HP Envy printer conflict - stuck in monochrome

[MsJCadwell]

I cannot print in color with my hp envy 5540. Keeps telling me there's a printer conflict in printer settings and it cannot be changed, it stays on monochrome. I've tried to uninstall printer and reinstall, try all settings in other programs, I am not getting anywhere. Please help me.

[Ebojager]

I have this with my OfficeJet 3830, its stuck on Monochrome. If I change it, I dont get a warning,  but it just changes back.

I did just update to Windows 10 v2004, but curious if its the security firmware update they did recently???

[Ebojager]

I may have fixed my OfficeJet 3830 on Windows 10 v2004, with the help of @Echo_Lake

I was having this issue too, but may have missed a couple important steps, but did uninstall drivers, clear the HP Smart App, tried the full driver set. After reading @Echo_Lake's post on another board I decided to go deeper instead of just waiting for HP or Windows to fix it.

I noticed that the Print server properties, retains the driver even after you uninstall the printer, so maybe that's the big step I missed. This is what I ended up doing this morning and its now working great:

(Printer is connected via WiFi and on during this process):

Step 1: I deleted the printer driver from "Devices and Printers"

Checked "Uninstall a Program" for any other HP Software.

Step 2: I clicked any available printer and choose "Print server properties" at top of window,

click "Drivers" tab and deleted any reference to the offending printer.

Step 3: This is a tricky part and probably not recommended or needed but wasn't sure being that I'm on Windows 10 v2004...

I went to: c:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileReposirory
I then cleared out the permissions for related folders, assigned myself, then deleted each of the folders that were related to my HP OfficeJet 3830 (4 I think total) I sorted by date and could tell which ones were related by the time I started messing with the printer drivers and the hp in the file name.

Step 4: Another do at your own risk... I went into regedit and started at:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers
and deleted all the HP entries below Printers, then did a search for HP and removed those entries if related to printing.

Step 5: Reset the HP Smart Windows app and restarted PC

Step 6: Waited for Windows to settle (5-10min) then opened up HP Smart and followed the instructions for adding a printer.

Now the color option is the default and is no longer stuck printing Monochrome.