HP 2842 e not printing color

[jmpabst]

I cannot get my hp2842e to print in color. It copies in color, so I know the cartridges are in. The preferences window does not even give an option to print in color.  Any help is appreciated.  I use a new MacAir with it. 

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @jmpabst,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

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

I understand your HP 2842e prints in colour when copying but not when printing from your MacBook Air, and the print preferences don’t show a colour option. Let’s go through a few steps to resolve this.

Confirm Printer’s Colour Capability in Settings
On the printer’s control panel, check Settings > Preferences / Quality to ensure Colour is enabled.
Since copying in colour works, the cartridges are fine — the issue is likely software-related.

Check Mac Print Dialog
When printing a document, click File > Print (or use Cmd + P).
In the print dialog, expand the options by clicking Show Details (if available).
Look for a Media & Quality or Color Options / Color Matching section and select Color instead of Black & White.

Remove and Re-add the Printer
Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
Select your HP 2842e and click – (minus) to remove it.
Then click + (plus) to re-add the printer.
Make sure to select the printer that shows as AirPrint or HP Smart (not the generic driver).

Install or Update HP Smart App
Download/update the HP Smart app from the Mac App Store.
Open it, sign in if required, and make sure your printer is added.
HP Smart often restores access to full colour printing settings.

Reset Mac Printing System (if needed)
In System Settings > Printers & Scanners, right-click in the printer list and select Reset Printing System.
This clears old drivers and printer queues.
Then re-add the printer as in Step 3.

Update Printer Firmware
In the HP Smart app, go to Printer Settings > Advanced Settings > Printer Updates.
Install any available firmware updates, then restart the printer.

Test with Different File Types
Sometimes PDFs or certain documents use special colour profiles.
Try printing a simple coloured photo or Word document to check if the issue persists across all file types.

I hope this helps.

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Best regards,