fax mode on officejet 4500

[ronudog]

how do i disable or get out of the fax  mode?  when i press print to print something, the fax display shows on the computer screen and nothing prints.

[Rachel571]

Hi @ronudog,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

To resolve the issue where your HP Officejet 4500 printer is defaulting to fax mode instead of printing, follow these steps to ensure your printer is set up correctly for printing:

Check the Printer Selection in Your Application:

• When you go to print a document, check the printer selection menu to make sure you've selected the correct printer. Sometimes, the fax driver for the printer gets selected instead of the print driver. Choose the printer option that does not include "fax" in the name.

Set the Default Printer in Windows:

• Windows 10/11:
  • Open Settings by pressing Win + I.
  • Go to Devices > Printers & scanners.
  • From the list of printers, find the HP Officejet 4500 (make sure it is not the fax option).
  • Click on it and select Manage.
  • Click on Set as default

Check the Printer Configuration:

• Open the printer properties (right-click the printer in Devices and Printers in Windows and select 'Printer properties').
• Ensure that under the ports tab, the printer is set to use a USB or network print port, not a fax port. The port should typically be labeled USB or with an IP address, depending on whether it is connected via USB or network.

Disable the Fax:

• If you want to disable the fax function, you can do this through the printer’s control panel directly on the device:
  • Navigate through the printer’s menu to find fax settings.
  • Look for an option that might say Disable Fax or Fax to PC.
  • Disable or turn off this setting.

Update Printer Driver:

• Sometimes, driver issues could cause incorrect behavior. You can download the latest drivers for your HP Officejet 4500 from the HP website. Make sure to download the correct drivers corresponding to your operating system.

Reinstall Printer:

• If none of the above steps work, you might need to uninstall and then reinstall your printer. This can help reset any settings that are causing issues:
  • Go to Devices and Printers in Windows.
  • Right-click on the HP Officejet 4500 and choose Remove device.
  • After removing the printer, re-add it by selecting Add a printer from the Devices and Printers panel and follow the on-screen instructions.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Rachel571

HP Support