Head over to support.brother.com. The website will instantly recognise your operating system and give you lots of download options. I recommend downloading the full software package (first option). Agree to the EULA and enter the serial number of your brother printer. Then your download will start. Once it’s finished downloading you can start installing.

Navigate to your download location (default is ‘downloads’). Click on the downloaded DMG file to open it and click ‘StartHereOSX’ You might get a mac security alert. If you do, go to system preferences and in the security tab allow the software to run. The run the software again. In the installer click ‘continue’, agree to the EULA and change the install location if you need to (default puts it in applications).

The first job that I like to do before actually set the printer up is to update the firmware.

Run The P-touch updater software from your applications folder and select ‘Machine Update’. Your printer needs to be connected via USB and switched on at this point otherwise this software won’t find it. Doing this firmware update first makes sure your PJ is running the latest firmware before you install it.

The latest firmware includes the stencil mode for tattooists. There’s a bit of a hang at 99% and another hand as it says the unit is operating. It’s just copying information to the printer so don’t panic! Sit and let it do its thing.

The software will just go back and check for new files again. Updates are done in succession so if you’ve found a really old printer you might have to update it a couple of times. Having said that it’s never happened to me.

Go to ‘system preferences’ and select ‘Printers & Scanners’. The software usually adds any new printers automatically so yours should already be there. If it’s not there just hit the little plus symbol down in the bottom right corner of the window and select your printer.

If you’re installing a 763 via bluetooth make sure the bluetooth light is illuminated on the printer and that bluetooth is enabled on your Mac.

There are two different driver types for the 773. The CUPS driver for USB and the AIRPRINT driver for WiFi. When you’re installing your 773 select the Airprint Driver from the ‘USE’ dropdown menu during installation. If you need to you can remove the printer from ‘Printers & Scanners’ by clicking the minus (-) symbol and then click the plus (+) symbol. Select your 773 and make sure to select ‘AIRPRINT’ from the ‘USE’ dropdown.

Most of the settings you’ll want to change on a daily basis are available from the print dialogue in your graphics software (Affinity photo, Adobe Photoshop etc).

There are a few settings that you can only actually adjust by using the Printer Setting Tool that can be found inside the Brother folder in your applications folder. The one that we are looking for is the one that’s just been included in the latest update – Stencil Mode.

In the Printer Setting Tool go into the second tab – ‘Print Settings’ and turn on ‘Stencil Paper Mode’. Stencil Paper Mode alleviates some of the most common heat issues and configure your PJ to print better onto Stencil Paper rather than the much heavier fax paper it was designed for.

If you’ve downloaded my settings from my website you can install them here. If you can’t install them, each download comes with a pdf of my settings for manual input.

To finish, simply click ‘Apply Settings to Printer’ to send the new settings to the printer and – once it’s done – click exit. You’ll need to switch your printer off and then back on for the settings to be recognised by the software.

The extra step for the 773 is to get it working on your Wi-Fi network. With 773 plugged in via USB we’re going to get the Wi-Fi part of the printer working.

In ‘Printers & Scanners’ select your 773 and click ‘Options & Supplies’. Then select ‘Show Printer Webpage’. You’ll be directed to the printers web based admin panel in your browser. Input your login details (The default login is ‘admin’ and the password is ‘admin’). Navigate over to wireless and then down to wireless a personal. Find and select your wireless network SSID. Just select browse to find your wireless network, input your wireless password and then click submit.

Unplug the USB cable from your printer and turn on WiFi by pressing the little WiFi symbol below the paper feed button.

Once the blue WiFi light stops flashing and goes solid your PJ773 will be available to everyone on your WiFi network. The benefit of this is that you and your team can connect Mac & PC computers, iPads etc etc and print wirelessly.

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