Printer Printing Wrong Colors: How to Fix Them?
Have issues with your printer printing the wrong colors? In this guide, let's go over exactly what to do to fix incorrect color issues.
Is your printer printing in the wrong colors? The printer ink color issue is one of the most common problems encountered by printer owners, and it can be extremely frustrating, especially if you have a deadline to meet. So, in this article, we'll go over exactly what to do to fix incorrect color issues. We hope this helps you solve any printer ink color issues you are having!
5 Ways to Fix Incorrect Colors on Prints
First, check whether your printer's ink is low on ink or expired since this could cause poor print quality. If this is the case, it is essential to replace it as soon as possible before it may cause damage to your printer. If your printer is full and not expired, see our tips below.
1. Fix Clogged Printhead
Perform a nozzle check to determine whether any print head nozzles are clogged. As you may know, printers use a mix of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow ink in printing. Red and blue, the traditional primary colors, are made of two or more colors when printed on paper. So, if you're not getting the right colors on print, there's a high chance it's clogged.
If clogged, clean the print head by running a printhead cleaning cycle or cleaning it manually to avoid wasting ink. Refer to the information below to identify which faulty cartridge to troubleshoot.
- If you try to print BLUE, but it comes out CYAN, troubleshoot your MAGENTA ink.
- If you try to print BLUE, but it comes out MAGENTA, troubleshoot your CYAN ink.
- If you're trying to print RED, but it comes out YELLOW, troubleshoot your MAGENTA ink.
- If you try to print RED but it comes out MAGENTA, troubleshoot your YELLOW ink.
- If you try to print GREEN, but it comes out YELLOW, troubleshoot your CYAN ink.
- If you're attempting to print GREEN but getting CYAN results, troubleshoot your YELLOW ink.
2. Should Not Be On Grayscale Printing
Check that the Grayscale or Black/Grayscale setting in your printer software is not selected. To check, follow the steps below:
For Windows:
- Click Start.
- Go to Devices.
- Click on Printers and Scanners.
- Click Manage.
- Choose Printing Preferences.
- Select the Color tab.
- Uncheck on the Print in Grayscale checkbox.
- Click OK.
For Mac:
- Select File from the toolbar.
- Click on Print.
- Click on the arrow facing downward to the right of your printer's name.
- Choose Quality & Media.
- Uncheck Grayscale Printing.
- Click the Print button to print.
3. Uncalibrated Monitor Color Display
Monitors use different color settings, so unless you calibrate your monitor, the colors won't match. However, you can get as close as possible by using a color management system. Utilize the color management features in your printer software.
For Windows:
- Click Start.
- Click PC Settings.
- Click System.
- Click Display.
- Scroll down to and click on Multiple displays.
- Select Advanced display settings.
- Click on Display adapter properties for Display 1.
- Click Color Management to adjust monitor color settings.
- Click on Advanced, and then Calibrate display.
For Mac:
- Click the Apple menu.
- Click System Preferences.
- Click on Displays.
- Select the pop-up menu Color Profile.
- Click Customize.
- To access Display Calibrator Assistant, click on Add button (+).
4. Set Printer To CMYK Printing
Instead of using RGB (red, green, and blue) when designing on a computer, use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) colors. Since printers use the CMYK color setting, the printed version should be more accurate than what you see on your monitor.
Due to the light color of most paper and card stocks, printers typically use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). By switching to the CMYK color model, you can get a rough idea of the color of your final prints and make any necessary changes to your file before printing it. Kindly note that the color you see on your screen may vary depending on how well your monitor has been calibrated.
5. Use High-Quality Photo Paper
Print on high-quality photo paper. Colors can appear very differently to printouts depending on the type of photo paper you use. For example, if you want vibrant-looking colors, you can go for glossy photo papers. If you want a more muted feel to your print, you can go for the matte photo paper.
Conclusion
As long as you are using high-quality ink, even if it is an off-brand ink cartridge, as long as the ink is good in quality, not expired, or low on ink, then you can find ways to have the color issue fixed.
I hope this article helped you. Happy printing!
Looking to save money on your printing projects? Check out www.compandsave.com for some great deals on printer ink and accessories! Remember to follow our blog for more interesting printing-related tips and guides.
About the Author
Showerly Sumaylo is a Researcher and Copywriter for Compandsave.com Inc. The US and Canada's large online retailer, CompAndSave, specializes in selling printing and office supplies. She writes articles that educate readers about printer ink cartridges, toner cartridges, photo papers, printers, and more.
