How do I print with black ink from Windows or my Mac when a color cartridge is expended?

  • When a color ink cartridge is expended, you can temporarily continue printing from your computer using black ink. Replace the expended color cartridge as soon as possible for future printing.

    To temporarily print with black ink, see the instructions below for your operating system.

    Printing with Expended Color Cartridges - Windows

    If you see a message during printing telling you that you can temporarily print in black ink with an expended color cartridge, you can cancel your print job and select settings to print on plain paper or on an envelope.

    Note: If you are using your Epson product with the Windows 10 S operating system, you cannot use the software described in this section. You also cannot download and install any Epson product software from the Epson website for use with Windows 10 S; you must obtain software only from the Windows Store.

    Note: To use this feature, Epson Status Monitor must be enabled.

    1. Click Cancel or Cancel Print to cancel your print job.

      Note: If the message screen appears on another computer on a network, you may need to cancel the print job using the product control panel.

    2. Load plain paper or an envelope in your product.
    3. Access the print settings in your print application.
    4. Click the Main tab and make sure Borderless is not selected.
    5. Select Plain Paper/Bright White Paper or Envelope as the paper type setting.
    6. Select the Black/Grayscale setting from the Color drop-down menu.
    7. Click OK.
    8. Print your document. Epson Status Monitor 3 displays a print message.
    9. Click Print in Black to print your document.
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    Printing with Expended Color Cartridges - Mac

    Note: Make sure you're using the Epson driver for your product. You can download and install the Epson Drivers and Utilities Combo Package from the Downloads tab on your product's support page.

    If printing stops, you can cancel your print job and select settings to temporarily print with only black ink on plain paper or on an envelope.
    1. Click the printer icon in the Dock.
    2. If you see a message telling you that you can temporarily print with only black ink, click the Delete or button to cancel your print job. If you see an error message, click OK.
    3. In the Apple menu or the Dock, select System Preferences.
    4. Select Print & Fax, Print & Scan, or Printers & Scanners, select your product, and select Options & Supplies.
    5. Select Driver or Options. You see a screen like this:
    6. Select On as the Permit temporary black printing setting.
    7. Click OK.
    8. Close the utility window.
    9. Load plain paper or an envelope in your product.
    10. Access the print settings in your print application.
    11. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu.
    12. Select Plain Paper/Bright White Paper or Envelope as the paper type setting.
    13. Select the Grayscale option as the color setting.
    14. Click Print to print your document.
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Published:  Nov 22, 2017 Was this helpful?​ Thank you for the feedback!
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