A novel method and apparatus is provided for printing magnetic patterns using heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). The apparatus includes an array of probes that is arranged in a predetermined pattern, such as a servo pattern. The array of probes is brought into contact, or near-contact, with a magnetic recording medium that has been bulk erased substantially along an initialization direction. Each probe is energized so as to heat its respective contacted (or near-contacted) region of the recording medium above a threshold temperature. An external magnetic field is applied to the heated regions in a direction that is substantially opposite from the initialization direction. The strength of the external magnetic field is chosen to be greater than the coercivity of the recording medium at the threshold temperature, but less than the coercivity of the recording medium at room temperature. As a result, only magnetizations in the heated regions become aligned with the external field.