A printer driver provides a variety of graphics output from lines to text. The driver supports each type of output with a specific output function. When an application calls GDI to carry out a graphics operation, GDI calls the corresponding output function in the driver. The following lists output functions and associated graphics output.
| Type of Output | Functions |
| Bitmaps | BitBlt, StretchBlt |
| Device-independent bitmaps | SetDIBitsToDevice, StretchDIBits |
| Floodfills | ScanLR |
| Lines and figures | Output |
| Pixels | Pixel |
| Text | ExtTextOut, StrBlt |
Some output functions are optional. If a printer driver does not include an optional function, GDI simulates the output using other output functions.
When GDI calls the output functions, it passes parameters that specify the output as well as the physical device and physical objects to be used to generate the output.