How to Fix a Brother Printer Only Printing in Black and White

A Brother printer only printing in black and white can be frustrating, especially when you need to print colourful documents, photos, or presentations. This issue can occur on both inkjet and laser Brother printers and is often caused by incorrect printer settings, grayscale mode, outdated drivers, or colour cartridge problems. Fortunately, most colour printing issues can be resolved with a few simple troubleshooting steps.

If your Brother printer only printing in black and white, there's no need to assume the printer is faulty. In many cases, checking the colour settings, disabling grayscale printing, updating the printer driver, or performing basic maintenance is enough to restore normal colour printing. This guide explains the common causes of the problem and provides step-by-step solutions to help you get your Brother printer printing in colour again.

If you're using a wireless Brother printer, make sure it has been connected correctly by following our guide on how to connect Brother printer HL-1210W to WiFi. 

Why Is Your Brother Printer Only Printing in Black and White?

Before trying any fixes, it's helpful to understand what is causing the issue. A Brother printer only printing in black and white may result from software settings, printer configuration, or hardware-related problems. Identifying the cause first makes troubleshooting faster and helps avoid unnecessary changes.

Common Causes of Colour Printing Problems

Some of the most common reasons include:

• Grayscale printing is enabled.

• Incorrect Brother printer colour settings.

• Low or empty colour ink or toner cartridges.

• Outdated printer drivers.

• Software or firmware conflicts.

• Incorrect print preferences.

• Communication issues between the printer and computer.

Common Signs of the Problem

If your printer is experiencing colour printing issues, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:

• Brother printer not printing in colour even with full colour cartridges.

• Brother printer colour printing not working after a system or driver update.

• Documents print only in black and white.

• The printer ignores colour print selections.

• Colour options are missing from the print dialog.

• Images and graphics lose their original colours.

If your Brother printer only printing in black and white, continue with the troubleshooting methods in the next section. Most users can restore colour printing by adjusting a few settings and checking the printer configuration.

Basic Fixes for Brother Printer Colour Printing

If your Brother printer only printing in black and white, start with the basic troubleshooting methods before trying advanced solutions. In many cases, incorrect print preferences or disabled colour options are responsible for the problem. Working through these checks one by one can quickly restore normal colour printing.

Check the Printer's Colour Settings

Incorrect Brother printer colour settings are one of the most common reasons colour documents print in black and white.

• Open Control Panel > Devices and Printers.

• Right-click your Brother printer and select Printing Preferences.

• Ensure Colour is selected instead of Black & White or Monochrome.

• Save the changes and print a colour test page.

Disable Grayscale Printing

If your Brother printer printing grayscale only, the grayscale option may have been enabled accidentally.

• Open the print settings before printing.

• Locate the Grayscale or Black & White option.

• Disable the setting.

• Save your changes and try printing again.

Check Ink or Toner Levels

Low or empty colour cartridges can prevent your printer from producing colour prints, even if black ink is available.

• Check the remaining ink or toner levels.

• Replace any empty or faulty colour cartridges.

• Make sure each cartridge is installed correctly.

• Run a nozzle check if required.

If black ink is also missing, see our guide on Brother printer not printing black properly. 

Restart the Printer and Computer

Temporary software glitches can interrupt communication between your computer and printer.

• Turn off your Brother printer.

• Restart your computer.

• Power the printer back on.

• Wait until it reconnects.

• Print a test document.

Print a Colour Test Page

Printing a test page helps determine whether the issue is related to the printer or a specific application.

• Open your Brother printer settings.

• Select Maintenance or Printer Properties.

• Choose Print Test Page.

• Check whether colours appear correctly.

• If your Brother printer only printing in black and white after the test, continue with the advanced troubleshooting steps in the next section.

Advanced Solutions to Restore Colour Printing

If your Brother printer only printing in black and white after trying the basic fixes, the problem may be related to outdated drivers, incorrect printer preferences, or firmware issues. The following solutions can help restore colour printing and improve overall printer performance.

Update or Reinstall Brother Printer Drivers

Outdated or corrupted drivers are a common cause of Brother printer driver issues and may prevent the printer from printing in colour correctly.

• Download the latest Brother printer driver from the official Brother Support website.

• Remove the existing printer driver from your computer.

• Install the updated driver.

• Restart your computer after installation.

• Print a colour test page to check the results.

Set the Correct Printing Preferences

Incorrect printing preferences can override your colour settings, even when the printer is functioning normally.

• Open Printing Preferences.

• Select Colour as the output mode.

• Disable Black & White or Monochrome printing.

• Apply the changes.

• Save the settings before printing.

Reset the Brother Printer

Resetting the printer can clear temporary errors and restore the default configuration.

• Turn off the printer.

• Disconnect the power cable for one minute.

• Reconnect the power cable.

• Turn the printer back on.

• Print another colour test page.

Update Printer Firmware

Keeping your printer firmware up to date helps resolve software bugs and improves compatibility with newer operating systems.

