Having printer issues can be incredibly frustrating. You need to print an important document for work or school, but your printer refuses to cooperate. Specifically, it won’t print in black and white when you’re out of color ink. This seems completely nonsensical – why should you need color ink to print black and white? Don’t worry, there are a few possible reasons for this printer behavior and some steps you can take to resolve it.
Check Ink Levels
The first thing you’ll want to do is thoroughly check the ink levels on your printer. Open up the printer properties on your computer or the printer’s control panel to view the levels. It’s possible the printer is detecting low rather than completely empty color cartridges. Even if it’s only low, some printer models will refuse to print at all without a certain minimum ink level across all cartridges.
| Cartridge Color | Ink Level |
|---|---|
| Black | 80% full |
| Cyan | 5% full |
| Magenta | 2% full |
| Yellow | 1% full |
In this example, black ink is still nearly full but the color cartridges are low. This printer model requires at least 10% in every cartridge to function, so it is preventing any printing at all.
Replace Empty Cartridges
If you confirm one or more color cartridges are completely empty, the next step is to replace them. Buy new cartridges that are approved by your printer manufacturer and install them correctly based on the printer model. Follow all directions carefully when replacing ink cartridges.
Once securely installed, check the ink levels again. The printer properties should now show the replaced color cartridges as full. With all cartridges at acceptable levels, the printer should now allow black and white printing again.
Reset the Printer
If replacing empty cartridges did not resolve the issue, try resetting the printer. The steps to reset vary by printer model, but generally involve:
- Turning the printer off.
- Unplugging the power cord from the electrical outlet.
- Waiting 30 seconds.
- Plugging the power cord back in.
- Turn the printer back on.
Resetting clears any stuck processes and often fixes quirky behavior like refusing to print black and white. After resetting, check if the issue is resolved by attempting to print a black and white document.
Check Printer and Driver Settings
Some printer models and print drivers have settings that can prevent black and white printing when color ink runs out. Navigate to the printer properties through the control panel or in the devices and printers settings on your computer.
Look for any setting related to ink levels and uncheck the box next to “don’t print if color ink is out”. On some printers, you may need to select the highest print quality setting, which forces the use of only black ink. Adjusting these configurations can override the block on black and white printing.
Install Updated Printer Driver
An outdated printer driver can also cause this issue. Download the newest printer driver from the manufacturer’s website and install it on your computer. This will update the software that allows your operating system to communicate with your printer. Once updated, the driver software will be optimized and may resolve quirks like limited black printing capabilities.
Contact Printer Manufacturer
If you still cannot get your printer to print black and white when color ink has run out after trying all troubleshooting, there may be a bigger underlying issue. Contact the printer manufacturer’s customer support by phone or online chat. Provide your printer model information and explain the issue.
The customer support team can provide specialized troubleshooting steps specific to your printer model. They may be able to diagnose a problem with the print head or other hardware components that is preventing black and white printing. Follow their guidance for resolving the issue.
Purchase Black Ink Only
As a workaround, look into purchasing black ink only cartridges instead of multi-color cartridges. Some printer manufacturers offer this option. Switching to black ink only cartridges will allow your printer to keep functioning for black and white documents when you run out of color ink.
However, note that you may lose the ability to print color documents until you replace the empty color cartridges. Also keep in mind that black ink only cartridges are often more expensive per page printed than standard multi-color cartridges.
Replace the Printer
Unfortunately, if there are no settings to adjust and the manufacturer cannot resolve the issue, the problem may require replacing the printer altogether. Some older printer models are known for tying black printing capabilities to color ink levels. Upgrading to a newer printer is the only solution in those situations.
When shopping for a replacement, look for a model that allows black and white printing even when color ink is out. Carefully read product descriptions and reviews to ensure the printer does not have this limitation. Investing in a newer printer can save headaches over this ink cartridge issue.
Conclusion
Troubleshoot by checking ink levels, replacing empty cartridges, resetting the printer, updating drivers, adjusting settings, contacting the manufacturer, using black only ink, or ultimately replacing the printer. With some patience and experimentation, you should be able to resolve the issue of your printer refusing black and white printing when color ink runs out.