M479 Only uses color cartridges

[GlennB_SAU70]

Our Music office has a color LaserJet M479. They send black and white jobs using the macOS print dialog to select Black and White, but the printer is using the color cartridges to print black. 90% of their print jobs are black (music staffs, etc.) A year later, the color cartridges are almost empty, while the black cartridge has not been touched. I've tried different systems and check the printer's settings. What do I need to change so it won't waste color toner?

I've tried using macOS Sonoma and Sequoia, but the message list only allows up to Monterey.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @GlennB_SAU70,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding printer! 

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

Your HP Color LaserJet M479 using color toner for black prints is likely due to how the printer processes grayscale vs. true black-only prints. Here’s how to fix it:

Change Print Settings on macOS

• Open Print Dialog (Command + P).
• Click "Show Details" if needed.
• In "Color Options" or "Print Mode", select "Black & White" or "Grayscale".
• Ensure "Use Black Cartridge Only" is checked (if available).
• Save these settings as a Preset for future prints.

Change Printer Settings from Embedded Web Server (EWS)

1. Get the printer’s IP address (found on the printer’s network settings).
2. Enter the IP address in a web browser.
3. Log in (admin credentials may be required).
4. Look for "Color Usage Control" or "Print Mode" under printer settings.
5. Set "Black Only" or "Monochrome Mode".

Disable Color Printing via HP Utility (Mac)

• Open HP Utility from Applications > HP.
• Look for "Supply Settings" or "Grayscale".
• Choose "Use Black Ink Only".

Update Printer Firmware

• Visit HP Support and download the latest firmware for M479.
• Apply the update to correct potential software-related color usage issues.

Check for Application-Specific Color Settings

• Some apps (like Adobe Reader, Microsoft Word) may override printer settings.
• Ensure they are set to grayscale/black only.

After these changes, print a test page and check the toner usage. Let me know if the issue persists! 😊

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,

[Glenn_RMS]

Thanks for the reply. I will check those settings. To clarify, we don't want to completely disable color printing, we just need it to use black ink when printing a black page. I don't want it to create black using CMY ink, which is what is happening now. Problem is, I don't see any way to tell what ink it's using until we run out. (Right now, the CMY cartridges are almost gone, while black hasn't been touched.) I will try setting "use black only" as a preset.

(Sorry this is from a different account. HP won't let me log in using the original I created for SAU70.) 😕

[Sneha_01]

Hi @GlennB_SAU70,

Thank you for your response, 

Please feel free to reply to us and we will be more than happy to help you.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Take care and have a great day ahead!

[Riggold]

Like GlennB_SAU70, we don't want to completely disable color printing, but when we turn off "Print in Color" in the Mac print dialog, we turn off "Print in Color"  (Mac OS 14 Sonoma or 15 Sequoia). Then the printer uses colored ink to print the page grayscale. I've verified this by looking at the print's job log from the web page interface. It clearly shows that color was used for a page when "Print in Color" was turned off.

Your solution appears to be generic and not specific. For example:

- Change Print Settings on macOS: the only option we have is "Print in Color" with a switch to turn it on or off. The options you described do not exist

- Change Printer Settings form Embedded Web Server (EWS): There is an option to disable color printing, but we don't want to turn off color printing - we use it regularly. We just want the printer to use black ink when we turn off "Print in Color" from the MacOS print dialog.

- Disable Color Printing via HP Utility (Mac): Again, we don't want to disable color printing.

- Update Printer Firmware: I checked. It's set to auto-update and has the latest: CLRWTRXXXN002.2445A.00 from 2024-11-07

- Check for Application-Specific Printer Settings: I used the simplest app I could think of: The built-in Preview app. There aren't any application-specific printer settings.

The printer is great; we've had it for a long time, but how do we make it use only black ink from the Mac Print dialog? Maybe HP will send us a case of colored toner to make up for all the colored ink we've spent on printing black-and-white.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Riggold,

Thank you for the response.

Here's what you can try next.

Create a Custom Preset Using HP's PCL Driver (if available)

Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners.

Add your printer manually using the IP address, but choose Generic PCL Printer driver or HP PCL 6 driver if it appears.

Then:

Open any printable document > File > Print.

Select the printer and hit “Show Details.”

Turn off “Print in Color.”

If any menu shows Print Mode or Color Options, seect Black Only or K-only.

Save this as a preset: "B&W - True Black".

Use Embedded Web Server (EWS) Smartly (NOT disable color)

Access EWS via IP (e.g., http://192.168.1.x)

Under Settings > Print > Print Quality or Color Settings:

Look for something like "Use black cartridge only for monochrome" or similar language.

If there's an option like “Use CMY to simulate black: OFF”, that’s your golden ticket.

If it doesn’t exist, you may not have full admin access OR it’s hidden due to driver limitations from macOS.

Fallback – Convert PDFs to Black K-Only

If your office is mostly printing music (black linework), this trick works:

Open your document in Preview.

Export as PDF.

Open in Adobe Acrobat (not Reader).

Use Print Production > Convert Colors:

Convert everything to Device Gray or K-only.

Then print.

This tells the printer “Hey, don’t mix colors, just slap on that black toner.”

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,