An object of the invention is to provide a printing method whereby a function for retreating print data in the case where the print data cannot be printed is provided, and the printing of other print data is preferentially performed or a printing is enabled to be executed when an apparatus enters a printable status of the print data, thereby improving a print working efficiency. To accomplish this object, there is provided a printing method of using a host which can set an auto retreat of print data and a print output apparatus which is connected so that it can bidirectionally communicate with the host and is equipped with a memory device which can perform a retreat processing of the data in response to a request from the host, wherein the host sends the print data to the print output apparatus, the print output apparatus receives the print data sent from the host and checks whether the data can be normally printed or not on the basis of print attributes of the received print data and a status of the print output apparatus, when it is decided that the data can be normally printed, the printing is executed, and when it is decided that the data cannot be normally printed, the print data is retreated to the memory device in accordance with the setting of the auto retreat, thereby enabling the printing of other print data to be executed.