• Visit the official Brother Support website.

• Download the latest firmware for your printer model.

• Install the firmware update.

• Restart the printer after the update.

• Check whether colour printing has been restored.

Fix Brother Printer Colour Printing After Windows Update

A recent Windows update may change printer settings or create compatibility issues with older drivers. If your Brother printer only printing in black and white after updating Windows, reinstalling the latest driver usually resolves the problem and helps fix Brother printer colour printing.

• Check for the latest Brother printer driver.

• Reinstall the printer if necessary.

• Review the default print preferences.

• Restart both your printer and computer.

• Print a colour document to verify the issue has been resolved.

If your Brother printer only printing in black and white even after completing these advanced solutions, the next section covers additional troubleshooting methods and explains when it's time to contact Brother Support.

What to Do If Your Brother Printer Still Won't Print in Colour

If your Brother printer only printing in black and white after completing all the previous troubleshooting steps, the issue may require a deeper investigation. Sometimes the problem is related to the printer software, the application you're printing from, or an underlying hardware fault. The following methods can help you identify the exact cause before seeking professional assistance.

Reinstall the Brother Printer

A fresh printer installation can resolve configuration problems that may have developed over time.

• Remove the Brother printer from your computer.

• Restart your PC after uninstalling the printer.

• Download the latest printer software from the official Brother website.

• Install the printer again using the updated setup files.

• Print a colour document to check whether the issue has been resolved.

• Need to reconnect your printer? Follow set up Brother printer wireless HL-1210W. 

Check Application Print Settings

Sometimes the printer is working correctly, but the application you're printing from is forcing black-and-white output.

Before printing, review the print settings within applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe Reader, or your web browser. Make sure Colour is selected instead of Black & White or Grayscale, as individual applications can override your printer's default settings.

Try Printing from Another Device

Printing from another computer or mobile device is an easy way to determine whether the issue is with the printer or your current system.

• Connect the printer to another computer or laptop.

• Print a colour image or document.

• If the colours print correctly, the problem is likely related to your original computer's settings or drivers.

• If the issue remains, the printer itself may need further inspection.

When to Contact Brother Support

If you've tried every troubleshooting method and your Brother printer only printing in black and white, it may be time to contact Brother Support.

Professional assistance is recommended if:

• The printer still refuses to print in colour.

• Colour cartridges are detected but not being used.

• Firmware updates fail repeatedly.

• Error messages continue to appear.

• You suspect a printhead or internal hardware failure.

Tips to Prevent Future Colour Printing Problems

Regular maintenance can help prevent colour printing issues and improve your printer's overall performance.

• Keep your printer drivers and firmware updated.

• Print a colour page regularly to prevent ink from drying out.

• Use genuine Brother ink or toner cartridges.

• Check your print settings before every important print job.

• Avoid leaving empty colour cartridges installed for long periods.

• Perform routine printer maintenance whenever recommended.

Following these preventive measures can reduce the chances of your Brother printer only printing in black and white again and help maintain consistent, high-quality colour printing.

Need Expert Help with Your Brother Printer?

If you're still unable to resolve the issue, the experienced team at Technofy can help. Whether your Brother printer has driver problems, colour printing issues, wireless connectivity errors, or setup difficulties, our technicians provide fast and reliable printer support to get your device working properly again.

Conclusion

A Brother printer only printing in black and white is usually caused by incorrect print settings, grayscale mode, outdated drivers, or colour cartridge issues rather than a serious hardware fault. By checking the printer's colour settings, updating the drivers, reinstalling the printer, and performing regular maintenance, most users can restore colour printing without professional repairs.

Need Expert Help with Your Brother Printer?

If you're still unable to resolve the issue, the experienced team at Technofy can help. Whether your Brother printer has driver problems, colour printing issues, wireless connectivity errors, or setup difficulties, our technicians provide fast and reliable printer support to get your device working properly again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Brother printer only printing in black and white?

The most common causes include grayscale printing being enabled, incorrect printer settings, outdated drivers, low colour ink or toner, or software conflicts. Checking these areas usually resolves the issue.

How do I change my Brother printer from black and white to colour?

Open your printer's Printing Preferences, select Colour instead of Black & White or Grayscale, save the changes, and print a test page to confirm the settings.

Why is my Brother printer not printing in colour even though the cartridges are full?

This may happen because of incorrect Brother printer colour settings, corrupted drivers, firmware issues, or blocked printheads. Updating the printer software and checking the print preferences often fixes the problem.

Can outdated drivers cause colour printing problems?

Yes. Brother printer driver issues can prevent the printer from recognising colour print jobs correctly. Installing the latest driver from the official Brother website is recommended.

How can I prevent my Brother printer from printing only in black and white again?

Keep your printer drivers and firmware updated, use genuine Brother ink or toner cartridges, print colour documents regularly, and always check your print settings before starting an important print job.