why is my F4580 printer printing characters with shadows ?

[sean_the_maths]

When I print a text document from my MacBook to my HP F4580 All-in-one printer,  black text characters are often printed with shadows. I use genuine HP 300XL black and colour cartridges, and I have only noticed the problem since I last changed both cartridges.

I have aligned the print heads, and taken out and replaced both cartridges. I have switched the printer off and on - I still get the problem. It therefore seems to be a software / firmware problem, rather than a printer hardware problem.

I have created a small text document with Open Office Writer, using Times New Roman font, sizes 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. I have used font colour Automatic (i.e black), also font colour Red. I have not selected Shadow. When I print the document  using Print File Directly (Deskjet 4500 Series), all characters, both black and red, are printed sharply with no shadowing. If I copy that printed page using the F4580 copy facility, the characters on the copy are equally sharp. However if I print using the Open Office print dialog box, the black characters are printed with shadows, while the red ones remain sharp. I also get shadowing of black characters when I print pages from Safari or Preview, but not from Adobe Acrobat Reader.

If I remove either the black cartridge, or the colour cartridge from the printer, shadowing disappears. It is as if having two cartridges installed causes the shadowing.

The shadowing is as if I had selected Shadow in Open Office - Format - Character - Font Effects, but I definitely did not do so.

Is anyone able to advise me how to get rid of the shadow effect ?

[TEJ1602]

@sean_the_maths, Welcome to HP Support Community!

This seems more like an application issue and not the printer. 

Ensure that the printer is up to date with its firmware and Mac is up to date with its software. If you are unsure you may use the links below to update the printer firmware and Mac software:

Update printer firmware

Update software on Mac 

Try printing.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[sean_the_maths]

Unfortunately that didn't work.

Firmware update:    the printer doesn't support Web Services, the HP Support website for this printer indicates no firmware updates available, and I cannot run HP Smart on my Mac OS 10.11

Mac Software Update: App Store indicates no updates available for my Mac OS 10.11

One thing puzzles me: The Software and Drivers page for the F4580 printer has available the Mac Printer Driver version 5.1 (Aug 4, 2020).  I downloaded and installed this prior to sending my enquiry, however when I open System Preferences - Printers and Scanners (my F4580 printer is selected) - Options and Supplies - General, it says Driver version 3.3.2

[TEJ1602]

@sean_the_maths

Let us try uninstalling and reinstalling the printer drivers. Refer to the document HP Printers - Uninstalling HP Printer Software (Mac)  for help. Once you have the latest software, try printing.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[sean_the_maths]

That didn't work either.

I uninstalled all HP software and drivers using HP Uninstaller. HP Smart couldn't locate any software options for this product, so I manually downloaded Mac Printer Driver version 5.1 from https://support.hp.com/gb-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-deskjet-f4500-all-in-one-printer-series/3944755/... . I then installed the driver and added the printer back. System Preferences - Printers - Options and Supplies - General  still says version 3.3.2. Nothing has changed - the files which printed with shadows still do so.

[sean_the_maths]

I have looked through the forum at similar problems, and the solution  that makes most sense to me is that for case 7767086 (Ink not aligning for smaller text) - i.e. It is a due to a problem with recently manufactured HP cartridges. The shadowed effect occurs with text from different software products, and is sometimes (not always) cured by changing the paper quality to normal or fast-draft.

I say that because I have looked at weekly printouts of Ordnance Survey maps that I made from OS Maps  in Safari. The shadow effect is most noticeable in the text on all the maps printed AFTER 8th September when I replaced the black HP 300XL cartridge on my printer, and in none of those printed before that date. For the maps, changing the paper quality to normal or fast draft does not solve the problem. When I reprint some of the maps originally printed before I changed the cartridge, I get poorer quality  maps with shadowed  text and some blurred lines.

As I have no way of knowing beforehand whether any new cartridges I might buy have this problem, I don't see a solution other than one of changing my printer. 

[TEJ1602]

@sean_the_maths

You may be right, this looks like a hardware issue.

Please reach out to the HP Support in your region regarding the service options for your printer/replacement.

Hope this helps!

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[sean_the_maths]

I am unable to contact HP Support because the online form says my printer is out of warranty (true, I bought it in 2010). Although the product I wish to complain about is the HP ink cartridge, the form does not recognise my ink cartridge HP 300XL (CC641E), or indeed any ink cartridge. So how do I contact HP Support ?

[TEJ1602]

@sean_the_maths

We shall escalate this issue to the concerned team.

Please look for a private message from me requesting additional information. Keep in mind not to publicly post personal information (serial numbers and case details).

If you are unfamiliar with how the Community's private message capability works, you can learn about that here.

Thank you for visiting the HP Support Community.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!