Can’t print in color

[Btolzman]

Two days ago I was using my printer just fine, and had just put brand new ink in it. Fast-forward to today and it won’t let me print in color. Also my options for color, grayscale, or black, have completely disappeared off of my app. I don’t know what I did for this to happen and I don’t know how to fix it

[zoey7886]

@Btolzman, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your HP DeskJet 2636 All-in-One Printer! 

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.  

I hear you—it’s frustrating when your printer suddenly stops printing in color, especially after you’ve just replaced the ink. No worries, let’s try a few steps to get this sorted out!

Check the Ink Levels

• Even though you just installed new cartridges, the printer might not be detecting them correctly. Open the HP Smart app or Printer Software to check if the color cartridge is showing up properly.

Run a Test Print & Cleaning

• Try printing a Print Quality Diagnostic Page (you can find this in your printer settings).
• If the color section looks faded or missing, your printhead might need cleaning. You can run a Printhead Cleaning from the printer’s maintenance menu.

Reset the Printer

• Turn off your printer and unplug it from power for about 60 seconds. Then plug it back in and turn it on. Sometimes, a simple reset does wonders!

Check Printer Preferences

• On your computer, go to Devices & Printers > Right-click your HP DeskJet 2636 > Printing Preferences and make sure "Print in Grayscale" isn’t checked.
• If the color option is missing, try reinstalling the HP printer driver.

Reinstall the Printer Driver

• Download the latest drivers from HP official website.
• Remove the printer from your device settings, then reinstall it using the new drivers.

Try these steps and let me know how it goes! If the issue persists, we’ll dig a little deeper. 😊  

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards,