Can I print with black cartridge only if colour cartidges are empty on HP C1600 seeries printer?

Can I print using the black cartridge only whilst the colour cartridges are empty? I have a HP Photosmart C1600 series printer and Vista installed on my PC. I have set the Printer preferences to "Grayscale and use Black Cartridge only" but the printer itself is telling me it wont print unless i replace my empty yellow cartridge. I bought a brand new Black cartridge so i could print using black ink only as i dont need to use colour.

Hi,
Many printers from all vendors will not print with just one empty ink cartidge, it doesn't matter which one. Some printers allow users to print but at slower than snail speed. Whichever way, we have to have ink carridges to be able to print (even scan).
Regards.
BH
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Similar Messages

Printing with Black Cartridge Only option grayed out: Officejet 6000

Trying to print a black and white photo in gray scale using only the black ink cartridge, unfortunately that option is grayed out. Is there some setting that has to be chosen first before black cartridge only option becomes available?
I feel like I've tried just about every combination, but maybe I'm missing some minuscule, unintuitive step.
Thanks

Nope, its not a bug. When you choose borderless the print region actually becomes bigger than the page to make sure there are no white gaps. The ink that does not make it to the page is caught in a trough filled with foam just below the print zone.
The color ink is a dye ink (like food coloring). The black ink is a pigment ink - like carbon dust suspended in water. When it is over-sprayed in the trough it piles up until the pile of pigment starts dragging and smearing on the back of every subsequent page! Not good, so we do not allow the black cartridge to print when set to borderless.
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I am employed by HP

Printing with black cartridge only

I'm going to buy HP ENVY 120 all-in-one printer. I will not need the color printing much. Can I use black and white cartridge only without installing color cartriges at all or with empty one or more color cartridges? I just want to save some money on color cartridges. Thanks. Victor.

Hey @VIC-GEISH ,
Thank you for taking the time to post on the HP Forums today! Hope you enjoy the experience.
So there are a few things that I have to let you know. No printer, HP or not can print only black that is an InkJet. The reason for this is because many people would print only black with their multi-colour printers and the ink wells for the coloured cartridges would dry out and never be usable. So whether you select black only or greyscale you are still going to be printing some colour in those printouts so that the printer will be able to print colour when you need it to.
If using ONLY black was what you were trying to get the instructions for, unfortunately that is not possible. If you want to print ONLY black i recommend looking into laser black only printers that are multi-function, black only printers. They don't use ink they using toner power cartridges that last a very long time but are more expensive. We have those options in our HP LaserJet line.
Hope this helps! Have a great day!
I worked for HP.

C6280 not printing with Black Cartridge Only

Under Color selection the program used to give 2 selctions for Black Ink Printing.
1. High Quality
2. Black Ink Cartridge Only.
Recently it only gives one selection and that is High Quality.
MY HP program is up to date.
Will appreciate any help on this.

Nope, its not a bug. When you choose borderless the print region actually becomes bigger than the page to make sure there are no white gaps. The ink that does not make it to the page is caught in a trough filled with foam just below the print zone.
The color ink is a dye ink (like food coloring). The black ink is a pigment ink - like carbon dust suspended in water. When it is over-sprayed in the trough it piles up until the pile of pigment starts dragging and smearing on the back of every subsequent page! Not good, so we do not allow the black cartridge to print when set to borderless.
Say thanks by clicking "Kudos" "thumbs up" in the post that helped you.
I am employed by HP

I want to print with black ink only, the OFFICE DEPOT salesman told me that he turned off the color.

I want to print with black ink only, the OFFICE DEPOT salesman told me that he turned off the color. I don't want to buy colored ink, I don't use it.

HI,
Welcome to the HP Forum!
topdog3647 wrote:
I want to print with black ink only, the OFFICE DEPOT salesman told me that he turned off the color. I don't want to buy colored ink, I don't use it.
Please identify your notebook/pc /printer.
Look at the base/rear/side of the notebook/pc/printer at the barcoded sticker.
Post item number 2 as seen on the following example of an HP notebook's barcoded sticker. The barcode on your HP product may be slightly different in appearance, but will still have the important information needed for us to help you.
###Do not post the serial number of your product as it is personal information.###
If your printer is a laser printer then simply go to print preferences and select grayscale printing
Best regards,
erico
****Please click on Accept As Solution if a suggestion solves your problem. It helps others facing the same problem to find a solution easily****
2015 Microsoft MVP - Windows Experience Consumer

HPO D5560 Not printing with black cartridge

Have a D5560 printer which suddenly stopped printing with the black cartridge.
Thought it was the cartridge so installed new one (Only use HP cartridges) No difference
On reflection the black just stopped - no gradual fading of quality etc.
Ran cartridge cleaner (all levels of cleaning) No difference
Prints fine if I remove black cartridge so that the tricolour prints the black but thats only good to circumvent the problem
I am running this on Windows 8.1. It has been running fine for months
Cant think that I have had any driver updates installed recently from HP
Have I got a hardware problem?
Thanks for any input
Cheers
Geoff
This question was solved.
View Solution.

