Fix Microsoft Office Not Printing Black Text on Epson Printers
Question details
Microsoft Office applications like Word and Excel fail to print black text, printing blue text instead, despite the Epson printer having a full black cartridge and successfully printing a test page.
- Product
- Microsoft Office 2016
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to print standard documents containing black text using an Epson printer (such as the XP-440) directly from Microsoft Office applications.
- Observed behavior
- The document prints with blue text instead of black, even though printer hardware and black ink levels are functioning normally outside of Office.
Ensure your printer has a genuine, full black ink cartridge installed and run a quick nozzle check directly from the printer's control panel to confirm the hardware is functioning correctly.
Change Printer Properties Paper Type to Glossy
Adjusting the paper type forces the printer to mix color inks to create a composite black, bypassing the specific black-ink processing error in the Office driver.
This is a proven workaround for instances where Office applications fail to send the correct black-ink instructions to Epson printers.
Note that this method will use a combination of your color inks (cyan, magenta, and yellow) to produce the black text.
Open your document in Word or Excel, click on 'File' in the top left corner, and select 'Print'.
Ensure your Epson printer is selected in the dropdown menu, then click on 'Printer Properties' or 'Preferences' located just below the printer name.
In the Main tab of the printer properties window, locate the 'Paper Type' or 'Media Type' dropdown menu.
Change the setting from 'Plain Paper' to 'Glossy', 'Premium Photo Paper Glossy', or a similar photo paper option.
Click 'OK' to save your new settings, then click the 'Print' button to print your document.
Completely Remove and Reinstall the Epson Printer
Corrupted printer drivers can cause miscommunication between Office and your printer.
Roll Back to an Older Driver Version
A recent driver update might have introduced an incompatibility specifically with Microsoft Office 2016.
Switch to WPS Office to Avoid Printing Glitches
If Microsoft Office continues to struggle with communicating correctly with your printer's drivers, try WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative for handling Word, Excel, and PDF files seamlessly without these specific driver conflicts.
- 1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office Free from the official website and run the quick installation process.
- 2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Word or Excel document directly.
- 3. Print Seamlessly: Click 'Menu' > 'Print' to print your document using your standard plain paper settings without the missing black text issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Epson print a perfect test page but won't print black text in Word?
This usually points to a software or driver communication issue specific to Microsoft Office. The printer's hardware and ink are fine, but the rendering instructions sent by Office are misinterpreted by the driver, causing it to print blank or in blue.
Does changing the paper type to Glossy use more ink?
Yes, selecting a Glossy paper type forces the printer to mix cyan, magenta, and yellow inks to create a composite black. While it resolves the missing text issue, it can deplete your color ink cartridges faster than printing with standard black ink.
Will this glossy paper fix work for other printers besides Epson?
While it is particularly effective for Epson models (like the XP series) experiencing this Office-specific glitch, forcing composite black by changing the media type to Glossy or Photo can sometimes resolve similar missing-text issues on Canon or HP printers as well.
