Your Excel sheet looks perfect on screen with colored cells, but the colors disappear when you print. This happens because of specific settings in Excel or your printer driver. The Page Setup options and printer draft mode can override cell shading. This article explains how to check and change these settings so your printed pages match your screen.
Key Takeaways: Excel Cell Colors Not Printing
- Page Setup > Sheet > Draft Quality: This setting forces black-and-white printing and must be turned off for colors to appear.
- File > Print > Printer Properties > Quality/Draft Mode: Your printer driver may have a separate draft or grayscale setting that disables color output.
- Page Layout tab > Page Setup launcher > Sheet tab > Black and white: This Excel-specific checkbox will print everything in monochrome, ignoring cell fills.
Why Excel Cell Colors Disappear on Printouts
Excel has separate display and print engines. The colors you see are rendered by your graphics card. The print output is controlled by a combination of Excel’s Page Setup rules and your printer’s driver settings. If any link in this chain is set to prioritize speed or ink saving, colors will be omitted. The most common cause is the Draft Quality option in Excel, which is designed for quick proofing. Another frequent issue is a printer property set to Draft, Economode, or Grayscale. These settings are often applied by default to save toner or ink.
Steps to Enable Color Printing in Excel
Follow these steps in order. Start with Excel’s settings before checking your printer driver.
Method 1: Disable Draft Quality in Page Setup
- Open the Page Setup dialog
Go to the Page Layout tab on the ribbon. Click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Page Setup group. - Navigate to the Sheet tab
In the Page Setup dialog box, click the Sheet tab at the top. - Uncheck the Draft Quality box
Look for the Print section. Find the checkbox labeled “Draft quality” and ensure it is not selected. Also, verify the “Black and white” checkbox is empty. - Apply the change
Click OK to close the dialog. Try printing a test page to see if colors now appear.
Method 2: Check Printer Properties and Driver Settings
- Open the Print menu
Click File > Print, or press Ctrl+P. - Access Printer Properties
Below the printer selection dropdown, click the “Printer Properties” link. This opens your printer manufacturer’s driver window. - Find the Quality or Paper/Quality tab
In the properties window, look for a tab named Quality, Features, or Paper/Quality. The name varies by manufacturer. - Select a color mode and higher quality
Ensure the mode is set to “Color” and not “Grayscale” or “Black & White.” Also, set the print quality to “Normal” or “Best” instead of “Draft” or “Economy.” - Save and print
Click OK to save the printer settings, then click Print in Excel.
If Colors Still Do Not Print Correctly
If you have adjusted both Excel and printer settings but the issue persists, other factors may be involved.
Excel Prints All Content in Grayscale
Open Page Setup again (Page Layout tab > Page Setup launcher). On the Sheet tab, confirm the “Black and white” checkbox is unchecked. Also, go to the File > Options > Advanced. Scroll to the “Print” section and ensure “Print in black and white” is not selected.
Printer Driver Resets to Default After Closing Excel
Some printer drivers have an “Always use these settings” or “Set as Default” button within their Properties window. After configuring color and normal quality, look for and click this button before clicking OK. This saves the settings for all future print jobs from any application.
Only Certain Cell Colors Are Missing
Very light fill colors may not be visible on printouts due to printer calibration. In the Page Setup dialog, go to the Page tab and click the “Options” button next to your printer name. Look for an “Intensity” or “Color Adjustment” slider in the driver and increase it slightly. Alternatively, use darker color shades in your worksheet.
Excel Settings vs. Printer Driver Settings: Key Differences
| Item | Excel Page Setup Settings | Printer Driver Settings |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Page Layout tab > Page Setup launcher | File > Print > Printer Properties link |
| Draft mode control | “Draft quality” checkbox on Sheet tab | “Print Quality” dropdown (Draft, Normal, Best) |
| Color mode control | “Black and white” checkbox on Sheet tab | “Color/Grayscale” selection in Paper/Quality tab |
| Scope of effect | Applies only to the current Excel workbook | Can apply to all documents from any app if set as default |
| Ink saving priority | Designed for quick worksheet proofing | Often set for general economy on shared office printers |
You can now ensure your Excel cell colors print correctly by managing two key areas. Always check the Draft Quality setting in Page Setup first. Then verify the color and quality mode in your printer properties. For a more advanced check, use Print Preview (Ctrl+F2) to see a direct simulation of the final output before sending the job.