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- HP Community
- Printers
- Printer Setup, Software & Drivers
- printer won't print color

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10-09-2019 08:53 AM
My hp envy 4520 stopped printing color. Test page will print color, but no apps will, it converts to grayscale. I reinstalled all the software, no change. Printer preferences does not give any options regarding color, as if the option didn't exist. I saw forum questions for several people with the same problem and it was never resolved. Can someone help?
10-09-2019 12:42 PM
Control panel>devices and printers. Right click icon for printer and select printer properties. Click device settings and under installed options look for device type and make sure it is set to colour.
I am a volunteer, offering my knowledge to support fellow users, I do not work for HP nor speak for HP.
10-09-2019 01:07 PM
I appreciate your help, but as I mentioned, there is absolutely no reference to any option for color in that location or any other. I saw that the same has happened to others with this printer, but there was no solution posted. What can cause it to not even have any options for color there or in any print dialog? There used to be.
10-09-2019 02:54 PM - edited 10-09-2019 03:02 PM
This has been reported in this forum for years. It's finally happened to me today as well.
Here's what hasn't worked:
1. Setting printer default options for grayscale (as stated by others, this option doesn't exist anymore)
2. Uninstalling & reinstalling printer drivers
3. Creating a new user profile and using that to print from now on (no thank you)
4. HP Print and Scan Doctor 5.2.1 thinks everything is fine.
I think we're all seeing automatic duplex printed having disappeared as well, in addition to not being able to print in color.
***UPDATE***
After a few hours of banging my head on this, here's what DID work!
1. Remove the current HP Envy 4520 printer from your Printers & scanners list.
2. Add a new printer, and even if "HP ENVY 4520 series" displays, choose "The printer that I want isn't listed"
3. Check the first radio button "My printer is a little older. Help me find it"
4. You will see "ENVY 4520 series (HP)" listed. Select that and go on to Next.
5. Windows may detect that a driver is already installed. Too bad. Choose "Replace the current driver"
6. Next screen: Share or not share. That's your choice. I chose not to share my printer. Next.
7. Print a test page. See if it doesn't come out in a color now! (I was shocked when my did). Oh, and auto-duplex printing is now back as well. Hurrah!
I really hope this helps someone else out like it did for me.