Black cartridge not printing

[Luv5kids]

I feel like I'm being held hostage by HP.  I've spent a few hours going around and around looking for the solution to being able to print only in black and there is no override.  I have an Office Pro 6978.  My color cartridges are empty and  it's looking like unless I buy and install the whole battery of color cartridges my black won't print alone.  From what I've gleaned, some other brands let you set a preference only for black, but not HP.  Several years back they stopped allowing for generic cartridges and now I'm learning this about them.  So, I'm going to literally 'buy into' this requirement of HP, for the time being, because I'm in a printing crunch,  but I will get a different printer soon, and make sure it will allow for the print black only preference.  No more HP for me.  And, do you know how long it takes to track down an actual tech phone number, but it's robotic and then you wait for a call back?  I'm still waiting...

[A_Gayathri]

Hi @Luv5kids,

Welcome to The HP Support Community.  

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

I understand your frustration—HP printers can be pretty strict about requiring all cartridges to be installed for printing, even if you're only using black ink. 

If you’re set on making this work with your HP OfficeJet Pro 6978, here are a few suggestions:

• Check Printer Settings: Sometimes, you might find an option to print in "Grayscale" or "Black and White" in your print settings. This can be accessed through the printer driver settings on your computer.
• Use the HP Smart App: If you haven't already, you could try using the HP Smart app to see if it offers any additional options for printing with only the black cartridge.
• Use a Workaround: If your color cartridges are empty and you need to print immediately replace the color cartridges. This would allow the printer to complete its setup and enable black printing.

Refer to this document: HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 All-in-One Printer User manual 

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day.

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