option to print in color is missing

[NamesAllTaken]

My Dell Inspiron 17 (running Windows 10 Pro, 64-bit) does not offer any option to print to our OfficeJet 4650 in color – not even greyed out. The option simply is not present, regardless of how I access the print capability. A Dell Inspiron 11 3000 series (running Windows 10 Home, 64-bit) on the same wireless network does have the color option, and it works.

I have uninstalled the printer via Devices and Printers on the Inspiron 17, shut down the computer, started up again, and installed the full software via OJ4650_Full_WebPack_1122.exe, as downloaded from the HP site. The installation appeared to succeed. I went through all these steps twice.

I have also run an apparently successful installation via HPEasyStart_5_5_3253_26.exe, and another via the HP Print and Scan Doctor. The HP Print and Scan Doctor continues to say the printer is not installed, even immediately after it has downloaded and apparently installed the software.

The Print Quality Diagnostic Page prints in color from my Inspiron 17 via both the Toolbox in the HP Printer Assistant and the HP Print and Scan Doctor.

The Inspiron 17 originally had no profiles in Color Management for the printer. I tried adding the sRGB color management profile to the printer, but it made no difference.

I tried once more, this time following all the steps per https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Inkjet-Printing/Officejet-4650-not-printing-color/m-p/6199924#M635745, and installing via OJ4650_Full_WebPack_1122.exe.

I still have no option to print in color. What else can I try?

[Rainbow23]

Hi @NamesAllTaken,

Welcome to HP Forums, this is a great place to get support, find answers and tips.

Thank you for posting your query, I'll be more than glad to help you.

I understand that you are unable to print in color from your HP OfficeJet 4650 All-in-One Printer.

This issue could occur if the print in black only option is checked in the drivers or the color cartridge may be empty or defective.

Let's go through a few steps to fix this issue.

1. In your software application, click Print.

2. Select your printer from the list of available printers.

3. Click the option that opens the Printer Properties dialog box.

Note: Depending on your software application, this button might be called Properties, Options, Printer Setup, Printer Properties, Printer, or Preferences.

4. On the Properties window, click the Paper/Quality or Features tab, depending on your software.

5. Click the Advanced button on the right bottom corner and then click Print in Grayscale, and then de-select Print in Grayscale or High-Quality Grayscale.

6. Click OK to complete the change.

If the issue persists, then you may follow the link: Color or Black Ink Not Printing

Let me know how this works.

You have a good day ahead.

[NamesAllTaken]

Thanks for the prompt response. I would appreciate it if you would read my original post with care. I worked on this problem for two days before posting. I have tried to supply all relevant information there.

I must admit that your response has the flavor of boilerplate selected by a mindless bot based on a few keywords which fail to describe my issue. For instance, you say, "I understand that you are unable to print in color from your HP OfficeJet 4650 All-in-One Printer." That is not an accurate understanding.

To reiterate a few points which make your response irrelevant to my actual situation:

= There are no color (or greyscale) options visible anywhere for this printer as seen on my computer - not during setup, nor in the properties, nor anywhere else that I can find.

= The Print Quality Diagnostic Page prints in color from my computer, via both the Toolbox in the HP Printer Assistant and the HP Print and Scan Doctor.

= Another computer prints to this printer in color without any difficulty.

I look forward to any advice folks can give me based on the specific circumstances I've described!

[Rainbow23]

Hi @NamesAllTaken,

Thank you for your reply, I'll be more than glad to help you.

I understand that the print quality diagnostic page prints in color and also the unit prints in color when the print command is sent from a different computer.

This issue could occur if the drivers are not installed properly on this particular computer.

Let's go through a few steps to uninstall and reinstall the drivers:

Step 1: Uninstall the Drivers:

Please follow the steps provided to uninstall the printer software in the link: Uninstalling the Printer Software (Windows)

Also, please follow the steps provided below to completely remove the printer software from printer properties.

Steps to remove printer driver files from Print Server Properties:

1. Open the Print Server Properties dialog window by doing one of the following:
   • Click the Start menu and in the search field type 'printui /s /t2' (without the quotes), and then press Enter or click it in the search list.
   • Press WINDOWS-R on the keyboard to bring up the Run window, type in 'printui /s /t2' (without the quotes), and then press Enter or click OK.
   • From the Start menu or the Start screen:
   • Open Devices and Printers.
   • Select any printer and then click "Print server properties" at the top of the window.
   • Click on the Drivers tab.
2. Select the printer driver you wish to uninstall.
3. Click the Remove button.
4. Select "Remove driver and driver package" and click OK.

