How to Print in Black and White

One thing is for certain: printing in black and white has its advantages. From generally being faster, as well as the economical and environmental bonuses, there are many perks to printing in black and white. While convenient, black and white printing isn’t suited to every situation, so it’s good to know when and why to use it.

This article explains how to print in black and white, why you’d want to, plus some alternatives to printing in black and white.

 

How to set your printer to black and white mode

 

Before you start printing, it’s usually possible to switch your printer settings so that the printout is produced in monochrome. This option can generally be found under “Printing Preferences” or “Advanced” (or anything along those lines). If your software allows it, you could also click File > Print, which leads to the same menu.

This will mean your prints come out in black and white. When you wish to print colour pages you can simply switch the settings back.

 

Why print in black and white?

 

The short answer: you can do it faster and cheaper. Printing in black and white generally takes less time than printing in colour. Monochrome printing is usually quicker as the printer doesn’t need to mix the ink. This mixing process means extra time for the cartridge to heat up and cool down.

You may also like to print in black and white if you are out of colour ink but still want to produce pages. Black ink tends to be cheaper than coloured ink, so printing exclusively in monochrome could save on costs.

 

Can you buy a black and white printer?

 

You can choose to either purchase a printer that can produce both monochrome and colour pages, and simply print in black and white at times, or buy a black and white printer and only ever print monochrome pages. Black and white printers are often cheaper than printers that can also print in colour.

It may be that a black and white printer suits you just fine. For example, if you print infrequently, you may find that a cheap black and white printer is suitable for your needs.

 

What are the drawbacks of printing in black and white?

 

While there are savings to be made when printing in monochrome, this option is not always suitable. For example, if you are looking to create high-quality prints, you may instead prefer to print in colour. This may be particularly important when you’re printing important documents.

There are certain printing jobs that should only ever be printed in colour. For example, a diploma or a formal document needs to reproduce colours accurately for them to look as they should on the page.

Finally, you may find that your printer is great for printing in colour, but returns unimpressive results when printing in black and white, and instead choose to print all your pages in colour.

 

Alternatives to printing in black and white

 

There are a few alternatives to changing your inkjet printer to a black and white printing format.

 

Invest in a laser printer

If you find you are only ever printing black and white pages with your inkjet machine, you may like to instead invest in a laser printer. While laser printers tend to cost a little more than inkjet varieties, they are generally cheaper to run, and faster, while producing higher quality prints. Many laser printers on the market exclusively print in black and white, providing an alternative option for those looking to create black and white pages.

 

Print in different shades of grey

You may find that printing in different shades of grey is a suitable compromise. Printing in greyscale can see you saving further on ink, and is an option for when you’re printing pages that don’t necessarily need to be high-quality. The main downside with this option is that your prints can have a washed-out look and won’t be as sharp or striking as black and white prints.

 

Print on both sides of the page

Printing in black and white is economical, but not always viable. If you’re looking to print in black and white to save on costs, you may like to instead opt for double-sided printing to reduce paper use and costs.

 

Only print when absolutely necessarily

Another way to save money is to only print when it’s necessary to do so. For example, you may like to keep files digital instead of printing them out. Seeing all your work on screen may be adequate enough to get the job done.

Regardless of your printing requirements, investing in high-quality ink or toner cartridges may help to alleviate any loss in quality that can occur when printing in black and white. Look no further than Ink Station for your quality ink and toner needs.