How to Fix a Printer That Only Prints in Black and White

Check the color/grayscale setting in the print dialog

Somewhere in your print settings — sometimes on the main screen, sometimes under "More settings" or "Printer Properties" — there's a color mode toggle, often labeled "Color," "Grayscale," or "Black and White." This can be set to grayscale by a previous print job (some applications remember the last-used setting) even for a document you intend to print in full color. Check and correct this first, since it's the single most common cause.

Check the application's own print settings

Some applications have their own separate color/grayscale option distinct from the general printer settings — particularly common in specialized software. If the system-wide printer setting looks correct but output is still black and white, check the specific app you're printing from for its own color override.

Check color cartridge levels

If settings are confirmed correct and it's still printing in black only, check whether your color cartridges are actually low or empty — some printers will silently substitute black-only output rather than failing outright when color ink runs out, particularly for text-heavy documents where the substitution is less visually obvious. Check ink levels through the manufacturer's app or the printer's own display.

Run a nozzle check for a possible color clog

If ink levels show adequate color ink but output is still coming out black-only or with a noticeably wrong color balance, a clogged nozzle affecting specifically the color cartridges (rather than black) can cause this. Run a nozzle check from the maintenance menu to confirm, and run a cleaning cycle if it shows a color-specific gap.

Check for a cartridge seating issue

A color cartridge that isn't fully seated can cause the printer to simply not use it, similar to how a missing or empty cartridge behaves. Remove and firmly reinsert each color cartridge, confirming it clicks fully into place.

If this is a laser printer

On color laser printers specifically, this can also indicate one or more of the color toner cartridges (cyan, magenta, yellow) is empty or a fault has been detected with one of them — check the printer's supply status for a color-specific warning, since laser printers are generally more explicit about flagging a specific empty color than some inkjets are.