Suddenly I am unable to print in colour.

Juliet Sparkes King 25 Reputation points
2026-01-14T16:07:38.66+00:00

I have always been able to print colour from Word or Excel. Suddenly this isn't working. I can't find any reference to colour in the Print menu. If I access the same document from my mobile phone it DOES print in colour. I can only conclude that a Windows update has disabled colour printing.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Other
Answer accepted by question author
DaveM121 947.5K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-01-14T16:41:53.27+00:00

The best option is to completely uninstall your printer, then restart (not shut down) your PC and go to the support page for your printer on the manufacturers website to download and install the version of printer drivers, firmware and associated software they provide for your printer.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-01-14T16:07:49.0566667+00:00

    If you are suddenly unable to print in color from Word or Excel after a Windows update, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can take:

    1. Check Printer Settings: Ensure that the printer settings in Word or Excel have not changed. Go to the Print menu and look for any options related to color printing. Sometimes, the default setting may revert to monochrome.
    2. Printer Driver: Verify that your printer driver is up to date. Sometimes, Windows updates can affect printer drivers, and you may need to reinstall or update the driver to restore color printing functionality.
    3. Color Management Settings: If you're using a specific printer driver, check its color management settings. You may need to enable color management options in the printer properties.
    4. Test with Other Applications: Try printing from other applications to see if the issue persists. This can help determine if the problem is specific to Word or Excel.
    5. Windows Display Settings: Sometimes, issues with video driver settings can affect printing. Ensure your display settings are configured correctly, as outlined in the troubleshooting guides for Windows.

    If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may want to consider rolling back the recent Windows update or checking for any known issues related to your specific printer model.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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