Printing Problems

How to Fix Faint or Grayscale A3 Printing on HP OfficeJet Pro 7720

Phi Hung Vo Sep 27, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to fix a printing problem where A3 size documents print in grayscale or faint colors, despite A4 documents printing in color normally.

How to Fix Faint or Grayscale A3 Printing on HP OfficeJet Pro 7720

Product: HP OfficeJet Pro 7720
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Printing A3 documents in full color.
Observed behavior: The printer produces faint or grayscale output specifically on A3 documents, but prints A4 pages in color without any issues.

Before you start

Ensure that your HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 has sufficient color ink levels and that A3 paper is properly loaded into the correct tray before adjusting software settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure Printer Properties for A3 Color Printing

Verify and adjust the paper size, paper type, and color settings directly in the print dialog to ensure the A3 document is processed in color.

Sometimes the printer driver defaults to grayscale or draft mode when a non-standard or larger paper size like A3 is detected. Explicitly setting the color and quality preferences can resolve this.

Open the Print Dialog

In your document editor, click on the 'File' menu and select 'Print', or press the Ctrl+P shortcut on your keyboard.

Access Printer Properties

Select the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 from the list of available printers, then click on the 'Printer Properties' or 'Preferences' button.

Set Paper Size to A3

Navigate to the 'Paper/Quality' tab and ensure the Paper Size dropdown is explicitly set to 'A3'. Also, verify that the 'Media' or 'Paper Type' matches what is loaded in the tray.

Enable Color Printing

Check the 'Color' tab or Advanced settings to confirm that 'Print in Color' is enabled and that 'Print in Grayscale' is unchecked.

Adjust Print Quality

Set the Print Quality to 'Best' or 'High' to prevent faint output, click 'OK' to save the settings, and print the document.

Configure Printer Properties for A3 Color Printing

Preview Check: Always review the print preview before sending the job to ensure the page layout covers the A3 canvas properly.

Solution 2

Install the Full-Feature HP Printer Software

Generic or outdated drivers can cause specific paper sizes to lose advanced formatting capabilities like color printing. Installing the official full-feature software restores these functions.

Print Seamlessly with WPS Office

Easily Manage Print Settings and A3 Layouts in WPS Office

WPS Office provides a highly intuitive print interface, making it simple to configure custom paper sizes, manage color profiles, and adjust print quality settings for large documents like A3 posters or spreadsheets.

1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open the document, spreadsheet, or presentation you wish to print in A3 size.
2. Access Print Settings: Click on 'Menu' in the top-left corner and select 'Print', or use the Ctrl+P shortcut to open the print dialog.
3. Configure A3 Properties: Select your HP printer, click the 'Properties' button to choose A3 paper size and enable color printing, then click 'Print'.

Free to download and use for daily office tasksFully compatible with Microsoft Office document formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)Intuitive print preview and advanced page layout managementBuilt-in PDF conversion and seamless printing features

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my HP printer printing in grayscale even when color is selected?

This can happen if the printer driver is corrupted, generic system drivers are being used instead of official HP drivers, or if the color ink cartridges are depleted or clogged. Reinstalling the full-feature HP software usually resolves software-related grayscale issues.

How do I check if my document canvas is actually set to A3?

In your document editor, navigate to the Page Layout or Page Setup tab. Look at the 'Size' option to verify the document canvas is set to A3 (297 x 420 mm). If it is set to A4, the printer might scale it and apply incorrect default quality settings.

Does the selected paper type affect print quality on an HP OfficeJet Pro?

Yes. Selecting the wrong paper type (e.g., choosing plain paper when printing on glossy presentation paper) in the printer properties will cause the printer to adjust its ink distribution, often resulting in faint, smeared, or washed-out prints.

What should I do if updating the printer driver doesn't fix the A3 faint printing issue?

If all software settings and drivers are correct, the issue might be hardware-related, such as a failing or clogged printhead. Run the printer's built-in printhead cleaning utility from the printer's maintenance menu. If the issue persists, contact HP Support.

Document & File Issues