Windows 11 does not allow manual duplex on HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fnw

[RobS143]

With new Windows 11 machine, adding printer auto-detects our printer from WiFi, but it does not recognize it as a Pro.  This seems to be the reason that the option for Manual Duplex is not available (although it could be something else). 

How do I get this fixed so I can print Manual Duplex, aka 2-sided pages?

[RobS143]

I also don't seem to be able to get the proper driver to install because it keeps auto-detecting the wrong one and doesn't seem to let me get the Pro version.  Where do I find the right driver so I can install it?

[RobS143]

I went to https://support.hp.com/my-en/drivers/hp-color-laserjet-pro-mfp-m477-series/model/7326562 and tried downloading the Windows 10 version.  We'll see how that goes.  

[Repairatrooper]

You can also try the Smart UPD driver if the download you are trying does not work.

[RobS143]

Nope...just the Windows 10 keeps timing out at 99%

[RobS143]

Tried that too, but it keeps downloading the non-Pro version, which does not support the manual-duplex option which was available in Windows 10.
Maybe this will be fixed in an updated driver version but the Dec 2025 version seems to be broken.

[Repairatrooper]

You could try this (I do not have a non duplex printer to test on so cannot say if it will work) 

On the PC, go to control panel, right click devices and printers and select open from the drop down menu. The right click on the printer icon and select printer properties from the drop down menu. Click on the device settings tab and scroll down until you see duplex unit and change to installed. 

Another thing that can block duplexing is not entering a supported paper size and type both on the printer and within the driver. Leaving the paper size and type on any will causes duplexing to be disabled.

[RobS143]

Thanks for the ideas but
"scroll down until you see duplex unit" There is no duplex unit option, presumable because it's manual duplex.

"supported paper size and type" Yes, those are set the same as on our Windows 10 machine, just standard Letter.

This is something that worked fine on Windows 10, but the Windows 11 driver seems to be broken.  

[Repairatrooper]

If you have not tried, manually install the Windows 10 driver. Was written for windows 10 but procedure is identical.

KB article here https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printers-Knowledge-Base/How-to-manually-install-a-network-printer-in-W...

[RobS143]

Thanks for the link.  However, (1) the link on that page is now obsolete; (2) I tried following the screenshots (and things have changed dramatically with Windows 11, but I was able to follow along with a bunch of guesses) however, when it asks me to insert the disk that's a problem since (a) the machine has no disk drive and (b) the printer documentation (which I found) pointed me to a website to get the correct driver, but after entering the serial number, it said it was for a different product (even though it worked correctly on Windows 10) and directed me to the one I previously noted, which does not include a driver.

FYI the documentation points me to http://www.hp.com/support/colorljM477MFP

That redirects me to this: https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/drivers/hp-color-laserjet-pro-mfp-m277-series/7089944 which asks for a country, then the printer serial number, then tells me that I went to the wrong printer.

So at this point, it continues to appear that the driver for Windows 11 is broken.