Printer prints the wrong colors
Colors coming out wrong, missing or tinted? Check cartridges, nozzles and slot order, then fix grayscale and color management settings on Windows and Mac.
Quick fix
Print a nozzle check or print quality report. If one color is missing or broken up, that cartridge is empty or its nozzles are clogged, so replace or clean it. If the pattern is perfect, it's a setting: make sure grayscale is off and that only one program, either the app or the printer driver, is managing color.
Didn’t work? Go to the full stepsYou might see
- One color is missing, for example skin looks green because magenta isn't printing
- Everything prints in black and white even though you chose color
- Prints have an overall tint or look much darker than on screen
- Black text prints as a muddy brown or dark green
Usually caused by
- An empty, dried-out or clogged color cartridge
- Cartridges in the wrong slots or not fully seated
- Grayscale or black-only mode turned on
- Color adjusted twice, by the app and by the printer driver
- A bright or tinted screen making prints look wrong by comparison
Safety first. Inkjet cartridges are changed with the printer switched on, so wait for the carriage to stop and touch only the cartridges; on a laser printer, keep clear of the hot fuser and don't touch the drum.
Step-by-step fix
Work through the steps in order and check each one off. Most people are printing again before the last step.
Any inkjet or laser printer
0 of 5 steps tried
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Print a nozzle check or quality report
Print a nozzle check or print quality report from the printer's menu or the maker's app. Every color block should be solid and every line unbroken; a missing or patchy color shows which cartridge is at fault.
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Replace empty colors
One empty color throws off every mixed color: without magenta, reds turn orange; without cyan, blues turn purple. Replace any cartridge marked empty, and on ink tank printers keep every tank above its minimum line.
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Check the slot order
Open the cartridge door and confirm each cartridge sits in its matching labeled or color-coded slot, pushed down until it clicks. Remove any leftover tape from new cartridges.
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Clean clogged color nozzles
If a color is missing from the nozzle check but the cartridge is full, run one cleaning cycle and check again. Our print head cleaning guide explains how far to take it.
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Calibrate a color laser
Color laser printers have a color calibration or registration routine in their setup or maintenance menu. Run it after changing toner or moving the printer.
Windows 11 / 10
0 of 3 steps tried
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Turn off grayscale
In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > your printer > Printing preferences, make sure color is selected rather than grayscale or black ink only. Check the app's print dialog too, since it can override the default.
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Let one program manage color
Photo editors such as Photoshop and Lightroom can manage color themselves. If the app manages color, turn off color adjustment in the printer driver (often called color management or ICM); if the app lets the printer manage color, leave the driver on automatic.
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Rule out your screen
Turn off Night light in Settings > System > Display and lower the brightness while comparing a print with the screen.
macOS
0 of 3 steps tried
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Check color options in the print dialog
Make sure any black and white or grayscale option is off; depending on the driver it sits in Media & Quality or the maker's own section. Check the paper type matches the loaded paper.
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Check color matching
Open the Color Matching section of the print dialog and leave it on its default unless you use a specific printer profile. In photo apps, choose either app-managed or printer-managed color, never both.
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Rule out your screen
Turn off Night Shift and True Tone in System Settings > Displays while judging color, and lower the brightness.
Did this fix it?
Good. To confirm everything is healthy, print a test page. It takes a minute and shows any quality problems early.
Try these next
Still stuck? Our printer assistant can walk you through it by live chat, free. . Or the The troubleshooter asks a few questions and narrows it down. If your printer is under warranty, the manufacturer can repair or replace it at no cost. Find their official support site on our brand pages.
Common questions
Why does black print as dark green or brown?
Some inkjets mix cyan, magenta and yellow to make black in certain modes, or when the black cartridge is low or clogged. Check the black cartridge and its nozzle pattern first.
Will prints ever match my screen exactly?
Not perfectly. Screens make color with light while printers use ink on paper, so prints always look a little darker and less vivid.
Can a compatible cartridge change colors?
It can, since ink formulas vary between suppliers. If colors shifted right after a cartridge swap, compare with a different cartridge before changing settings.