My Smart Tank 5101 printer does not offer a print-in-color option when I send a document to it.

[Circe74]

My Smart Tank 5101 color printer does not offer a print-in-color option when I send a word document from my MacAir with the newest operation system called Sequoia 15.5.  It offers only black and white printing.

I get no response from the HP Contact system, either chat or phone or phone me back.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Circe74,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your printer!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

Try these steps:

Ensure the Color Printing Option is Enabled

Open the document in your application:

• Open the document that you want to print in Microsoft Word or another application on your Mac.

Access Print Settings:

• Click File in the menu bar, then select Print.
• In the Print dialog box, you might need to click Show Details to expand the print settings.

Select your Printer:

• Choose your Smart Tank 5101 from the Printer drop-down menu.

Change Color Settings:

• Look for a section labeled Quality & Media or Paper Type/Quality.
• In this section, there should be options for Color and Black & White. Select Color.

Check Presets:

• Ensure that the preset selected is not set to Black & White. You can change to a preset that includes color settings or create a new custom preset.

Check Printer Preferences with HP Smart App

You can also use the HP Smart app to adjust printer settings:

Download HP Smart App:

• Download and install the HP Smart app from the App Store.

Add Your Printer:

• Open the HP Smart app and ensure your Smart Tank 5101 is added.

Print Using the HP Smart App:

• In the app, select Print Documents or Print Photos, then open the file you want to print.
• Ensure that the color option is selected in the print settings.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[Circe74]

Thank you for getting back to me. My printer shows up when I try to print a document, but the only choices are to print in black and white. The default settings do not have an option to print in color. 

I will reread your advice, but I don't know why printing in color would not be offered as an option with a color printer. Thank you.

[Garp_senchau]

@Circe74, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you so much for posting your query! My colleague @Kuroi_Kenshi is currently out, but don't worry – I’ll be taking over and making sure we get this sorted for you.

I’m here to help, and together, we’ll work through this!

If your printer only shows a black & white option and no way to select color, follow these steps:

Reset the Printing System (macOS)

This clears out any misconfigured printer drivers.

Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners.

Right-click (or hold Control and click) on the printer list.

Select “Reset printing system…” and confirm.

Click the "+" button to re-add your HP Smart Tank 5101.

Important: When re-adding, make sure to select the HP driver (not "AirPrint" or "Secure AirPrint") from the "Use" dropdown.

Run HP Smart:

• Download and run the HP Smart. Follow the prompts to diagnose and fix common printing issues.
• Refer: Use Diagnose & Fix in HP Smart to repair common printing issues (Windows, macOS) | HP® Support

Update Printer Firmware (Update the firmware on an HP printer | HP® Support)

• Go to the HP Customer Support - Software and Driver Downloads page. Enter your printer model number and search for the latest firmware update. Follow the instructions to download and install the firmware update.

I truly hope these steps help get things back on track. If you have any questions or need any further clarification, just let me know – I’m happy to guide you through it and make sure everything works perfectly.

Take care, and I hope you have an amazing day ahead! 😊

Problem solved? 🎉 That’s fantastic! If you could mark this as the Accepted Solution, it would help others find their way here faster. And if you found this helpful, a simple ‘yes’ would mean a lot – it makes my day and gives this reply a little street cred! 🏅

Regards,