If you are one among numerous HP printer users who find their printer not printing black, we understand your concerns. Printing devices from HP usually make printing go seamlessly. However, finding an HP printer not printing black can seriously hamper your work-related tasks. Many users have found their printers not printing black even though the cartridges have black ink. On giving a print command, the printer prints a blank page with some vague ink marks. You might think that there’s something seriously wrong with your device. Well, we are here to tell you there’s no severe problem. Keep reading to know the best ways to fix it.
Understanding what’s Behind HP Printer Not Printing Black
The troubleshooting techniques will only work when you know the causes behind this issue. Here are the leading reasons preventing your printer from printing efficiently.
- Clogged printhead nozzles.
- Empty ink cartridges.
- Some printer components are not genuine.
- An issue with the printer settings.
- The printhead needs to be aligned.
- Color printing is off.
- Wrong paper settings.
- Outdated HP driver.
Fix HP Printer Won’t Print Black by Checking the Basics
You don’t need to follow lengthy troubleshooting straightaway. First, check the basics which can make your printer functional again.
Do a power cycle on the printer
It means turning the printer off and on. This easy method involves you removing the power source and disconnecting printer cables. After some minutes, turn on the printer and check for the issue.
Print a quality diagnostic report
Next, by printing a quality diagnostic report, you can check if the printer is printing black.
Add a genuine HP cartridge.
Third-party cartridges often lead to this error. So, visit the HP website, enter your printer model, and look for genuine and compatible ink cartridges. Before that, check if your cartridge is fake by entering the serial number on it on the Hewlitt-Packard verification page.
Also Read:- HP Support Solutions Framework
HP Printer Not Printing Black As Yet? Try These Fixes
Don’t be concerned if you haven’t found a solution to your printer issue. Start implementing the ones below, and you will be able to print like before.
Clean the printhead
HP printers with clogged nozzles will not print black, no matter what you do. The only way to troubleshoot the problem is to clean the printhead. While many users prefer automatic cleaning, you can achieve a better result by manually cleaning the printhead.
Here’s the process for cleaning printer printheads.
- In a disposable container, put some paper towels at the bottom.
- Pour hot water till the towels are fully submerged.
- Take away the cartridges from the printer.
- Switch on the printer and open the ink cartridge access door.
- Take away every cartridge by hitting the tab on the front.
- Put the cartridges in an upside-down position on a paper towel.
- Now remove the printhead by lifting its latch and lifting it directly out of the printer.
- Take a damp, lint-free cloth.
- Use it to wipe excess ink from the printhead.
- Now soak this printhead in the disposable container you prepared earlier.
- Let it soak for 10 minutes.
- After that, remove the printhead.
- Put it on a paper towel with nozzles facing up for 15 minutes.
- Reinstall the printhead and cartridges in the carriage.
- Close the ink cartridge access door.
Set your HP printer as the default
If you’ve cleaned the printhead but still complain, ‘my HP printer is not printing black,’ make your printer default. Your HP printer should be set as default, so it gets the command to print from your system.
- Head to the ‘Control Panel.’
- Here, choose the ‘Devices and Printers’ option.
- On the list of available printers, right-tap on your HP printer.
- Choose the ‘Set as default printer’ option.
- You’ll see a green checkmark on your printer’s icon.
- It ensures that your printer is set as default.
Use the HP Print and Scan Doctor
The HP Print and Scan Doctor helps resolves various printing and scanning issues. If your HP printer is not printing black, use it to fix the problem.
- Download the tool on your system with this
- Tap the downloaded file, HPPSdr.exe, to install it.
- Hit ‘Start’ and choose your printer.
- Click ‘Next’ and tap on ‘Fix Printing.’
Update the printer driver
New driver versions and updates have many features to fix various printer problems. You must update the drivers for a well-functioning printer.
- Launch your web browser and go to the HP Support website.
- Tap on the ‘Download Drivers’ button.
- Select ‘Printers’ and input your printer’s model number.
- When you tap ‘Submit,’ you will see many available updates.
- Choose all of them and download the package.
- Right-tap on the printer installer file below File Explorer.
- Tap ‘Run.’
- Use the onscreen instructions to fully the recent drivers.
After taking this action, you won’t complain my HP printer won’t print in black.
Fix incorrect HP printer settings
If you haven’t enabled the command for your HP printer to print black, it won’t print so. You must change the printing preferences through your printer settings.
- Access ‘Settings’ through the Start menu.
- Choose the ‘Printers’ option.
- Right-tap on the HP printer’s icon and pick ‘Properties.’
- Choose ‘Printing Preferences.’
- Now turn on the ‘Paper/Quality’ tab.
- Tap ‘Color’ followed by ‘OK.’
- Alternatively, choose the ‘Grayscale’ option to fix the issues with printing black.
Calibrate the printer.
Have you tried the fixes above but are still complaining, ‘why is my HP printer not printing black’? Issues with printer alignment can be the cause.
- Go to the printer’s control manual, and find the ‘Printer Maintenance’ option.
- Here, pick the ‘Align printhead’ option.
- This action will calibrate your printer.
- Now print a test page to find out if this resolves your problem.
HP Printer Models That Can Benefit from This Guide
These troubleshooting instructions will work well for a range of HP printer models. These include printers of the following series.
- HP Envy series
- HP Deskjet series
- HP Officejet series
- HP Photosmart series
- HP Officejet Pro series
Make Your HP Printer Print Black Again
After reading this guide, you wouldn’t worry about your HP printer not printing black. These techniques will fix the problem due to incorrect printer settings, driver issues, and clogged printhead. You can also talk to a printer technical support expert if these resolutions fail to give you the desired outcome.