OK so this is weird.
Just thought to plug in my windows 7 netbook onto the printer.
It printed fine with black cartridge!
Sent a job from the Windows 8.1 computer and that now prints fine in black from the black cartridge.
Problem solved, but am I losing the plot!!!
Cheers
Geoff

Printing with black ink only

I have a HP photosmart c6280. I only want to print in black only but my colored ink keeps expiring and needs to be replace too frequently. I have tried grayscale but it still drains my color ink. what can be done about this?????

Greetings!
Go to your 'Control Panel' and look up your specific printer under your Hardware and Sound. Under your printer 'preferences' choose black ink only. No guarantee, but that'll usually do it. Just ensure you 'mutually' verify under advanced options just prior to actually printing anything that you are choosing the 'black ink only' method. Some printers inevitably still print with color because the print head can overheat with friction as the head module is still commanded to assist the black ink cartridge to spit out a small amount of ink no matter what. It's a software and hardware paradox but some inkjets work off this principle that you still need to have the ink -ever so slightly- but still coming out of the print head head to complete the dark black. (I know, it sounds weird, but that's out of my realm for being able to explain the manufacturers...) Hope that helps... Cheers!

Blank page when printing with black cartridge

After trying the suggested solutions to this problem on the last 20 forum pages with no luck, I took the new black cartridge out of the printer. Later, forgetting there was no black cartridge in it, I proceeded to print a page and finally got a full page printed in black. What does that mean? other than it's a messed up printer. No more HP for me. My old Epson worked for 8 years with no problems. Someone hit the nail on the head when he called the software " invasive". Does HP ever read this board? If they did, one would think they would be concerned about some very angry customers.

fu wrote:
After trying the suggested solutions to this problem on the last 20 forum pages with no luck, I took the new black cartridge out of the printer. Later, forgetting there was no black cartridge in it, I proceeded to print a page and finally got a full page printed in black. What does that mean? other than it's a messed up printer.
It is a bit difficult to diagnose your issue with absolutely no details of printer model or any other relavant data. It appears you have a recent printer with a black and a tri-color cartridge. Your black cartridge is clogged or out of ink or otherwise non-functional. When you remove the black cartridge your printer automatically switched to "reserve mode", generating black using the color cartridge. A fresh working black cartrdige should resolve your issue.
Bob Headrick, HP Expert
I am not an employee of HP, I am a volunteer posting here on my own time.
If your problem is solved please click the "Accept as Solution" button ------------V
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Printing using the black cartridge only!!

No matter what settings I use, i.e., greyscale/black cartridge only, the printer continues to use ink from the other cartridges. I want to use only the black ink cartridge except on the rare occasion I print in color. Any idea?

tiredofinkscams wrote:
Thanks for the reply. I have the printer set to "fast draft" on everything, and always use the "greyscale" and "black cartridge only". I also never print webpages. The colored ink cartridges still gradually empty. Granted the are much slower at emptying than the black, but I want the option of NOT using and having to replace the color cartridges. I have been tweaking this for some time and I still believe the color cartridges are being used. Please tell me that that is not intentional on HP's part!
What printer model do you have? Inkjet printers (from any manufacturer and any model) will use some ink to keep the nozzles unclogged, even if not printing with color for example. Models with separate ink supplies and printheads will tend to use more ink for servicing than models with the printheads built into the ink supply. For models with integrated printheads many printers will allow printing with an empty color cartrdige or a color cartrdige that has been removed completely.
Regards,
Bob Headrick, Microsoft MVP Printing/Imaging
Bob Headrick, HP Expert
I am not an employee of HP, I am a volunteer posting here on my own time.
If your problem is solved please click the "Accept as Solution" button ------------V
If my answer was helpful please click the "Thumbs Up" to say "Thank You"--V

How can I print in black/white only a document that has colors in the original?

How can I print in black/white only a document that has colors in its original. I don't need the print out to be in color, and I don't want to waste the color ink.

