Can no longer print in draft quality

Question

When using Word, it will not print if I change the parameters to "draft" quality and "grayscale" after installing Windows 365. It will only print in "better" and "color" mode. I have tried repeatedly to remove my printer and reinstall it to no avail. The printer says that it is up to date as well as Microsoft 365. I have also tried to change the Advanced settings to "Use draft quality" but it does not save this setting.

Answer 1

Hello @S. Jessberg

Since the printer still works in Better/Color but fails specifically when Draft + Grayscale is selected, I would focus on the printer driver/settings combination rather than Word itself.

Word doesn't implement the printer's Draft or Grayscale modes—the available options under File → Print → Printer Properties come from the printer driver. Microsoft confirms that color/grayscale options are printer-specific, and Windows printer drivers define how Draft, Better, and Best quality settings map to printer features.

I'd first test outside Word:

Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → your printer → Printer properties → Print Test Page

Then set Draft + Grayscale under Printing preferences and test from another application such as Notepad. Microsoft recommends this comparison specifically to determine whether a printing problem is application- or driver-specific.

If Draft + Grayscale also fails outside Word, check:

Printer Properties → Advanced → Driver

If Windows is currently using Microsoft IPP Class Driver, try installing the printer manufacturer's current Windows 11 driver/software package instead, assuming the manufacturer provides one for your model. Reinstalling the printer alone may just cause Windows to reinstall the same driver, which would explain why you've seen no improvement.

Also, make sure the selected Paper Type matches what's physically loaded. Some drivers define constraints between media type, color mode, and print-quality settings, so certain combinations can be rejected even though each setting works independently. Microsoft documents this behavior in the Windows printing architecture.

The fact that "Use draft quality" in Word doesn't remain selected isn't necessarily the root cause. That's separate from the printer driver's own Draft/Economy mode.

If Draft + Grayscale works from Notepad but fails only from Word, then I'd repair Microsoft 365:

Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Microsoft 365 → Modify → Quick Repair

If necessary, follow with Online Repair. That's also part of Microsoft's recommended troubleshooting when printing works from Windows/other applications but fails specifically from Word or Excel.

If you can provide the printer manufacturer/model and the driver shown under Printer Properties → Advanced → Driver, we can determine whether you're using the manufacturer's driver or the Microsoft IPP Class Driver.

Sharing these references with you:

Microsoft - Fix printing problems in Word, Excel, or other apps

Microsoft - Print in black and white from Word

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