Officejet 8170 defaults to fax

[MIKE2231]

Officejet 8170 defaults to fax in Windows 11

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @MIKE2231,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

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

I understand your HP OfficeJet 8170 defaults to fax instead of printing in Windows 11. Let’s go through a few steps to set the default to printing.

Set Printer as Default

Press Windows + S and search for Printers & scanners.

Select your HP OfficeJet 8170 from the list.

Click Manage > Set as default.

Make sure the option “Let Windows manage my default printer” is turned off, so it doesn’t switch automatically.

Check Printer Preferences

From Printers & scanners, select HP OfficeJet 8170 > Manage > Printing preferences.

Ensure the Fax option is not selected as the default job type.

Set Print as the default operation.

Remove Other Conflicting Devices

If there are multiple fax or printer devices installed, remove unused ones.

This prevents Windows from defaulting to the wrong device.

Restart the PC

After making changes, restart your computer to ensure the new default is applied.

Test Printing

Open a document and press Ctrl + P to test printing.

Verify that the print job goes to the printer instead of fax.

Update Printer Drivers

Go to HP Customer Support > Software & Drivers for your model.

Download and install the latest full-feature HP driver for Windows 11.

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,

[MIKE2231]

Thanks for the reply.  The printer still defualts to fax.   When in the printing mode I can pull down the drop down list of printers and sellect the printer and it prints.   I could not find "printing preferences" with a list of options to select fax or print.                                                                                                                                                                                                       

[Kuroi_Kenshi · Accepted solution]

Hi @MIKE2231,

Thank you for getting back to us with that update! 😊
I appreciate you checking those steps. Since the printer still defaults to Fax, let’s try a few additional steps to fix the default device settings and locate the correct Printing Preferences menu.

Turn Off Windows Auto Default Management

Press Windows + S and type Printers & scanners.

Scroll down and make sure “Let Windows manage my default printer” is turned off.

This setting can cause Windows to switch your default printer automatically to Fax.

Manually Set the Printer as Default

In Printers & scanners, click your HP OfficeJet 8170 (not the Fax version).

Click Manage → Set as default.

You should now see “Default” under your printer name.

Access “Printing Preferences”

Sometimes, this option is not visible in the new Windows 11 settings, so use this method:

Press Windows + R, type control printers, and press Enter.

Right-click on HP OfficeJet 8170 (Printer) → select Printing preferences.

If you see any Fax tab or option, make sure Print is selected as the default operation.

Click Apply → OK.

Remove Duplicate Fax Entries

In the same “Devices and Printers” window, right-click and Remove Device for

HP OfficeJet 8170 Fax

Any other duplicate entries for the same printer.

Keep only the printer that says HP OfficeJet 8170 (without Fax).

Restart and Test

Restart your PC, open any document, press Ctrl + P, and confirm that the default printer is now HP OfficeJet 8170 (not Fax).

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,