My printer wont print color although it can print color on the test page

[Fleur17]

Whenever I send a document to print, it prints in greyscale, although I chose ''color'' in the print menu.
My printer can print in color, so it does when I ask for a testpage and so it does when I print from the computer which is connected through a cable with the printer. It just won't do it whenever I send a pdf file/an office file/... with the wireless option.

It is an occasional problem. It used to print in color, but at some point, without changing anything, it would switch to greyscale and switch to color again a few days later and so on. A few weeks ago it changed to greyscale-printing again (on all my devices except the cabled-one) and it is driving me crazy.

I have tried all the standard instructions that the HP helpdesk gives me, re-installed everything several times, tried different printing programs... but it still won't work.

When I go to printer settings or preferences, there is no option to chose greyscale or color, which I find very weird in the first place, so I can't find a setting to switch it back to color on the printing software itself. I always choose color in the print menu, like I said before, so I guess there has to be another setting that's automatically turned off or something that I can't seem to find myself..? How hard can printing be HP??

I hope someone can help me before I totally turn crazy after having nothing but problems with this HP printer!

(Series: HP Envy 4520)

[KrazyToad]

@Fleur17

Welcome to HP Community

I have gone through your Post and would like to help

I suggest you uninstall the printer driver from root level and download the full feature software

1.) In Windows, search for and open Programs and features 
2.) Select your HP Printer 
3.) Select Uninstall 
4.) In Windows, search for and open Devices and printers 
5.) In the Devices and Printers windows look for your HP printer. If you see it listed right-click on it and choose ‘Delete’ or ‘Remove Device’ 
6.) Open up the run command with the “Windows key + R” key combo.
7.) Type printui.exe /s and click Ok. (Note: there is a space in between “printui.exe” and “/s”) 
8.) Click on the “Drivers” tab 
9.) Look for HP Printer driver. If you see it Click on it and click Remove at the bottom 
10.) Select Ok 
11.) Select Apply and Ok on the Print Server Properties windows 
12.) Close Devices and Printers
13.) Restart the computer and download the full feature software Link: https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software13/COL61220/mp-147799-1/EN4520_Full_WebPack_1122.exe and follow the onscreen instructions

Thank you

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the "Solution Accepted" on this Post and it will also help other community members with similar issue.

[Fleur17]

Thanks for the reply, but after following all of these steps, my printer still is not printing colored pages over network, I really don't know what more I can do...
I find it very weird that there is no option to choose for color in the preferences from the printersoftware itself...

[KrazyToad]

Try using the HP Smart App and let me know how it goes

Link: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c04675142

[Fleur17]

No, it won't work either with the HP Smart app on my computer. It is still printing black and white and I have to turn the pages manually when printing both sides although my printer should do it automatically.
It works on my phone from time to time though, but whenever I print from my phone it always stops/crashes in the middle of the printing job, but that may be a problem with my wifi..? Besides, having to print from my phone all the time is not ideal of course.

[Kumar0307]

@Fleur17

I understand you are not able to print in color, Install the printer using the TCP/IP port to resolve this issue:

1. On the PC, go to Control panel > Devices and printers > Add a printer(at the top) 
2. Under 'Choose a device or printer', click on 'The printer I want isn't listed'.
3. Select 'Add a printer using a TCP/IP address'
4. Find the IP address of the printer by tapping on the wireless/ethernet icon on the printer screen
5. Type in the 'IP address in Hostname or IP address' box, click next
6. Proceed to the next steps by following the on-screen instructions.
7. Try printing in color.

If the issue persists, Install the printer using Windows built-in driver

Refer to this document to know how. Try printing.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

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