Excel Ignoring Printer Setting Changes

Question

We have a Ricoh Color Printer but we have the default printer preferences to print in B&W (since we charge more for color prints).

Excel is ignoring when we click on Printing Preferences and switch it back to Color (CYMK Mode).

It continues to print using the systems set Default Preferences instead of the ones we tell it to use.

Answer 1

Hi @The UPS Store Brook Hollow,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.   

Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the issue where Excel does not print in color even after selecting the Color mode in Printing Preferences. I truly appreciate the time you’ve taken to share the details of this situation, as it helps us provide the best possible support. 

The behavior you’re experiencing is often caused by Excel-specific print settings (such as the “Black and white” option), file-level print configurations saved in the workbook, or printer driver and system policies that override user selections. 

Here are my recommendations, which I hope will be helpful to you: 

Step 1: Check and disable B&W option in Excel 

• Open the Excel file you want to print. 
• Go to Page Layout → Print Titles → Sheet. 
• 
• Locate Black and white and Draft quality options. 
• 
• Make sure both options are unchecked. 
• Click OK to save the settings. 

Step 2: Change settings directly in Excel’s Print dialog 

• Go to File → Print. 
• Select your Ricoh printer. 
• Click Printer Properties or Preferences. 
• In the Color/Quality tab, select Color or Full Color (do not select Greyscale). 
• Click OK, then Print immediately within the same session. 

Step 3: Test with a new Excel file 

• Create a new workbook (File → New). 
• Enter some sample data and try printing in color. 
• If the new file prints in color, the issue is with the old file’s saved settings. Therefore, copy the content into a new file. 

Step 4: Update or change Ricoh printer driver 

• Check your current driver type (PCL5e, PCL6, PS). 
• Download and install the latest Ricoh PCL6 or PostScript driver from Ricoh’s official website. 
• In the driver settings: 
  • Disable “Always print in black & white”. 
  • Disable “Economy mode” or “Greyscale”. 
  • Ensure Color mode is enabled by default. 

You can refer to these articles: 

• Cannot print in color with Microsoft Excel - Ricoh 
• Device Software Manager | Global | Ricoh  

Note: Microsoft is providing the above information as a convenience to you. Some of the websites are not under Microsoft's control. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above link    

Step 5: Verify print server policies (if applicable) 

If the printer is shared via a print server, contact your IT team to check: 

• Are there server-side policies enforcing B&W printing? 
• Does the user have permission to change per-job settings? 

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to assist you.  

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.  

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Answer 2

It seems that your issue with Excel not honoring the printer settings may be related to how default printer preferences are configured in Windows. Excel typically uses the default printer settings unless specified otherwise in the print dialog. Here are a few steps you can try:

1. Check Printer Preferences in Windows: Ensure that the default printer settings in Windows are set correctly. You can do this by going to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, selecting your Ricoh printer, and then clicking on Printing preferences. Make sure that the settings are configured to print in color.
2. Set Preferences in Excel: When you go to print in Excel, make sure to select the Ricoh printer and check the Printing Preferences from the print dialog. Sometimes, changes made here may not persist if the default settings are overriding them.
3. Update Printer Drivers: Ensure that your printer drivers are up to date. Sometimes, outdated drivers can cause issues with print settings not being recognized.
4. Use a Different Print Method: If the issue persists, consider using the Print option in Excel and selecting the Page Setup to specify color settings directly before printing.
5. Check for Software Conflicts: Sometimes, other software or settings on your system can interfere with print preferences. Check if any third-party print management software is installed that might be enforcing default settings.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, it may be worth reaching out to Microsoft support for further assistance, as there may be specific configurations or updates needed for your version of Excel or Windows.

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References:

• Print driver default settings are not inherited through "Point and Print" in Windows 10 Version 1709
• Universal Print Known Issues