My HP Laserjet Pro M227 fdw suddenly lost its ability to print double-sided

[larrylgreenhill]

My HP LaserJet Pro MFP M227fdw printer has printed double-sided for the past 5 years. I've kept up all the updates for Windows 11 and now am on 24H2 that was installed 3 months ago. Last week it stopped printing double sided. I've gone into the Windows 11 settings, selected BLUETOOTH & DEVICES > PRINTERS AND SCANNERS > HP UNIVERSAL PRINTING PCL 6 > PROPERTIES > DEVICES > INSTALLABLE OPTIONS > DUPLEX UNIT (for 2-sided printing): INSTALLED. 

I've used HP PRINT & SCAN DOCTOR. The printer passes. I've updated the firmware in the printer to the latest version. I've downloaded and installed the printer drivers again. 

I can't get the printer to resume its two-sided printing. Let me know if there is a solution. 

[Garp_senchau]

@larrylgreenhill,

Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

Check Printer Settings in the Print Dialogue

Sometimes the issue could be with the print settings in the application you're printing from:

• When you open the print dialog box in any application (Word, PDF, etc.), make sure Double-Sided or Duplex Printing is selected.
• You can usually find this under Printer Properties > Finishing or Layout tab.
• Ensure that Two-Sided (Duplex) is set to Long Edge or Short Edge, depending on your preference.

Check Printer Preferences

Make sure duplex printing is set by default in the printer properties:

• Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
• Right-click on your printer and select Printing Preferences.
• Look for any setting related to Duplex Printing and make sure it is enabled.
• Check the Duplex box if not already checked.

Reinstall Printer Driver Completely

Sometimes drivers can become corrupted or improperly configured:

• Uninstall the printer driver from Settings > Devices > Printers and Scanners.
• Reboot your computer.
• Reinstall the latest HP Universal Print Driver from HP’s official website.
• When reinstalling, make sure to check the Duplex Unit installation box again if prompted.

Verify Duplex Unit in the Printer

Since you already verified the Duplex Unit is installed, make sure it's functioning properly:

• Open the printer's Embedded Web Server (EWS) by typing the printer’s IP address into a web browser. You can find the IP address in the printer's network settings.
• Go to the Configuration or Device Settings tab to check if the Duplex option is listed as available and active.

[Garp_senchau]

Update Printer Firmware Again

While you mentioned updating the firmware, sometimes it’s worth trying it again:

• Go to HP’s Support Website and check if there's a more recent firmware update than the one you installed three months ago.
• If there's a new version, install it and see if it resolves the issue.

Check Print Queue and Restart the Printer

• Open the print queue and cancel any pending print jobs.
• Power cycle the printer by turning it off and then back on.
• Clear any stuck jobs in the queue.
• Try printing a test page again after restarting.

Test with Another Computer or App

It’s possible there’s an issue specific to your computer or the app you’re using to print:

• Try printing from a different computer to see if duplex printing works there.
• Also, try printing from different applications (e.g., Word, Adobe Acrobat, etc.) to ensure it's not app-specific.

Check Paper Size and Type Settings

Some printers will disable duplex printing if the paper size or type is not compatible with two-sided printing:

• Ensure the correct paper size (e.g., A4, Letter) is selected in both the printer and your print job settings.
• Make sure the paper is loaded correctly in the tray and ensure that the paper type setting matches what’s loaded in the tray.

Check Duplex Settings in Printer Properties

• Enter Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
• Right-click on the printer icon, then click Printer Properties.
• Click the Device Settings tab.
• Set the Automatic Two-Sided Duplex Accessory as installed and click OK to save the change.

Test with Another Print Driver

If you are using the HP Universal Print Driver, try switching to the specific driver for your printer model:

• Go to HP's Support Website and download the driver specifically for the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M227fdw.
• Install the printer driver and see if the duplex option reappears.

I hope these steps help resolve the issue

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

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Regards,