Scans are dark. What should be a white background is shaded gray.

[AAustin63]

Printing function of my new printer is great. However, when I scan documents the images come out dark. What should be a white background comes out a medium shade of gray.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[sandytechy20]

@AAustin63

Welcome to HP support community.

Did you make a copy and check if that copies fine?

Meanwhile:

Check the scanner bar functionality: partially lift the scanner lid, and then press the Copy button or icon. If the scanner light does not illuminate or move across the glass.

Perform a power reset

1. Turn on the printer, if it is not already on.
2. Wait until the printer is idle and silent before you continue.
3. With the printer turned on, disconnect the power cord from the rear of the printer.
4. Wait at least 30 seconds.
5. Plug back the power cable straight to a wall outlet and printer without any surge protector.
6. Turn on the printer.

Reply with the requested information for more assistance.

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

Cheers.

[jwilson77]

I have the same issue.

I tried the steps suggested. 

Copy yields a suitable document.  No gray.

Scan to email after re-set yields a dark gray unusable scan. 

I tried scan to USB and I get a quality scan.  

It appears the issue only presents during scan-to-email.

[sandytechy20]

@jwilson77

Welcome to HP support community.

Note: Please ensure the complete product name/number for a quicker response from the community, as we need to know what we are dealing with to provide an accurate solution:

Click here for steps on finding the information we need!

Remember: Do not share any of your personal information such as serial, phone number, email ID, etc.

Which operating system is installed on the computer to which this printer is connected?

[jwilson77]

The printer is connected to a network, not to a specific computer.  

Again, to clarify, the issue presents when scanning to email only.  The problem presented after the last software update (and, I had to re-enter my information / email accounts).

[sandytechy20]

@jwilson77

Provide the printer model number or the product number for further assistance.

[jwilson77]

Product Name: HP OfficeJet Pro 8030 series

Product Number: 5LJ23A

[DebW-TNC-IN]

HP OfficeJet Pro 8035

3UC66A

[Jay_G24]

 Hi @jwilson77 and @DebW-TNC-IN,

Please try the below steps for the scan to email background issue –

Firstly, Note that the Dark background could be a result of “Low Contrast” or “Low Resolution” or “Low Output Selection” in the Scan Settings.

Solution 1:-

• While Sending Scan to Email from the Printer Control Panel, after entering the to and Subject details, you would find Settings Option as shown in Pic 2.
• Click on Settings and Scroll to find various settings.
  • Look for Resolution :- Keep it min 200, if needed increase to 300
  • Look for Output Color :- Increase this using the slider.
  • Look for Contrast if present :- Increase the Contrast to 30 to 40 units.
  • Look for Brightness if present :- Increase the Brightness.
  • Also look for Paper Size , Source , File Type, and select them accordingly.

NOTE :- The above settings varies from printer to printer.

Try this and then Scan and Check the results.

Solution 2:-

Set up a New Scan to Email on EWS, and while setting it up look for the settings like

• “Default Output Quality” – Keep it High
• “Default Color Preference” – Select RGB
• “Default Resolution” – Min 200, increase if needed
• “Contrast” – Increase
• “Brightness – Increase

Again Note that the above settings vary from Printer to Printer.

Keep me posted!

[jwilson77]

@Jay_G24

Thanks for posting some ideas.  Unfortunately, neither suggestion worked.

My HP OfficeJet Pro 8035 lacks the on-screen options listed in Solution 1.  When I scan to email, I have a list of addresses to choose from or add a new address, but I don't have any settings icon throughout the process.

As for the suggestion in Solution 2, nowhere in EWS for my device is there an option to initiate a scan to email.