Laser Jet MFP M234 DW is not making color scan

[Egurevuk]

I am trying to make a color scan of the document using HP Smart app on my Macbook pro. It makes a color scan (output button is in color mode), but after scanning when I press Apply, the document becomes grayscale. How can i make a color scan and save it to PDF? 

[VikramTheGreat · Accepted solution]

Hi @Egurevuk,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

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

That's a frustrating one, especially since it looks like it's scanning in colour but switches to grayscale after hitting Apply.

Here’s how to make sure your HP Smart app on your MacBook Pro actually saves the scanned document in colour as a PDF:

Step-by-Step: Save Colour Scan to PDF in HP Smart (macOS)

1. Open HP Smart and select your printer.
2. Click Scan.
3. In the right-hand panel, check:
   • Source: Flatbed or Document Feeder (whichever you're using).
   • Type: Should be Document or Photo.
   • Output Type: Select Colour (not Grayscale or Black & White).
   • Resolution: 300 dpi is a safe balance.
4. Click Scan. It will preview in colour.
5. Now the key part:
   • Instead of clicking “Apply” (which often leads to a grayscale version being generated),
   • Click Save or Share from the scan preview window before hitting Apply.
      

If you want to save as a PDF:

• Click Save As → PDF.
• Make sure Colour is still selected in the final save options.
• It seems to override the scan settings when Apply is clicked, especially for multi-page scans or certain printer models.
• As a workaround, scan one page at a time and save immediately, or use HP's Web Scan feature via your printer's IP address.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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

VikramTheGreat

HP Support

[Egurevuk]

Yes it works! When I save instead of Apply, it stays in color. Good, thanks for the help. 

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Egurevuk 

I'm glad to hear that saving instead of applying kept your scanned document in colour — that's great news! 🎨✨
 

If you have any more questions or need help with anything else, feel free to ask anytime.

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!

Take care and have a great day ahead!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support