Brother Printer Not Printing in Color? Find the Cause
If your Brother printer not printing in color is the problem, the printer may still be producing black-and-white documents normally while one or more colours are missing, faded or completely absent. On an inkjet model, this can point to an ink cartridge or print-head issue. On a computer, incorrect print settings can also make a colour document print in grayscale.
Before replacing cartridges or changing drivers, check whether the problem happens with every colour document or only from one application.
Quick Diagnosis: Start Here
| What you’re seeing | Start here |
|---|---|
| Everything prints in black and white | Go to Fix 1 |
| Only one colour is missing | Go to Fix 2 |
| Colours are very faint | Go to Fix 3 |
| The problem started after replacing ink | Go to Fix 4 |
| Printer’s test page has missing colours | Go to Fix 5 |
| Test page looks normal but documents are grayscale | Go to Fix 6 |
| Colour printing stopped after a computer change | Go to Fix 7 |
| Colours still do not print correctly | Go to Fix 8 |
Why This Happens
A Brother printer may stop printing in colour for several reasons:
- Colour printing has been disabled in the print settings.
- The printer is set to grayscale or monochrome.
- One or more colour ink cartridges are empty or not recognised.
- Ink is not flowing correctly through the print head.
- The printer has been unused for a long time and the nozzles are clogged.
- A newly installed cartridge is not seated correctly.
- The problem is limited to a particular document or application.
- The Brother printer software or driver is not configured correctly.
The first useful test is to determine whether the printer itself can produce colour independently of the computer.
Fix 1: Check Whether Grayscale Printing Is Enabled
If every colour document is coming out in black and white, check your computer’s print settings first.
Open the print dialog for the document and look for options such as:
- Grayscale
- Black & White
- Monochrome
- Print in Grayscale
If one of these options is enabled, turn it off and select colour printing.
The exact wording and location can vary depending on your Brother model and operating system.
Print a simple colour document again.
If colour returns, there was no problem with the printer’s ink or hardware.
Fix 2: Check the Missing Colour
If only one colour is missing, the problem is likely more specific.
For example, you may notice that:
- Red areas appear yellow or orange.
- Blue areas appear lighter than normal.
- Green is missing.
- Images have an unusual colour balance.
Check the affected colour cartridge on compatible Brother inkjet models.
Make sure the cartridge:
- Matches your printer model.
- Is properly seated.
- Is recognised by the printer.
- Has sufficient ink.
If the printer’s ink-level display shows a problem with one colour, address that cartridge before changing other settings.
Fix 3: Run a Print-Quality Check
If the cartridges appear fine but colours are faint or missing, use the printer’s built-in print-quality or nozzle-check function where supported.
This is more useful than repeatedly printing the same document because it tests the printer’s colour output directly.
Look for:
- Missing colour sections
- Broken lines
- Faded areas
- Uneven colour patterns
If the test shows missing colours, the problem is likely within the ink delivery or print-head system rather than the document you’re printing.
Fix 4: Check a Newly Installed Ink Cartridge
If the colour problem started immediately after replacing an ink cartridge, check the installation.
Remove and reinstall the affected cartridge according to your Brother model’s instructions.
Make sure any required protective material has been removed and that the cartridge is seated properly.
Then check whether the printer recognises it.
A cartridge that is installed incorrectly may prevent the corresponding colour from reaching the print head.
After correcting the installation, run another print-quality check.
Fix 5: Clean the Print Head if the Test Shows Missing Colours
If your Brother inkjet printer’s print-quality check shows missing colour sections, the print head or nozzles may need cleaning.
Use the printer’s normal built-in cleaning function.
After cleaning, run another print-quality check to see whether the missing colour has returned.
If the result improves but is still incomplete, another normal cleaning cycle may help.
Avoid repeatedly running cleaning cycles without checking the result, because the process uses ink.
If the missing colour remains after normal maintenance, the problem may require further model-specific troubleshooting.
Fix 6: Check the Application You’re Printing From
If the printer’s own colour test looks normal but your documents still print in black and white, look at the computer or application.
Try printing a colour document from another application.
For example, if a photo prints in colour from one application but a document from another application comes out grayscale, the printer itself is probably not the main problem.
Check the application’s print settings for:
- Grayscale
- Black & white
- Monochrome
- Colour output settings
Also check the printer’s default preferences on the computer.
Fix 7: Check the Brother Printer Driver
If colour printing worked previously but stopped after changing computers, updating Windows or reinstalling the printer, check the Brother printer software.
Make sure the correct driver is installed for your exact model and operating system.
An incorrect or incomplete printer installation can expose different print options or prevent the computer from communicating with the printer as expected.
If necessary, reinstall the appropriate Brother printer software and then check the colour settings again.
Fix 8: Compare the Printer’s Test Page With a Computer Print
If you’re still unsure whether the problem is hardware or software, make one final comparison.
Print a colour test or print-quality page directly from the Brother printer.
Then print a simple colour document from your computer.
If both are missing the same colour
The problem is more likely related to the printer, ink supply or print head.
If the printer’s test page is normal but the computer document is grayscale
Focus on print settings, the application and the Brother printer driver.
This comparison can prevent you from replacing perfectly good cartridges when the real problem is a computer setting.
How to Prevent Brother Printer Colour Problems
A few simple habits can help keep colour printing working properly:
- Don’t leave an inkjet printer unused for very long periods.
- Check ink levels before important colour printing.
- Use the correct cartridges for your Brother model.
- Make sure replacement cartridges are seated correctly.
- Use the printer’s normal maintenance functions when print quality starts to deteriorate.
- Check print settings before assuming there is a printer fault.
- Keep the correct Brother printer software installed on your computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Brother printer printing only in black and white?
Check whether grayscale, monochrome or black-and-white printing is enabled in the print settings. If those settings are correct, print a colour test page to determine whether the printer itself is producing colour.
Why is one colour missing from my Brother printer?
The affected ink cartridge may be empty, incorrectly installed or not recognised. On compatible inkjet models, a clogged print head can also prevent one colour from printing correctly.
Why are my Brother printer colours very faint?
Low ink, poor ink flow, clogged nozzles or print-quality settings can cause faint colours. Check the ink levels and run the printer’s print-quality check.
Why did my Brother printer stop printing colour after changing the ink?
Check that the new cartridge is the correct one for your model, that any required protective material has been removed and that the cartridge is properly seated.
Why does my Brother printer’s test page print colour but my documents don’t?
If the printer’s own test page is normal, check the print settings in the application you’re using. Grayscale or monochrome printing may be enabled for that document or application.
Can a clogged print head stop colour printing?
Yes. On compatible Brother inkjet printers, clogged nozzles can prevent one or more colours from reaching the paper. The printer’s normal cleaning function can help determine whether this is the cause.
Should I replace all the colour cartridges?
Not necessarily. If only one colour is missing, first check that specific cartridge and run a print-quality test. Replacing cartridges that are still working will not necessarily solve the problem.
