A printing system includes a print data generating apparatus, a printing apparatus, a print instruction apparatus, and a print data processing apparatus. The print data generating apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives a print instruction, a print data generating unit that generates print data, a storing unit that stores the print data, a notifying unit that transmits notification information, and a transmitting unit that transmits the print data. The printing apparatus includes a requesting unit that requests the print data generating apparatus to transmit the print data. The print instruction apparatus transmits the print instruction to the print data generating apparatus. The print data processing apparatus includes a requesting unit that requests the print data generating apparatus to transmit the print data, a receiving unit that receives the print data, a unit that processes the print data, and a transmitting unit that transmits the processed print data.