It depends on your printer and the application you are using.
In some applications you can choose color vs. greyscale/black&white when you do File > Print. PowerPoint is one example of an application that allows this choice.
Otherwise, you can usually select greyscale at the time you print the document. Do File > Print. In the resulting dialog box, there should be an item called Copies & Pages (in Word and other applications) or Preview (in Preview). Click it. In the resulting list, you should then see an option called Printer Features. Click it. Then you should see an option called Printout Mode. Usually one of the modes is Greyscale or Black & White. Select it. Then Print.
This can also depend on your printer. Exactly what make/model printer are you using? And what kind of document are you trying to print (Word, PPT, JPEG, etc)?

HP Officejet Pro 8600 print with depleted cartridges

The HP Officejet Pro 8600 User Guide says:
"The printer can operate with one or more depleted cartridges. However, printing with depleted cartridges slows the printer and affects the quality of printed documents. If the black cartridge is depleted, blacks are not as dark. If a color cartridge is depleted, output is in grayscale. When possible, replace the depleted cartridge. Do not remove the depleted cartridge until you have a new ink cartridge available to replace. "
But the printer does not print with an depleted yellow cartridges. Do I have to change some settings? Or how can I make the printer print my document without replaceing the yellow cartridges?

Bob_Headrick wrote:
McKnitter wrote:
I am annoyed. There is nothing on page 91 of my manual to indicate that there needs to be ink in all cartridges. I can understand now why it won't print when one is empty, but one of the reasons I bought this printer is because it is supposed to print black only when up to 2 cartridges are depleted. My manual (page 90) says:
"The printer can operate with one or more depleted cartridges. However, printing with
depleted cartridges slows the printer and affects the quality of printed documents. If the
black cartridge is depleted, blacks are not as dark. If a color cartridge is depleted,
output is in grayscale. When possible, replace the depleted cartridge. Do not remove
the depleted cartridge until you have a new ink cartridge available to replace. "
[snip]
What exactly is your printer model? The verbage of the above is that for an IPH printer (with a black and a tri-color cartridge or perhaps a black, tri-color and photo cartridge), it does not apply to printers with separate ink supplies and printheads. Can you give a link to the manual online, or scan the page and post it here for your printer?
I can find several manuals online but not the one that I have and I don'tknow how to upload anything here. I have copied and pasted the relevant information from "my" manual, which has a black cover, says Officejet Pro in green, and says 8600 User Guide in white. I can see the other information in other manuals which explains about printing with LOW ink but not with NO ink. If you can tell me how to upload "my" manual, I'd be happy to do so. Meanwhile, here's what I've copied and pasted, and thanks for your interest.
HP Officejet Pro 8600 e-All-
in-One series
User Guide
Copyright information
© 2011 Copyright Hewlett-Packard
Development Company, L.P.
Print with one or more depleted cartridges
The printer can operate with one or more depleted cartridges. However, printing with
depleted cartridges slows the printer and affects the quality of printed documents. If the
black cartridge is depleted, blacks are not as dark. If a color cartridge is depleted,
output is in grayscale. When possible, replace the depleted cartridge. Do not remove
the depleted cartridge until you have a new ink cartridge available to replace. For
information about how to install new cartridges, see Replace the ink cartridges.
CAUTION: Wait until you have a new ink cartridge available before removing the
old ink cartridge. Do not leave the ink cartridge outside of the printer for an
extended period of time. This can result in damage to both the printer and the ink
cartridge.
[page] 90 Work with ink cartridges

HP Officejet Pro 8600 - Now won't print in Black Ink Only!

Hi! After previously owning the Hp Officejet 8500a pro and experiencing numerous issues related to the 'Black Only' printing! We then decided to scrap the HP Officejet 8500a and move on to a new printer! We did a LOT of research into the new printer and at the time of purchasing the 8600 around August 2012 last year, we found no online content of similar issues relating to the 8500. We even contacted Live HP support to check if the 8600 would print in Black Ink Only with the colours cartridges levels at empty. The HP live chat representative informed us the printer WOULD indeed print in black only with all COLOUR cartridges installed and empty. Since we bought the new 8600, we have replaced just the Black setup cartridge with a Genuine HP Black 950xl. A few days ago all colours where at about 10% levels, apart from the yellow which then ran empty. We have been printing in Black Ink Only with the following message appearing, since the yellow ran out: "Yellow Cartridge out of ink, click continue to print in Black Ink only" As of this morning, the below message appeared with no option to print ink black only! "Depleted cartridges must be replaced to resume printing" The Yellow and now Magenta where out of ink, with no option but to purchase both cartridges, we replaced them and ran off 8 order sheets in Black Ink Only. Both cartridges where replaced with Genuine HP. Directly after printing these 8 pages, the current Ink Levels are now: Magenta - 100% fullCyan - Has now ran out with a Red X (Annoying!!!)Yellow - Is showing a 10% Ink level with a brand new cartridge installed!!!Black - 40% full 1. Why am I no longer able to print in Black Ink Only with the empty colour cartridges installed?2. Why is the Yellow showing 10% full with a brand new ink cartridge installed full of ink? Does anyone have any advice on how to resolve this, I would very much appreciate some imput. Kind RegardsKev Challis

