477DW prints frames and question marks instead of text

[MontanaRizzo]

This was posted on another site and it worked for me.

I have called HP and there is a solution without updating firmware. What you can do is go on Mac to printers and scanners and delete the printer. Then add new printer and select in the box usage: PCL Printer or Post Script Printer. Both worked for me.

One means for me only black and white and the other one was with colour printer. Any way with this I was able to print again. Of course you can call HP and they will assist you with this problem. This was a easy fix and they are aware of the issue and finding solution. Some were was asked Duplex , say yes to this option. Good luck

[jackp801]

HP has never responded to the issue, but I have found the solution to be what you described.  If you setup the printer as a Generic PCL printer it will only print black and white.  If you set it up as a Generic Postscript printer, however, it appears to print normally from all sources.

I am running macOS Big Sur Version 11.5.1.  Not fixed by any means but this workaround seems to let me print from Microsoft products without issue.  I place the blame for this squarely in HP's court since I can print on the same network from the same device from the same Microsoft applications to an HP laser printer in our office without issue.  One wonders if HP actually ever has anyone monitoring these community posts!

[N-_U43]

Hi, 

I have the same issue but happens when printing from iPad as well as the Mac book, a total pain. Printer used is the page wide 477dw. Partially resolved on the Mac using the work around but no such luck with iOS.

[jackp801]

Printing from iOS will most likely be problematic until HP can solve the AirPrint issue since iOS is locked into AirPrint.  Anybody listening at HP?

[rsirotek]

Here is the simple solution.  I'm running a Mac with Catalina OS;  this fix works for my Pagewide Pro 477dw print error.  Window  users may have the same fix available, but I obviously haven't tried it.

On your Mac:

1.  Go to System Preferences, then click on Printers & Scanners.

2.  Highlight your Printer (in my case it is Pagewide Pro 477dw), then delete the driver by clicking on the minus sign.  DO NOT delete the driver for the fax, which is listed separately further below.

3.  With the printer driver deleted, click the plus sign.  You should see the name of your printer listed next to "Bonjour."  Highlight your printer.  Towards the bottom of the dialogue box where your printer is highlighted, click on the dropdown arrow.  You should see an option for "Generic Postscript".  Don't install the apple drivers listed as "AirPrint" until Apple provides a fix for the HP incompatibility issue.

4.  Install the generic driver. 

You should be all set with full printer functionality.

[jackp801]

Same solution I posted above, and it works.  Just make sure you select "Generic Postscript" not "Generic PCL" otherwise you won't get full color output.

[Lori771]

Dear Rsirotek. You are great! Thank you for your advice and your fix worked. I appreciate you took the time to leave a solution and I am sure you have helped a lot of other people, like myself, by your post. Thank you again.

[LTS-Sheffield]

I had the same issue on all of our apple devices. After spending some time on the phone with HP they managed to resolve this.

We had to remove the Printer from the computer and install the driver using a dropbox link. Once this was installed we had to re-add the printer and change the use to: HP PageWide Pro 477 MFP

This allows the printer to function as before and print as normal again.

Here is the driver link given by HP:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ewtb78nnzm2dmim/hp-printer-essentials-S-5_15_5_12.pkg?dl=0

[Marisc]

Has anyone got a solution to this yet? It looks to be a printer issue that relates to Microsoft products - Excel and Word documents - and Excel and Word derived pdf files. I can print from all of my Apple devices to my other printers, but if I try to print these types of files from any Apple device to my 477DW I only get the squares and question marks. The printer works fine when printing other files and documents.

[twimmom]

Was escalated at Microsoft. This is not a Microsoft of Apple problem but the result of an HP update.  I 'm in the US and have not even been able to reach a person at HP for support. I just go round and round with their automated system.