*\[**/***instance*\]

  Sets the destination and instance, if specified, for any options that follow. If the named instance does not exist then it is created. Destinations can only be created using the [**lpadmin**(8)](/lpadmin/8.md) program.

- **-r** *option*

  Removes the specified option from the named destination.

- **-x** *destination*\[**/***instance*\]

  Removes the options for the named destination and instance, if specified. If the named instance does not exist then this does nothing. Destinations can only be removed using the [**lpadmin**(8)](/lpadmin/8.md) command.

## FILES

*~/.cups/lpoptions* - user defaults and instances created by non-root users.\
 */etc/cups/lpoptions* - system-wide defaults and instances created by the root user.

## CONFORMING TO

The **lpoptions** command is unique to CUPS.

## SEE ALSO

[**cancel**(1)](/cancel/1.md), [**lp**(1)](/lp/1.md), [**lpadmin**(8)](/lpadmin/8.md), [**lpr**(1)](/lpr/1.md), [**lprm**(1)](/lprm/1.md), CUPS Online Help (http://localhost:631/help)

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2007-2019 by Apple Inc.