HP Deskjet D4260 color issue

[Katia1157]

Hi,
I just set up my HP Deskjet D4260 printer on my Windows 11 desktop (I installed the drivers using the CD that came with the printer). My issue is that the colors are printed wrong: I created a Word document with colored rectangles for test, but the printed colors don't make any sense (I posted a picture here, with the expected colors on the right). However, when I print a diagnostic page, everything is alright, the cyan, magenta and yellow rectangles appear correct.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Katia1157,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your printer!

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

Try these steps:

Check Ink Cartridges:

• Ensure that the ink cartridges are properly installed and have sufficient ink. Sometimes, degraded ink cartridges can result in color misalignment.
• You can check the ink levels from the printer software installed on your computer.

Clean the Printheads:

• Access the printer software and use the 'Clean Printhead' function. This might resolve issues with blocked nozzles that affect color printing.

Update the Printer Drivers:

• The drivers provided on the CD might not be fully compatible with Windows 11. Visit the HP Support website and download the latest compatible drivers for your HP Deskjet D4260.
  • Select your printer model and operating system to find the latest driver updates.

Calibrate the Printer:

• Perform a printer calibration to ensure that the color alignment is correct.
• Go to the printer settings in your HP printer software and look for 'Calibrate Printer' or 'Align Printer' options.

Check Print Settings:

• Ensure that the settings in your Word document are correct. Sometimes, incorrect settings in the printing preferences can result in color issues.
  • Before printing, navigate to Printer Properties from within the print dialog and make sure that the color settings are appropriately configured.

Reset the Printer:

• Resetting the printer can sometimes resolve unexplained errors.
• Turn off the printer and unplug it from the power source. Wait for about a minute, then plug it back in and turn it on.

Test Different Software:

• Try printing from another software, such as a PDF viewer or a web browser, to check if the issue is specific to Word or a wider software conflict.

Reinstall or Repair Printer Software:

• Uninstall the existing printer software and drivers, and then reinstall them.
• Repair installation may also be available as an option within the printer software setup.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[Katia1157]

Hi @Kuroi_Kenshi,

Thank you very much for your reply.

Since the diagnostic page is perfectly fine, I don't know how this could be an issue with the ink cartridges (which are new - I also proceeded to a print head realignment after installing them) or blocked nozzles (this would appear too on the diagnostic page, right?)

I tried with the same test page using other softwares, all of them had the same issue. One attempt produced slightly different results though (the colors were wrong too, but different for some. Also, I could see a very thin outline around the rectangles which seemed to have almost the right color).

Turning off and on the printer didn't help.

I tried uninstalling the driver in order to reinstall it from HP's website, but the uninstaller keeps crashing (the progress bar goes up to 75-78%, but suddenly the uninstaller's windows closes itself and the driver still appears in my system).

Thanks

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Katia1157,

Thanks for the detailed follow-up, that helps narrow it down quite a bit. Since the diagnostic page prints colors correctly, your ink cartridges and printhead hardware are almost certainly fine. That shifts the problem squarely to a software or driver-related issue, especially with color interpretation or rendering from Windows applications to the printer.

Here's what you can try next:

Reinstall with Windows-Compatible Driver Instead of CD

A. Don’t use the CD installer

It’s from the Windows Vista/7 era and not fully compatible with Windows 11, even in compatibility mode.

B. Use Windows Update’s Built-In Driver

After removing everything, restart your PC

Plug in the printer via USB

Let Windows Update install the built-in driver (this one usually works better with Word and modern apps)

Wait for a few minutes, then go to Settings > Printers to confirm it's listed

Adjust Color Management Settings (If Issue Persists)

Sometimes, incorrect ICC color profiles can mess with how Word and apps translate colors to the printer.

Steps:

Press Win + R > type colorcpl and press Enter

Go to the Devices tab

Choose your HP printer from the dropdown

If any ICC profiles are listed, remove them

Then click Add > sRGB IEC61966-2.1, and set it as default

Test a Print from Paint or Notepad

Try printing a basic test pattern (colored shapes or text) from MS Paint or Notepad

If colors look fine there, the issue may be Word-specific (in which case, try toggling settings like "Print in background" in Word)

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[Katia1157]

Thank you for your reply.
As I said in my previous message, I'm unable to uninstall my current driver, since the uninstaller keeps crashing (the progress bar goes up to 75-78%, but suddenly the uninstaller's windows closes itself and the driver still appears in my system). I would be glad if you could help me with that issue.

I also tried adjustint the color management settings as you said, I even restarted the computer after doing so, but it didn't help...

However, I found that when I print a PDF document from Opera browser (and this software only, all the others such as Adobe Reader or LibreOffice produced similar results as Word), the colors are printed correctly. The printer behaves differently in that case though, it prints much faster but the quality is less good (for instance, a dark green appears as green with black dots on it).

I'd still like this issue to be solved so I can print normally from other softwares...

Thanks

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Katia1157,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

We're here to help you tackle that malfunction! Don't worry, we've got your back! 

To get you the best assistance, we need to take this conversation to a private chat. We're inviting you to a private message to protect your privacy and ensure that any sensitive information remains confidential. 

To access your private message, just click the little blue envelope icon on the upper right corner of your HP Community profile, next to your profile name. Alternatively, you can click on this link. 

You can use this link as well: 

Private Messages - HP Support Community

We're looking forward to helping you resolve this issue! 

Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience! 

Best regards,