Printing Problems

How to Fix Word Not Printing Black Text in New Documents

Bushra Parveen Oct 13, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user is unable to print black text from newly created Microsoft Word documents, although other colors and older documents print without issue.

How to Fix Word Not Printing Black Text in New Documents

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to print newly created Word documents containing black text.
Observed behavior: Black text does not appear on the printed page, while other colors print correctly.

Before you start

Ensure your printer has sufficient black ink or toner, and print a test page directly from the printer's hardware panel to rule out empty cartridges or clogged printheads.

Solution 1Recommended

Manually Set Font Color to Black Instead of Automatic

By default, Word uses an 'Automatic' font color setting which may conflict with certain printer drivers. Explicitly setting the color to Black often bypasses this printing glitch.

In Microsoft Word, the 'Automatic' font color defaults to black on white backgrounds. However, some printer drivers fail to interpret this automatic setting correctly during the spooling process, resulting in missing text.

Select all text

Open the affected new document and press 'Ctrl + A' on your keyboard to select all the text.

Locate font color settings

Navigate to the 'Home' tab on the ribbon menu. Look for the 'Font Color' icon, which appears as an 'A' with a color bar underneath.

Apply standard black color

Click the drop-down arrow next to the Font Color icon. Under the 'Standard Colors' or 'Theme Colors' section, specifically click on the Black square instead of leaving it on 'Automatic'.

Print a test page

Go to 'File' > 'Print' and print the document to verify that the black text now appears correctly on the physical page.

Manually Set Font Color to Black Instead of Automatic

Check printer properties: While in the print menu, you can also click 'Printer Properties' to ensure your printer is not set to 'Print in Grayscale' with an empty black cartridge.

Solution 2

Reset the Normal.dotm Default Template

If only new documents fail to print black text while older documents work fine, the default Word template (Normal.dotm) may be corrupted.

Solution 3

Repair the Microsoft Office Installation

Use the built-in Windows repair tool to fix underlying software glitches in Microsoft Office that might be preventing accurate document rendering.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Print and Edit Documents Seamlessly with WPS Office

If Microsoft Word continues to struggle with printing errors or corrupted templates, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative that effortlessly handles all your document formatting and printing needs without the subscription fees.

1. Download and install: Download WPS Office Free from the official website and complete the quick installation.
2. Open your documents: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word documents. All text formatting and layouts will be preserved.
3. Print with ease: Go to Menu > Print to securely print your black text documents without missing content.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word formats including .doc and .docxReliable and consistent printing capabilities without complex template issuesLightweight design ensures fast startup and smooth document processingFamiliar user interface requires zero learning curve

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my printer print color but not black text in Word?

This often happens due to a driver mismatch where the printer doesn't properly recognize Word's 'Automatic' font color setting. Explicitly changing the font color in Word to standard black can bypass these driver miscommunications.

Will renaming the Normal.dotm template delete my saved documents?

No. Renaming or deleting the Normal.dotm template only resets your default document formatting (such as default margins and fonts) for new documents. Your previously saved files will remain perfectly intact.

How do I update my printer driver for Word?

Open the Device Manager in Windows, locate your printer under 'Print queues' or 'Printers', right-click the device name, and select 'Update driver'. Alternatively, download the latest compatible driver directly from your printer manufacturer's official support website.

Document & File Issues