End-of-Life (EOL) Device Warnings on Active Supported Sharp Hardware

Overview

Upon upgrading to PaperCut MF Version 26 or newer, administrators may receive notification that their Embedded Application Device type is End-of-Life (EOL). This EOL notice applies to the Embedded Application version in use and does not necessarily mean your actual MFD is not supported.

Most Sharp devices released since 2018 support the newer n+ browser version of the Sharp Embedded Application, which provides enhanced security and additional features (detailed below).

To restore functionality to these devices, you must either re-enable End-of-Life device support or reinstall the Embedded Application using the newer supported version.

Why Is This Happening?

With the release of PaperCut v26 or newer, support has officially ended for our first-generation, legacy “Sharp OSA” embedded application.

Because PaperCut evaluates the configured Embedded Device Type rather than the physical hardware model itself, older configurations can trigger an End-of-Life (EOL) block. Here is how that breaks down based on your hardware:

• Devices running OSA Version 5.1 or older: These legacy devices are typically over 9 years old and only support the legacy app, which is no longer supported in v26.
• Devices released from 2018 onwards: Most newer models support the modern Sharp n+ Browser Embedded Application, which includes upgraded features and security.

Note: If a newer machine was originally set up using the legacy device type, it will display an EOL warning and be disabled upon upgrading to v26. In these cases, the device needs to be upgraded to the newer Embedded Application, Sharp OSA (HTML Browser n2.0+.

Please refer to our end-of-life announcements and device type end-of-life policy.

Why should the newer Sharp Embedded Device type be used?

Using the legacy Sharp OSA Embedded Device Type restricts the machine’s capabilities. The legacy version completely lacks support for modern PaperCut workflows, meaning your devices are currently blocked from using essential features like:

• Integrated Scanning (including Cloud OCR and Scan-to-Cloud destinations)
• Advanced Faxing integrations
• Modern, Responsive Panel UIs
• Security Fixes and Updates

If MFP’s were historically set up using this legacy Embedded device type instead of the newer, supported Sharp OSA (HTML Browser n2.0+) Embedded device type, they should be updated to restore connectivity and unlock these modern capabilities.

Your Action Plan

To bypass immediately: If you have updated to v26 (or wish to) but you do not want to update your device types just yet, you can restore EOL Embedded device operation by following the steps outlined in Step 1.

Step 1: Apply the Interim Operational Override (Temporary Fix)

Please refer to the following End-of-Life Behaviour knowledge base article for steps to implement the override to enable the operation of EOL device types in PaperCut v26 or newer.

To fix permanently: To restore EOL Embedded device types, restore full functionality, and deploy modern scanning/faxing features, you must update the device configuration in PaperCut, as outlined in Step 2.

Step 2: Update the Embedded Device Type Configuration (Recommended Path)

Updating the MFD to the latest supported Embedded application will remove the EOL (End of Life) warning. (Please ensure the device supports the newer embedded application)

1: Disable Legacy Sharp OSA (On the Device)

1. Log in to the device’s web interface as an administrator.
2. Navigate to System Settings > Sharp OSA Settings > External Accounting Application Settings.
3. Under External Account Control, select Disable.
4. Click Submit, then click Reboot Now.

2: Remove the Device from PaperCut (In the Admin Console)

5. Log in to the PaperCut MF Admin web interface.
6. Navigate to Devices and select the required device.
7. Click Actions > Delete this device, then click OK to confirm.

3: Verify and Reinstall

8. Physically verify that PaperCut MF - Sharp OSA is no longer available to users on the device panel.

You can now proceed with installing Sharp OSA (HTML Browser n2.0+). Please refer to the Sharp Embedded documentation for specific installation details, or contact your Accredited Reseller for assistance.