How to Fix a Printer That Won't Print Black or Colour Ink on Windows 10/11

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to Fix a Printer That Won't Print Black or Colour Ink on Windows 10/11. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

This guide walks you through troubleshooting a printer that will not print black ink, colour ink, or both on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Follow these steps to resolve common print quality issues before contacting support.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Check that your printer has sufficient ink or toner levels.
2. Ensure protective tape has been removed from new ink cartridges.
3. Confirm that the correct paper type is loaded in the tray.
4. Restart your printer and computer.
5. Print a test page from your computer to verify the issue.

Detailed Instructions

Check Ink or Toner Levels

1. Open the printer's control panel or web interface.
2. Look for the Ink Levels, Supplies Status, or Toner Levels section.
3. Replace any cartridges that are low or empty.

Remove Protective Tape from New Cartridges

1. Turn off the printer and open the cartridge access door.
2. Remove each ink or toner cartridge.
3. Check for any remaining plastic tape or seals on the nozzles or chips.
4. Reinstall the cartridges firmly and close the access door.

Check Printer Queue for Stuck Jobs

1. On your Windows computer, open Settings.
2. Navigate to Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners (Windows 11) or Devices > Printers & scanners (Windows 10).
3. Select your printer from the list.
4. Click Open queue.
5. Cancel any stuck or pending print jobs.
6. Try printing again.

Run the Printer's Cleaning Cycle

1. On your Windows computer, open Settings.
2. Navigate to Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners (Windows 11) or Devices > Printers & scanners (Windows 10).
3. Select your printer from the list.
4. Click Printer properties.
5. Look for a Maintenance, Tools, or Services tab.
6. Select Clean Print Heads, Clean Cartridges, or Cleaning Cycle.
7. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the cleaning process.
8. Print a nozzle check pattern or test page to verify improvement.

Check the Default Printer and Print Settings

1. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Ensure Let Windows manage my default printer is turned off if you want to select a specific printer manually.
3. Click on your printer and select Printer properties.
4. Go to the Paper/Quality or Features tab.
5. Ensure the colour mode is not set to Grayscale or Black & White Only if you need colour output.
6. Click Apply and then OK.

Update or Reinstall the Printer Driver

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Print queues.
3. Right-click your printer and select Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers.
5. If no update is found, right-click the printer again and select Uninstall device.
6. Restart your computer and allow Windows to reinstall the driver automatically, or download the latest driver from the printer manufacturer's website.

If you have completed all steps above and the printer still will not print black or colour ink correctly, Open a Ticket with our support team for further assistance.

Still Having Issues?