I need a printer driver for a Fuji xerox CM305

Based on user reports, macOS 27 Golden Gate has ‘broken’ printer drivers from several manufacturers. Note that in many cases, this is because those drivers use code for Intel processors and not Apple Silicon. Manufacturers have had 6 years to make the switch, they have not and now they have one year left. See below for the method to buy yourself one more year by (re)installing Rosetta 2.

The CM305 does not support AirPrint, which is the easiest way to connect to a printer and does not require drivers from the manufacturer, only an AirPrint-capable printer. 

Rosetta 2 (the macOS engine for running Intel apps on Apple Silicon) is needed for some old printer drivers. Even if it was installed on your Mac previously, the upgrade to macOS 27 Golden Gate removed it (me, included). Upgrades to macOS 27.2 (from Tahoe or before) reportedly no longer remove Rosetta 2 if it was previously installed. If Rosetta 2 is not installed and you launch an Intel app, you’ll be prompted to install it. That is what happened here, when I launched an app that I had used frequently on Tahoe then launched for the first time after upgrading to Golden Gate.

That prompt does not happen with a printer driver. Accordingly, it may help to install Rosetta 2 using Terminal. Apple provides instructions for that HERE. The short version is launch the Terminal app (find in Spotlight or in Applications > Utilities) and paste the following, then press return.

softwareupdate --install-rosetta

Note that if this enables your old printer drivers to work, you’ve only put off the inevitable. As the dialog box above indicates, macOS 27 is the last version that will support Intel-only apps (and printer drivers). If you upgrade to macOS 28, you will need to find another solution – either a new printer (get one that supports AirPrint), or for example setting up a Raspberry Pi as a print server (not too hard and plenty of tutorials, but the cost will be similar to an inexpensive printer).

If that does not help, then the first step is to reset your printing system. Note that doing so will remove all your printers and you will need to re-add them, but that is Apple’s suggested method to solve printing problems.

Steps to Reset the Printing System

• Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners
• Secondary-click (right-click, two-finger click) in the top two lines or on any printer and select Reset Printing System

• More info: Reset the printing system on your Mac to solve a problem - Apple Support

The next step is to re-add your AirPrint capable printer. Follow Apple’s instructions for that:

Print wirelessly from your Mac to your printer - Apple Support

Since your printer does not support AirPrint, check the manufacturer’s website, and if there are no updated drivers, then you may be able to set up your printer on macOS using a generic driver.

Steps to Connect and Print

• Connect the printer: Plug the printer into your Mac using a USB cable, or connect it to your local network via an Ethernet cable. 
• Add the printer: Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax (the + button).
• Choose Driver: Select your printer from the list. In the "Use" drop-down menu, choose Generic PostScript Printer.
• Finish setup: Click Add to complete the installation.
• More info: Add a printer to your printer list so you can use it on Mac - Apple Support

If that does not work, there are two other options:

Option 1: connect the printer to an always-on host computer (like a Mac, Windows PC, or Raspberry Pi) running third-party print server software such as HandyPrint, Onyx, or a CUPS-based solution to share the printer via AirPrint.

Option 2: you may be able to use the manufacturer’s printing app, which is available on the Mac App Store.

Xerox Print & Scan Experience

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/xerox-print-scan-experience/id6443456959?mt=12

Fuji-Xerox ended driver support for the Docuprint CM305df with macOS Sequoia (v15.*), but presently, there is no driver downloads as they have ended Mac support for this device. They are still using Intel code in those drivers, and you may be able to resurrect driver support on macOS Golden Gate by [re]installing Apple's Rosetta 2 technology. Note that Rosetta 2 will be gone with the introduction of macOS 28 in Fall 2027.

See this Fuji-Xerox note about Golden Gate compatibility. The vendor has had years to apply the Apple developer SDK to make compliant drivers, but has not. Apple's AirPrint technology, which does not require vendor drivers, does in fact support the DocuPrint CM405df, and though the CM305df is not listed, it may in fact be anonymously supported by AirPrint.

The DocuPrint CM305df is currently supported on Windows 11 (Intel, and Arm) by Fuji-Xerox.

You can try this:

1. Install Rosetta 2 into macOS Golden Gate per the Fuji link above instructions.
2. Power on the DocuPrint CM305df and ensure it is networked with your Mac (wireless/wired).
3. In the macOS System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select the CM305df printer entry, right-click on it and choose Reset Printing System… Click the red Reset button.
4. On the Add Printer panel's Default setting, your CM305df should be detected by Apple's bonjour service.
   1. Click once on this Bonjour entry. If the CM305df can be configured for AirPrint, the Use: selector will automatically configure the device for AirPrint. Otherwise, you will need to select the device's driver entry manually.
   2. Click Add to place the CM305df back in the Printers listing and it should have a green Online indicator. Configure other features available on this panel, if necessary, for scanning/Fax, etc. if necessary.
   3. Try using the device.
5. If step 4 did not work, you may need to reinstall the DocuPrint CM305df drivers that you have, as Fuji no longer offers them for download, as far as I can determine.
   1. Repeat step 4

Thanks for the detailed and extensive and (hopefully) useful reply. I’ll try your many suggestions.

I would really like to get this printer running again as it is still a very capable printer, scanner, copier and fax (so far never used, but you never know) machine. Mechanically it works perfectly.

it would be a shame to discard it just because of a small software (driver) barrier.