Not printing cyan, now won't print in black & white

[BanTalker]

I have had issues with the cyan not printing for a long time. Since I couldn't find a suitable fix on here, I gave up. For things I care about the quality of print for I would just print in Greyscale/Black & White.

Now it won't print anything but pink & brown. I set the various apps to print in grayscale in several different places, I even recolored the illustrations so they are grayscale. I've shut the printer off & back on, no change. I've unplugged it and let it sit for half and hour before re-plugging, no change. I've cleaned & straightened the print heads more times than I can count, no change.

Have I hit planned obsolescence or is there any hope for this printer?

[Sneha_01]

Hi @BanTalker 

Welcome to HP Support Community.

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

It sounds like you're experiencing a frustrating issue with your printer where it's printing in unexpected colors and you're unable to print in grayscale or black & white anymore, even after cleaning the printheads and trying various troubleshooting steps.

1. Cyan Cartridge Not Printing

The issue with cyan not printing often points to a problem with the cyan ink cartridge, the printhead, or the cartridge contacts.

Steps to Resolve Cyan Printing Issue:

• Check the Cyan Ink Cartridge: Ensure the cyan cartridge is not empty or dried up. If the cartridge is low or empty, replace it with a new one. Even if the cartridge appears to have ink, it could still be defective or clogged.
• Inspect the Cartridge Contacts: Carefully remove the cyan cartridge and check the contacts (the small copper-colored strips) for dirt or ink buildup. Clean them gently with a soft cloth or cotton swab.

2. Printer Printing Only in Pink & Brown

If the printer is only printing in pink and brown and ignoring other colors, it's likely because the cyan ink is not printing correctly, and the other inks are compensating by blending colors, which can result in poor color accuracy and strange hues.

Steps to Resolve the Color Problem:

• Check All Ink Cartridges: Ensure that all the ink cartridges (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) are correctly installed and have sufficient ink. If one of the cartridges is completely empty, it can cause color issues. For example, the lack of cyan ink can make the printer print weird colors like pink or brown.

. Printer Won't Print in Black & White / Grayscale

Since you’ve already tried setting the print settings to grayscale, the issue could be related to the black ink cartridge, or a software setting might be overriding your print preferences.

Steps to Ensure Grayscale/Black & White Printing:

• Check the Black Ink Cartridge: If your printer uses separate cartridges for black and color ink, make sure the black cartridge has enough ink and is not dried out. If the black cartridge is empty or clogged, your printer will default to using the color cartridges for grayscale printing, which can lead to the unwanted color prints you’re seeing.
• Select Grayscale Printing Properly:
  • When you select "Grayscale" or "Black & White" in the print settings, ensure that you choose the "Use Black Ink Only" option in your printer settings, especially if you want to bypass color cartridges entirely.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Rachel571

HP Support