I want to print colour photos onto plain copy paper in 4x6" or 5x7" sizes. How do I do that?

[ArtHeart]

On my brand new HP ENVY Inspire printer, I want to print colour photos onto plain copy paper, not photo paper, to put in scrapbooks etc. This seems impossible without a monthly subscription which I do not want. Printer wants to print only letter size (8x10) colour, or 4x6 black and white. What am I missing?

[Max3Aj]

@ArtHeart, Welcome to HP Support Community. 
 
Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
You're absolutely right to want flexibility in printing your photos, and I'm happy to help you get your HP ENVY Inspire 7955e set up to print color photos on plain copy paper in 4x6" or 5x7" sizes no subscription required. Here's how to do it:

Load the Paper:

• Load plain copy paper into the photo tray (for 4x6") or main tray (for 5x7").
• Adjust the paper guides snugly to fit the paper size.

Open the Photo:

• Open the image in Preview or Photos app on your Mac.

Go to Print Settings:

• Click File > Print (or press Cmd + P).
• In the print dialog, click Show Details (if hidden).

Select the Printer:

• Choose HP ENVY Inspire 7955e from the printer list.

Set Paper Size:

• From the Paper Size dropdown, select:
  • 4x6" or 5x7" (you may need to click Manage Custom Sizes if not listed).

Set Paper Type:

• Under Media & Quality, choose:
  • Paper Type: Select Plain Paper.
  • Print Quality: Choose Best for better photo output.

Color Options:

• Under Color Options, ensure Color is selected (not grayscale).

Print:

• Click Print to start printing your photo on plain paper.

Troubleshooting Tips

If the printer defaults to black & white for 4x6". You can bypass this by manually selecting Color in the print dialog as shown above.

Make sure your HP Smart app is not overriding settings. You can also try printing directly from Preview or Photos instead of HP Smart. HP Smart

I hope this helps. 
 
Take care and have a good day. 
 
Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 
 
Max3Aj
HP Support z

[ArtHeart]

Thanks Max3Aj. That was a very comprehensive and easy to follow reply. I still have a problem though. Once I get into Printer Settings, there was nowhere to find the "Show Details" icon. I'm wondering if that is because the HP smart app is overriding my settings. It seemed like a dead end with nowhere to change the paper size, colour and B/W etc. I have no idea how to change that but I'll try going into the app to see what I can figure out!

[Max3Aj · Accepted solution]

@ArtHeart, You're very welcome! 😊 It definitely sounds like the HP Smart app might be overriding your macOS print dialog, which can limit access to the full range of printer settings like paper size, color mode, and media type.

Let’s work around that and get you full control:

Option 1: Print Without HP Smart (Use macOS System Dialog)

1. Open your photo in Preview or Photos.
2. Go to File > Print.
3. In the print dialog, look for a button labeled “Print Using System Dialog” or “Show Details” this may appear as a dropdown or small button depending on the app.
4. If you don’t see it:
   • Try pressing Command + P again in the print window.
   • Or click the PDF dropdown in the bottom-left corner and choose Open PDF in Preview then print from Preview.

Once you're in the macOS system print dialog, you should be able to:

• Select paper size (4x6", 5x7")
• Choose plain paper
• Set color mode to Color
• Adjust print quality to Best

Option 2: Bypass HP Smart App

If HP Smart is launching automatically:

1. Quit HP Smart completely.
2. Open the file in Preview or another app.
3. Use File > Print from there.

You can also remove HP Smart from auto-launch in:

• System Settings > Users & Groups > Login Items

Still Not Seeing Paper Sizes?

If 4x6" or 5x7" isn’t listed:

• Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners
• Select your printer > Options & Supplies > Driver
• Make sure the correct driver is installed (not AirPrint)
• If needed, remove and re-add the printer using the HP driver, not AirPrint

I hope this helps!

If my response resolves your issue, please click “Accepted Solution” to help others find the answer. Also, don’t forget to click the “Yes” button to say thanks!

Take care and have a great day.

Max3Aj

HP Support

[ArtHeart]

Thank you SO MUCH! Very very helpful. It turned out, the only thing that worked was removing the printer and reinstalling, then starting again AND IT WORKED! I have so much gratitude for your help.

[Max3Aj]

@ArtHeart, A huge thank you for marking this post as the 'Accepted Solution'! We're thrilled that we could help resolve your issue. 

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. We're here to help! 

Thanks again for your confirmation, and we wish you an amazing day ahead! 

Regards, 

Max3Aj