I know it won't print without a cartrige. I was trying to explain that this "problem" is one that needs to be prepared for in advance by not having empty cartriges installed. I am not trying to find a way around the way the printer is made to function. My printer came with the color cartriges that I plan on having for a long time because I rarely need to print anything in color. The link Jason posted clearly states that this printer, being a IIC, needs all cartriges installed in order for it to print. Here is the section: For example, a driver color setting (by selecting "print in grayscale with the black cartridge only" in printing preferences) specifies printing using only black ink. In addition, many IPH printers can operate in "reserve mode," which allows the user to continue to print with just the black cartridge when the color cartridge is removed or not installed. In HP IIC systems, all supplies are required to be installed in the printer for the printer to function. (empahsis mine) Why it needs all supplies installed to function? I don't know and don't care. Why does it not print with empty color cartriges installed (the first question of the person that started this thread)? I don't know and it doesn't really matter. Have one set of color cartriges on reserve in case one of the ones you have runs out of ink. Don't want to hassle with this "problem"? Own another printer that is not an IIC inkjet printer.

C4188 - printing with one cartridge

Is it possible to print with one cartridge installed? I am having problem with black cartridge so i removed it. The printer refuses to do anything with just color cartridge installed. Annoys a lot !!! It is a pure show stopper.
Thanks in advance.

Hey @VIC-GEISH ,
Thank you for taking the time to post on the HP Forums today! Hope you enjoy the experience.
So there are a few things that I have to let you know. No printer, HP or not can print only black that is an InkJet. The reason for this is because many people would print only black with their multi-colour printers and the ink wells for the coloured cartridges would dry out and never be usable. So whether you select black only or greyscale you are still going to be printing some colour in those printouts so that the printer will be able to print colour when you need it to.
If using ONLY black was what you were trying to get the instructions for, unfortunately that is not possible. If you want to print ONLY black i recommend looking into laser black only printers that are multi-function, black only printers. They don't use ink they using toner power cartridges that last a very long time but are more expensive. We have those options in our HP LaserJet line.
Hope this helps! Have a great day!
I worked for HP.

Black cartridge only query.

I want to print B/W photos on Glossy Photo Paper, using the black cartridge only. This could be done on my old Deskjet 5150, but not it seems on the Photosmart D7360. I do not want B/W photos with a colour tint!
Does anyone have any idea how I can do this please?

The black ink is pigmented on your printer and the Deskjet 5150, it is *not* compatible with glossy photo paper. If photo paper is selected as the paper type then "use black cartridge only" should not be a choice.
Bob Headrick, HP Expert
I am not an employee of HP, I am a volunteer posting here on my own time.
If your problem is solved please click the "Accept as Solution" button ------------V
If my answer was helpful please click the "Thumbs Up" to say "Thank You"--V

Hp 6600 won't print in black ink only

Two of my color cartridges are supposedly empty (but I rather doubt it) so I decided I'd print in black ink only. I followed the directions as directed in the hp software and changed preferences to black ink only. Still, when I try to print I get a message that I need to replace the two colored ink cartridges that are empty. I'm very frustrated. Why won't this work?

I went to the link suggested and the answer was what I already knew. Shame on HP for selling a product without including that you need all cartridges full to use black and white In LARGE BOLD print. The following is not helpful. It only tells me what I already know. I will NEVER buy an HP product again. HP Officejet Printers - Printing with Depleted CartridgesIssueCan the printer operate for an extended period of time with depleted cartridges?SolutionFor regular usage, this product is not designed to print using only the black cartridge when the color cartridges are out of ink.However, your printer is designed to let you print as long as possible when your cartridges start to run out of ink. When there is sufficient ink in the printhead, the printer will offer you the use of black ink only when one or more of the color cartridges are out of ink, and the use of color ink only when the black cartridge is out of ink.The amount that you can print using black or color ink only is limited, so have replacement ink cartridges available when you are printing with black or color ink only.When there is no longer sufficient ink to print you will get a message that one or more cartridges are depleted, and you will need to replace the depleted cartridges before you resume printing.

Can I print with black cartridge only if colour cartidges are empty on HP C1600 seeries printer?

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