Can not print in grayscale

[Becky264261791dhz]

I recently upgraded my computer and installed adobe on it.  On my old computer when printing a PDF I used to be able to click the options "print in grayscale and save ink toner" but they are not working.  In order to printer in black and white everytime I have to go into properties and change it or have to permantley change my printer settings.  Is there a fix to this?

[AkanchhaS]

Hi @Becky264261791dhz 

Thanks for reporting this to us.

Looking at the description given above, it seems you do not have the option to check-uncheck the "Print in Grayscale," or it's there but not working.

Is your print dialog box look like this?

If you have this option missing, then check the following:

Is the current version of Acrobat and OS installed? Open Acrobat > help> About Acrobat

• Try Restarting system
• Open Acrobat>helprepair installation
• Check with another file and see if that prints fine.

Note: Acrobat print setting automatically picks the last option selected as default, and when you print next, it considers the same settings. 

Thanks,

Akanchha

[Becky264261791dhz]

Hi Akanccha,

So I am using Adobe Acrobat Pro.  I tried your repair step and no change.  My screen does look like the screenshot that you posted, the options are there it just will not print in black and white unless I go into properties and physically change it everytime.

[AkanchhaS]

Thanks for confirming that.

Try these steps and see if that helps:

• Install the latest Printer Drivers.
• Reset Acrobat preferences following these steps: click here

• Run this cleaner tool to remove the existing installer and application’s files traces:

  https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html

  Download the Acrobat installer from here:

  https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html

~Akanchha 

[Glowblue1]

I have this same problem. Happens on both Mac and Windows. On Windows, even changing the printer properties didn't help. The only thing that actually worked was to print it in Edge instead... not the most satisfying 'solution'.

[Karen33547107zdi3]

Same problem here, all boxes I could find for gray scale / black-and-white checked and tried, it is simply not working...

[Abambo]

This problem is printing from Acrobat to a printer. There is either the printer settings (Acrobat sends a colour image, the printer prints black and white like a black and white printer) or the print dialogue setting in Acrobat (I suppose Acrobat sends a black and white document to the printer).

What options are you using?

What is your OS and version? What is your printer?

[Karen33547107zdi3]

This problem is printing from Acrobat to a printer. There is either the
printer settings (Acrobat sends a colour image, the printer prints black
and white like a black and white printer) or the print dialogue setting in
Acrobat (I suppose Acrobat sends a black and white document to the printer).

What options are you using?

I am printing from Word / Excel or even Adobe Pro itself to Adobe PDF
printer.

I set the printer preferences on grayscale, that does not work

I set the page preference > print option > layout > colour option to
grayscale, that does not work

I set the colour options in the adobe advanced options to temporarily black
and white, that does not work.


What is your OS and version? What is your printer?

OS system of University of Groningen:
Windows Server 2019 Standard, version 1809

Adobe Pro version University of Groningen:
Adobe Acrobat Pro Continuous Release / Version 2023.003.20201 / 64-bit

[Kevin369589533blp]

I am having the same problem but I think it is a Windows problem as none of my printers will print in grayscale.

[MrsGES]

I am also having this problem on my work laptop and despite trying everything mentioned above, nothing resolves the issue. 

[der.hambi]

Found the permanent solution. Have at look at my latest post on this thread 🙂

[der.hambi]

Hey you guys! I've experienced this problem too for months now. Privately and in my company. I've found the solution to this;

Step 1:

Clean Acrobat from your PC with acrocleaner (https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html#downloads)

Step 2:

Download Acrobat Pro via this link but choose the 32-bit Version. In most cases, it will automatically know your adobe account and log you in as soon as you open the new version. No need to restart your pc by the way. Link: https://helpx.adobe.com/de/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html

This has finally worked after months of frustration and questioning. 

Good luck and have fun with a now working grayscale box version :)!

Best regards from germany

Leon 

[Kevin369589533blp]

Finally, a real answer to something very important. Adobe should compensate you as I was looking for another pdf editor because Adobe doesn't seem to care about their customers.

[norman_7603]

Found a simple answer.  Under Menu [top left of screen], under Preferences, under Color Management, under Working Spaces, at Greyscale: select "Sgray".  And, then when you print, select: print in grayscale. 

   [ Does anyone know of a tool to do the following:   What I really need to do, if Adobe would create a tool to do it:  convert Color [college] lecture slides having text narration, and (typically) 1 or more photos and/or graphs etc., to:  dark black text against a white background color [or a sufficiently light background color];  together with 0 or 1 or more photos and/or graphs which are retained 'as is'.;  ]  [ or else, a student can always try to ask their instructor is they can have a 'black and white' [greyscale] 'printer friendly' version of the slides': which works off of "a default slide" as consisting of text [change all text colors to black], and possibly a number of photos and/or graphs etc. [these images can be kept as it]. ]       [ Some instructors are very skillful with colorful text and background colors, in their lecture slides. ]

[ink-stampa_8159]

this work for me,

thank you very much!

[S. S]

Hi @ink-stampa_8159,

Hope you are doing well. Thanks for letting us know that it worked for you.

What I would suggest here is, when going to the Print Window-> click on Advanced-> uncheck the option "Print as Image."

Click on OK to close the window. This should enable the Print as GreyScale checkbox for you.

Let me know if this works.

-Souvik

[ClaireSSI]

didn't work at all

[norman_7603]

[ the 'fix' that I posted above has worked recently for others.  Did you try it? 
  re: "Under Menu [top left of screen], under Preferences, under Color Management, under Working Spaces, at Greyscale: select "Sgray".  And, then when you print, select: print in grayscale."  ]

[funny_Haven3282]

Help! I tried this and in the print preview it is now gray, however i get an error everytime i try to print and the adobe quits.

I don't see a way to revert it back to what it said before i selected Sgray

[Amal.]

Hi there 

Hope you are doing well, and thanks for reaching out.

++ Adding to the discussion

Is this an issue with a particular PDF file or with all the PDFs that you try to print? Please try to print a different PDF file and check. Could you share a screenshot of the error message for more clarity?

Please try updating the Acrobat application to the latest version 25.01.20630 from the help menu > check for updates, and reboot the computer once. 

Also, check for any pending/missing updates for the printer driver and firmware, try updating them, and check again. You may also try to remove the printer driver, reboot the system, and reinstall it from the printer manufacturer's website. 

Please go through the steps shared in the help page https://adobe.ly/47JuM9R 

~Amal

[Cari36806378jlwo]

I followed these instructions (Preferences > Color Management > Working Spaces > at Greyscale: select "Sgray") and am now having the same issue as funny_Haven3282.  Here are screenshots of the error messages I get.  The first error message comes up and then when I click the Close button, I get the second message.

I checked for updates to Adobe and it says there are none available.  My version says 25.001.20643.

[james.m.gallagher]

Did you ever fix the error and were able to print?  I am having the same problem, and now cannot print.

[Amal.]

Hi there 

We are sorry to hear that the issue still exists. 

Would you mind sharing the version of the OS you are using? Also, please collect and share the print logs as described in the help page https://adobe.ly/4g2HyT3 so that we can get this checked further.

~Amal

[Cari36806378jlwo]

I am using Windows 11 Pro

[Cari36806378jlwo · Accepted solution]

I ended up having to ask our IT consultant for help because I use Adobe in over 50% of the work I do and had to get it working ASAP.  He said he used Acroclean and then the Full Standalone installer in order to repair Adobe.  Then he had to manually install the Preflight piece of Adobe and I can now print black & white pdfs using that.