Printer no longer printing in color

[playalien]

There was an update recently that broke the HP software.  I can no longer print in color.  The option isn't there in settings, or in preferences, or in the Paper/Quality tab like it's supposed to be.  I've uninstalled and reinstalled the HP printer software 3 times now and have tried every trick that was posted in this forum and nothing has worked. It's stuck in gray scale.  If I print test pages, it prints those in color. Any printing from the computer gives no option to print in color.

[Kumar0307]

@playalien, Welcome to the HP Support Community!

This seems to be an issue with the print driver. Installing the print driver compatible with Win 7 on your Win 10 PC may resolve this issue:

Clean reinstallation of Pre-installed HP drivers

1.  In Windows, search for and open Programs and features 
2.  Select your HP Printer 
3.  Select Uninstall 
4.  In Windows, search for and open Devices and printers 
5.  In the Devices and Printers windows look for your HP printer. If you see it listed right-click on it and choose ‘Delete’ or ‘Remove Device’ 
6.  Open up the run command with the “Windows key + R” key combo. 
7.  Type printui.exe /s and click Ok. (Note: there is a space in between “printui.exe” and “/s”) 
8.  Click on the “Drivers” tab 
9.  Look for HP Printer driver. If you see it Click on it and click Remove at the bottom 
10.  Select Ok 
11.  Select Apply and Ok on the Print Server Properties windows 
12.  Close Devices and Printers, restart the computer.

Click here to download the HP Full-featured driver.

Make sure to select the Operating system as Win 7 64 bit

Once downloaded, make sure to run the file to start the installation and follow the on-screen instructions.

Try printing.

Let me know how this goes.

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

[playalien]

Thanks for trying Kumar0307, but rolling back the printer software to an unsupported version of Windows didn't help my situation.  I followed your instructions as best as I could being that "Programs and Features" and "Devices and Printers" doesn't exist on Windows 10.  I had to assume you meant "Apps & Features" and "Printers & Scanners".  I uninstalled everything related to "HP" from "Apps & Features".  There were no HP printers in "Printers & Scanners" or in the "Drivers".  I then rebooted the computer.  I reinstalled the Windows 7 64 bit version and I got the same results.  There is no color choice in the "Paper/Quality" tab of the Printer Properties. 

 No Color Choice

[sandytechy20]

@playalien

Update the printer firmware

Here are the steps:- Click here

I hope tat helps.

To thank me for my efforts to help you, please mark my post as an accepted solution so that it benefits several others.

Cheers.

[playalien]

Hello Sandytechy20,

I had already tried that too.  My printer is already was was already current.

[playalien]

Have you had a chance to test with the newest Windows 10 build?  I bought a new HP Spectre over black Friday and when I added the printer, I get no color options on the laptop either.  I'm running Windows 10 Pro 1909 on both machines.

[sandytechy20]

@playalien

This might require remote access of the printer to fix this issue.

I request you to talk to HP support.

They might have multiple options to help you with this.

1. Click on this link - https://support.hp.com/us-en/contact-hp?openCLC=true
2. Select the country.
3. Enter the serial of your device.
4. Select the country from the drop-down.
5. Click on "Show Options".
6. Fill the web-form. A case number and phone number will now populate for you.

I hope that helps.

To thank me for my efforts to help you, please mark my post as an accepted solution so that it benefits several others.

Cheers.

[playalien · Accepted solution]

I called support and spent some time on the phone with them.  Overall it turns out that the printer drivers are no longer working correctly with newer versions of Windows 10.  This was the solution that got my printer to print in color again.

1.) In the search box at the bottom left, type in "Run".

2.) In the Run box, type in "Control Printers", a Devices and Printers window will pop up.

3.) In the Devices and Printers window click on Add a Printer

4.) In the Choose a device or printer to add to this PC window, select "The printer that I want isn't listed.

5.) In the Find a printer by other options window, choose "Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname", and click next.

6.) In the Type a printer hostname or IP address window, type in the IP address of your printer. Click Next.

7.) In the Install the printer driver window, choose "HP" in Manufacturer.  There should be a printer listed under "Printers", choose the one that matches your printer.  Then click Next. (I assume this was there because I had previously installed the HP printer software).

8. ) In the Which version of the driver do you want to use window, choose "Replace the current driver".  Click Next.

9.) In the Type a printer name window, give your printer a different name.  (I added "wireless" to the end) Click Next.

10.) In the Printer Sharing window, make a choice and Click Next.

11.) Print a test page.  You may also need to set the printer as default as you will now have 2 printers installed in Windows for the same printer.  I deleted the old printer install from "Printers & Scanners".

[fganter]

Dude - You rock! I was trying to fix this for an hour. None of the other HP solutions seemed to work (probably reinstalled the drivers 3 times). Your solution worked like a champ.

Now, it looks like HP needs to get their install package working with Windows 10.

[Filatura]

Sorry to seem so dense; I'd like to try your solution because nothing else has worked, but could you please specify which "bottom left" you are referring to in #1?  I can't find anything in Windows 10 Control Panel that says "run" so obviously I'm looking the wrong place. Thanks.