Step 2: Download and install the Drivers from the link: Full Feature Software and Drivers

Let me know how this works.

You have a good day ahead.

[NamesAllTaken]

Thanks for your response. The steps you recommend are familiar. However, trying again never hurts.

I have carefully followed all the instructions. I also did an extra shutdown and reboot just before your Step 2. But I still have the same problem!

I attach screenshots of the Properties available for the printer in case they help you see what the problem is. (You can see that the Printing Shortcut tab shows images with color; but the printout is still only in greyscale.)

Any other suggestions?

[Rainbow23]

Hi @NamesAllTaken,

Thank you for your reply, I'll be more than glad to help you.

I understand that there is no separate option to select color printing.

I suggest that you print a color picture and see if it prints. If it prints then there is no separate option to print in color.

For good print, you may need to Best option and for the text, you may select draft to save ink.

If it does not print in color, then you may need to contact HP phone support for further assistance at the link: www.hp.com/contacthp

You have a good day ahead.

[NamesAllTaken]

I have in fact tried to print in color at pretty much every step along the way.

Ah well. Thanks for your attention, and better luck next time!

I anyone else has any ideas on this one, I'd be glad to hear about them!

As for the phone support, I can check with them, but the printer is a bit over a year old and out of warranty, so I might not be able to afford it.

[sandytechy20]

@NamesAllTaken

As you have already tried these steps and still having the issue, I would personally suggest you contact our HP phone support for further assistance. If your product is Out of warranty then remember to choose the paid options to get the tech support number.

They might have multiple options to help you on this.

Please use the following link to create yourself a case number, then call and it may help speed up the call process:

Step 1. Open link: www.hp.com/contacthp/

Step 2. Enter Product number or select to auto detect

Step 3. Scroll down to "Still need help? Complete the form to select your contact options"

Step 4. Scroll down and click: HP contact options - click on Get phone number and phone number appear.

They will be happy to assist you immediately.

Keep me posted for any other assistance,

Cheers.

[jonnydredd · Accepted solution]

I've managed to fix this issue after it plaguing me for a week!
I dont know exactly which part of this worked, but I will just let you know every step that I took.
First of all, I followed previously mentioned steps of removing as much of the printer drivers as possible using the HP support guy's technique. To be honest I think the only parts I successfully deleted were the fragments in the &temp% folder as the rest of it was access denied or 'currently in use, try again later'.
Then in devices and Printers, 'remove device' completely, and also see if you can remove the driver from the printer server properties.
Once as much has been removed as possible, switch off your wifi, and dig out your dusty usb cable.
Once connected, the printer reinstalled itself and was working 100% as it should. Then I set my home network to 'metered' before switching it back on, as I found that this stops the driver automatically updating on my PC. I dont know for sure that it was the most recent driver that had the issue (all other reinstallation attempts had involved downloading the driver as opposed to getting it from the printer) but so far, so good.

If this didnt work, my next step was going to be to find the old disk that came with the printer and reinstall a previous driver that way. I only assume that an older driver might work better because this laptop is only 2 weeks old and the first week it was printing fine - just before an update. It might even be possible to get old drivers direct from HP website, i hadnt checked.

I signed up purely to answer this question as this has been a royal pain in my behind.
Hopefully it helped.

[NamesAllTaken]

***AWESOME*** , @jonnydredd !!

Forcing the system to use the driver that is available when the computer and the printer have no network connectivity, but only the direct cable between the printer and the computer, solves this problem.

@Rainbow23 and @sandytechy20 , for your future reference: in this particular situation, ensuring that the printer has the latest driver is exactly the >>problem<< rather than the solution.

I hope, of course, that HP will soon provide a driver which makes it unnecessary to go back to the original. Meanwhile, my thanks to HP for ensuring that the printer itself can provide the driver that originally came with the package!

And to @jonnydredd, for
a) drudging through a week of headaches trying things that didn't work;
b) thinking of reverting to the original driver; and
c) taking the trouble to sign up here and communicate that it worked! --

T H A N K    Y O U ! ! !