Black Ink Printing Only

[cutter24]

Using Mac OSX Sierra and  Color Laser Jet Pro MFP M281fdw, I cannot seem to find any method to print only in  black.  Have a lot of documents sent to me that do not require they be printed in multi color.  I have searched the print utility and set up in both the OSX and HP.  I can see defaults but not change them.   Does not show up in the print doialog box when using any application in OSX and HP utility only wants to show me the cartirige levels for reorder status.

Anyone with an idea how to default the print to Black, the I can change when I need to use all the colors?

[sandytechy20]

@cutter24

Welcome to the HP Forums, this is a great location to get assistance! I read your post and see that you want to print only in black on HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M281fdw Printer. I would like to help you resolve this issue. 

If you do not want to change the print settings every time you print, you can change the default print settings to print with black ink only or grayscale for every print job. 

1. On your Mac, open the photo or document you want to print.

2. Click File, and then click Print.

3. Make sure your printer is selected.

4. If you do not see options on the Print dialog box, click Show Details.

5. Under Paper Type/Quality, click Color Options, and then select Grayscale.

   The Grayscale Mode options display.

   • To print using only the black ink cartridge, select Black Ink Only.

        NOTE:

     To use even less black ink at a lower quality, select the Draft quality setting when available.

   • To print with multiple shades of gray, select Grayscale.

   • To print high quality black & white documents or photos, select High Quality.

        NOTE:

     The printer uses a mix of black and color inks to produce a high quality grayscale document or photo.

   Figure : Example of Color Options

   

6. Click the Presets drop-down menu, and then select Save Current Settings as Preset.

   Figure : Example of presets drop-down menu

   

7. Type a name for the preset, select Only this printer or All printers, and then click OK.

   The preset is now saved in the Presets list.

Click here and refer the document for more assistance.

Let me know how it goes.

Cheers.

[cutter24]

Thanks for the reply and helpful screenshots, unfortunately I do not see any of those options in my print dialog box.  I have tried opening JPEG, spreadsheets, color, black and white and in none of the cases do those options exist.  I assumed they might show up if changing defaults, but I see no options to change.  Apple seems to indicate that the options are based on the printer I have, so thats why I wondered if there was some setting on the HP printer that needed to change.

Cheers

[sandytechy20]

@cutter24

Thanks for the reply.

I appreciate your time and effort.

This issue may require one to one interaction with the HP Phone Support.

I suggest that you contact HP Phone Support for further assistance at the link: www.hp.com/contacthp

You have a good day ahead.

Cheers.

[PrinPrin]

I have the same problem too.

I have already set the black only as preset. But, it is not by default.

How do I set black and white printing as default?

Such that my laptop-to-print, dropbox-print, email-to-print are all black and white by default?

Thanks.

[smorrow0816]

I found the fix:

In the print preview, under portrait/landscape. there is a dropdown with the defausl of the program you are using.  Click the drop down and you will see a bunch of options.  Select "color", then you will see "print color as grey".

There ya go...

Sam

[PhillyDeb]

smorrow0816

THIS IS THE FIX!!!!!!!!  THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!   I've been searching for days!!! I'm so happy you just don't know!!!

Have a stellar day!!!!

[PhillyDeb]

HP sandytechy20 PLEASE NOTE THAT smorrow0816 SOLVED THIS PROBLEM TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF THIS THREAD!!!!

[sandytechy20]

@PhillyDeb

Thanks for posting.

Good to know that issue is resolved.

Feel free to contact us in feature if you need any assistance.

Cheers.

[Rose60]

Thank you Sam.  I went to Best Buy Geek squad to help and they had no clue how to resolve.  This is more steps than I would like to do but I simply saved my black and white (I.e. Color as grayscale) setting  as "Default Setting -2" as a preset,  so that I don't have to remember the steps, but just remember this preset name.  Wish I could have renamed it simply "Black and White".  Well asides from the printer seems slow to print, this problem is fixed.  Thanks so much.