Print Black White Mac: How to Force Grayscale

If you need to print in black and white on a Mac, the setting is inside the Print dialog: choose Black & White (or Grayscale) from the Presets or Color Matching dropdown, then click Print. This works for most printers and macOS versions, but the exact option name and location vary by printer driver—here is how to find it and what to do when it is missing.

Where the Black & White Setting Lives

When you press Cmd+P (or File > Print), macOS shows the standard Print dialog. By default it is collapsed to a single row of options. Click Show Details at the bottom to expand it. Then look for a dropdown menu that defaults to Layout or Copies & Pages. Click that menu and switch to Color Matching (on most printers) or Paper Type/Quality (on HP and some others). Inside you will find a Color or Print in Grayscale radio button. Select Black & White or Grayscale and print. On some drivers the option is simply a checkbox labeled Grayscale.

Why the Option Sometimes Disappears

If you do not see any color-related dropdown, the most common cause is that the printer driver is a generic AirPrint driver rather than the manufacturer’s full driver. AirPrint is built into macOS and works with many printers, but it exposes fewer settings. To get the grayscale option back, download and install the full driver from the printer manufacturer’s website (e.g., HP, Epson, Canon, Brother). After installing, restart your Mac and try again. Another reason: some printers only allow grayscale when you select the correct paper type (like “Plain Paper�) or when you are not using borderless printing.

How to Set It as the Default

If you print in black and white most of the time, you can make it the default so you do not have to change it every time. In the expanded Print dialog, after selecting Black & White, open the Presets dropdown (bottom left) and choose Save Current Settings as Presets. Name it something like “B&W Default�. Next time you print, just select that preset from the Presets menu. You can also set a default preset for all print jobs: in the Print dialog, click the Presets dropdown, choose Default Printer Settings, and pick your saved preset. This applies to all apps that use the standard Print dialog.

Printing in Grayscale from Specific Apps

Most Mac apps (Safari, Pages, Word, Preview, Chrome) all use the same macOS Print dialog, so the steps above work everywhere. However, a few apps have their own print settings that override the system dialog. For example, Microsoft Word has its own “Print� tab in Preferences, and some design apps like Adobe InDesign have a “Color� section in their Print dialog. If you set grayscale in the macOS dialog but the output is still color, check the app’s own print settings first. Also, some apps (like Safari) let you set a “Background graphics� checkbox—if you want to save ink, uncheck that too.

Common Problems and Fixes

• Option is grayed out: This usually means the printer driver does not support grayscale for the current paper size or quality. Try switching to “Plain Paperâ€� or lower quality mode.
• Still prints in color: Double-check that you selected “Black & Whiteâ€� not just “Colorâ€� with a grayscale preview. Also, some printers have a hardware setting (on the printer panel) that forces color.
• Text looks faint or washed out: Grayscale on inkjet printers uses only black ink, which can look lighter than normal color printing. Increase print quality or use “High Qualityâ€� mode.
• No “Color Matchingâ€� option at all: Try clicking “Show Detailsâ€� first—the dropdown is hidden in the collapsed view. If it is still missing, update the printer driver.

Black & White vs. Grayscale vs. Monochrome

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they can mean slightly different things. Black & White usually means pure black ink only, with no shades of gray—this is common on laser printers. Grayscale means shades of gray, which on an inkjet printer might use a mix of color inks to produce the gray tones. Monochrome is a generic term for single-color printing. If you want to save color ink, choose “Black & White� or “Grayscale� (depending on your printer) and avoid “Color�. On many inkjets, “Grayscale� still uses color ink to make gray, so check your printer manual if saving color ink is your goal.

How to Save Ink and Money

Printing in black and white is the easiest way to save color ink, but you can also reduce ink usage by printing in “Draft� or “Economy� mode. On the Print dialog, look for a Quality or Media & Quality dropdown and select “Draft�. This uses less ink per page and is fine for text documents. Another tip: enable “Print background graphics� off in Safari to avoid printing colored backgrounds. For long documents, consider printing multiple pages per sheet (Layout > Pages per Sheet) to save paper and ink. Remember that even in grayscale, an inkjet printer may still use a tiny amount of color ink to calibrate the print head, so it is not a complete color-ink saver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the grayscale option missing on my Mac?

The most likely reason is that you are using the built-in AirPrint driver instead of the manufacturer’s full driver. Download and install the full driver from your printer’s website, then restart your Mac. If it still does not appear, check if your printer model actually supports grayscale printing from macOS—some very basic models do not expose that option.

Can I set a default to always print in black and white?

Yes. In the Print dialog, select Black & White, then go to Presets > Save Current Settings as Presets. Name it and set it as the default in Presets > Default Printer Settings. This will apply to all apps that use the standard dialog.

Does printing in grayscale use color ink?

On many inkjet printers, yes. Grayscale mode often uses a combination of black and color inks to produce smoother gray tones. If you want to avoid using color ink entirely, look for a “Black Ink Only� or “Monochrome� option in your printer driver, or set the printer to “Black & White� if that option is available.

Why does my Mac print in color even when I select black and white?

Check that you actually clicked “Print� after selecting the option—some apps may revert to default settings if you close the dialog. Also verify that the printer’s own settings (via the printer’s control panel or its utility app) are not set to “Color�. If you are using AirPrint, try the full driver instead.

How do I print black and white on a Mac using Preview?

Open the PDF or image in Preview, press Cmd+P, click Show Details, then find the Color Matching dropdown and select Grayscale or Black & White. If you do not see it, check the printer driver as described above.

Is there a keyboard shortcut for black and white printing?

No, there is no direct shortcut. You can create a custom shortcut using System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > App Shortcuts, but it will only apply to the menu item “Print…�—it will not automatically select grayscale. The fastest way is to save a preset and select it each time.

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