My HP Envy won't print my projects in colour, but three test pages are fine after cleaning

[exasperated73]

My HP Envy won't print my projects in colour.  After cleaning, three test pages were in colour, but nothing else.  There's no longer an option for grayscale, so I don't know if that's a problem.  Any ideas?

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @exasperated73,

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 Envy printer is not printing your projects in color even though test pages print fine. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this.

Check Ink Levels
 Open the HP Smart app or printer software on your computer.
 Confirm that all color cartridges (especially cyan, magenta, and yellow) have sufficient ink levels.

Verify Default Print Settings
 When printing a document, click Printer Properties or Preferences.
 Under the Color or Paper/Quality tab, ensure Color (not Black & White or Grayscale) is selected.

Update or Reinstall Printer Driver
 Outdated drivers can cause color printing issues.
 Go to HP’s official support page → search your printer model → download and install the latest Full Feature Software and Drivers for your operating system.

Reset the Print System (Windows)
 Press Windows + R, type control printers, and press Enter.
 Right-click your printer → select Remove Device.
 Restart the PC, then reinstall the printer using the HP Smart app or Add Printer option.

Run Print Quality Diagnostic
 On the printer’s control panel, go to Settings → Tools → Print Quality Report.
 If color blocks are missing or streaked, run the Clean Printhead or Align Printhead utility again.

Check Application Print Settings
 Sometimes individual apps override printer settings.
 For example, in Word, Excel, or Adobe, open Print Settings → Preferences → Color, and make sure “Print in Grayscale” is unchecked.

I hope this helps.

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Best regards,