hardMultiple Choice
220-1201 Practice Question: An office manager wants to restrict color…
An office manager wants to restrict color printing on the multifunction printer to only certain users to save costs. The printer supports user authentication. What is the best way to implement this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse a default setting (which users can change) with an enforced permission (which they cannot), so candidates pick the driver default or group policy instead of the printer's native authentication and authorization.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable user authentication on the printer and assign color printing permissions only to authorized users.
The printer supports user authentication, which means it can identify individual users before processing a job. By enabling authentication and assigning color printing permissions only to authorized users, the office manager enforces the restriction at the device level, ensuring that only approved users can print in color regardless of driver settings. This is the most direct and enforceable method because it ties color access to identity rather than to a default setting that users can override.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Remove the color toner cartridges and only install black.
Why it's wrong here
Removing color toner cartridges physically prevents the printer from producing color output for any user. While this action effectively stops all color printing, it fails to meet the requirement of restricting color printing to specific users while allowing others to print in color. This method is a blunt instrument that disables the functionality entirely rather than providing granular, user-based control.
- ✗
Configure the printer driver to default to black and white.
Why it's wrong here
Configuring the printer driver to default to black and white only sets the initial preference for print jobs on the client machine. Users retain the ability to easily override this default setting within the print dialog box before sending their job to the printer. This approach relies on user compliance rather than enforcing a restriction, thus failing to prevent unauthorized color printing effectively.
- ✓
Enable user authentication on the printer and assign color printing permissions only to authorized users.
Why this is correct
Enabling user authentication directly on the printer or through a centralized print server allows for identity-based access control. By requiring users to authenticate before printing, an administrator can then assign specific permissions, such as the ability to print in color, only to authorized individuals or groups. This method provides the most granular and secure control, ensuring that only designated users can utilize the color printing functionality.
- ✗
Set up a print server with group policies to block color jobs.
Why it's wrong here
While a print server combined with Group Policies can enforce driver settings, including restricting color options, this method primarily operates at the client-side driver level. It typically requires an Active Directory environment and can often be bypassed by users with local administrator rights who can modify printer settings directly. Furthermore, Group Policies might not prevent color printing if the user prints from an application that bypasses the standard print driver interface or if the policy isn't universally applied or enforced.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1201 exam.