Photo color all wrong

[MBaumser]

HP ENVY 4520 All-in-One Printer
When printing images from Lightroom or Photoshop my colors are way off.  My settings are for printer to manage color. 
I've tried it the other way having the application manage color with color management in the printer off.  

I've tried a factory reset. but no change

[Max3Aj]

@MBaumser, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
 If you're experiencing issues with color accuracy when printing photos from your HP ENVY 4520 All-in-One Printer, especially when using Lightroom or Photoshop, it could be due to several factors such as color profile issues, driver problems, or media type mismatches. Here’s a detailed checklist to help you troubleshoot and resolve the problem:

Check Color Profile in Lightroom/Photoshop

• When using Photoshop or Lightroom:
  • Use sRGB for general use or Adobe RGB if your monitor supports it and your image was edited in that space.
  • In the Print Settings > Color Handling, choose:
    • Photoshop manages colors
    • Printer color management = OFF (this is crucial to avoid double profiling).
  • Select the correct ICC profile for your paper type (e.g., HP Advanced Photo Paper Glossy ICC profile).

Ensure Proper Printer Driver Is Installed

• Go to HP's official site and install the Full Feature Software and Driver for the ENVY 4520 (not the default Windows driver).
  • HP ENVY 4520 Drivers

Sometimes Windows Update installs a basic driver that lacks full ICC/color support.

Disable Printer Color Management (When App Manages It)

• When using application-managed color, go to:
  • Printer Properties > Preferences > Advanced or Color Options.
  • Set Color Management or Color Adjustment to None or Manual, then disable any enhancements.

Paper Type Mismatch

• Ensure that the paper type in the driver matches the actual paper you are using:
  • For glossy paper: select HP Glossy Photo Paper or the closest match in the driver.
  • For matte or other types: choose the accurate type.

Try Printing from Another App (e.g., Windows Photos)

• This can help isolate whether the issue is with the printer or your Adobe apps.
• If colors are still incorrect when printing from simpler apps, it could indicate:
  • A driver issue
  • An ink cartridge problem (especially if using non-HP ink)
  • A mismatch in paper settings

Update Firmware

• Visit HP Support and ensure your ENVY 4520 has the latest firmware. Some earlier firmware versions had color rendering issues.

Print a Diagnostic Page

• On the printer:
  • Go to Setup > Tools > Print Quality Report.
• This will help identify if any cartridges are misfiring, missing colors, or causing tonal imbalances.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support 

[MBaumser]

Thanks,

I got Photoshop acceptable but not Lightroom.

I can not find anywhere in the application or the HP driver software to 

• Set Color Management or Color Adjustment to None or Manual

[Max3Aj · Accepted solution]

@MBaumser, You're very welcome — glad to hear Photoshop prints look acceptable now! Let's focus on getting Lightroom working too, and I’ll guide you through the color management settings for your HP ENVY 4520 even though they’re buried or hidden in the default HP driver UI.

✅ Disable HP Color Management (Windows – Classic Print Dialog)

1. From Lightroom (not Lightroom Classic):

• Lightroom unfortunately doesn't provide full control like Classic does.
• If you're using Lightroom (Cloud), try exporting the photo to disk and print from Photoshop or Windows Photo Viewer as a workaround.

2. From Lightroom Classic:

• Go to Print Module.
• Under Color Management, set:
  • Profile → Choose your paper ICC profile.
  • Intent → Relative or Perceptual.
• Under Print Job, set:
  • Print To → Printer.
  • Print Resolution → 300 ppi.
• Then click Print Settings > Preferences and follow below:

🧩 In HP Driver (on Windows):

In the HP ENVY 4520’s print preferences, try this:

1. Print Settings > Preferences from Lightroom.
2. Click Advanced.
3. If available, expand Color Management or Color Adjustment.
   • Try setting to Manual or Application Managed Colors.
   • Or disable HP Real Life Technologies, Vivid Photo, or any enhancements.

If that doesn't appear, HP sometimes auto-manages color with no user override unless you:

• Use HP Print and Scan Doctor to check driver installation.
• Or switch to a generic PostScript or PCL driver (advanced workaround).

🔄 Alternative Workaround: Bypass Lightroom

Since Lightroom might force the use of the HP color engine, try this flow:

1. Export your image from Lightroom using the correct ICC profile:
   • File > Export.
   • Format: TIFF or JPEG.
   • Color Space: sRGB or your preferred profile.
2. Open in Photoshop, then print using:
   • Photoshop Manages Colors.
   • Choose the correct printer profile.
   • Set printer driver enhancements OFF as done before.

I hope this helps!

If my response resolves your issue, please click “Accepted Solution” to help others find the answer. Also, don’t forget to click the “Yes” button to say thanks!

Take care and have a great day.

Max3Aj

HP Support