HP Smart Tank 5106. It will not print in colour from any program but prints colour on a test page.

[NannyDi]

HP Smart Tank 5106.  Will only print black and white except on test page when colours all OK.

[Sneha_01]

HI @NannyDi,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

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

It seems like your HP Smart Tank 5106 printer is experiencing an issue where it prints in black and white from programs but prints color correctly on a test page. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve this issue:

1. Check Printer Settings

Printer Preferences: Open the print dialog in the program you're printing from (e.g., Word, Adobe Acrobat). Check the printer preferences or properties to ensure that color printing is enabled.

Default Printer Settings: Access the printer settings through Control Panel (on Windows) or System Preferences (on Mac). Verify that the default settings allow for color printing.

2. Update Printer Driver

Driver Update: Ensure that you have the latest printer driver installed for your HP Smart Tank 5106. Sometimes, outdated drivers can cause printing issues.

Download from HP: Visit the HP Support website, enter your printer model, and download the latest driver for your operating system.

3. Printer Firmware Update

1. Check for Updates: Similarly, check if there are any firmware updates available for your printer. Updating the firmware can fix bugs and improve overall performance.

4. Check Ink Levels and Cartridges

Ink Levels: Verify the ink levels in your color cartridges. Low or empty ink levels can prevent the printer from printing in color.

Replace Cartridges: If ink levels are low, consider replacing the color cartridges with genuine HP cartridges to ensure proper functionality.

5. Print Quality Settings

1. Quality Settings: Ensure that the print quality settings in your printing software or printer preferences are set to color. Some printers default to grayscale or black-and-white for certain document types.

6. Test Print and Calibration

Print Test Page: Print a test page directly from the printer's control panel to verify that color printing is functional. This can help determine if the issue lies with the printer itself or the computer/software settings.

Calibration: Run a printer calibration or alignment process if available. This ensures that the printer properly aligns and uses the correct colors during printing.

7. Reset Printer

Power Cycle: Turn off the printer, unplug it from power, wait for about 60 seconds, and then plug it back in. Power it on and see if the issue persists.

Factory Reset: As a last resort, perform a factory reset on your printer to restore it to its default settings. Refer to your printer's manual or HP Support website for instructions specific to your model.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Rachel571

HP Support