I only print in graytone but all my colors are being used up.

No. The electrical connection are different in the print heads.

Start, control panel, printers, your printer, printer preferences, advanced. Uncheck the complete-a-print boxes and also check to make sure the print in black & white box in unchecked.


Rick

You can find the user's guide here which lists all the parts and supplies. Here's the cartridge information from the manual:

• HP Color LaserJet black print cartridge Standard black cartridge CE260A
• HP Color LaserJet black print cartridge High-capacity black cartridge for CLJ4525 models only CE260X
• HP Color LaserJet cyan print cartridge Cyan cartridge CE261A
• HP Color LaserJet yellow print cartridge Yellow cartridge CE262A
• HP Color LaserJet magenta print cartridge Magenta cartridge CE263A

You can use the HP numbers to look for original or after-market replacements.

I have the same problem & have been searching for weeks for a replacement printer that will print B & W with one or more colors empty. I haven't had any luck yet - I did run across a post that said: For black and white images and photos, a blend of colors called "composite black" may be used to achieve significantly better image quality and smoother gray tones than can be accomplished with black inks alone. I'm still searching...

suggest you install a color cartridge and set up the printer for color. When the color cartridge runs out of ink, you should be able to continue printing in black only.

Select true black and white. Any other setting uses the colour cartridge to sharpen the printing.

Printer manufacturers design their printers to print some color mixed in with the black when you are only printing black. That is why your color cartridge is running out when you only print black and why it prints "weird colors" when the color cartridge is empty. Printer manufacturers sell the printers at a loss and make up the profit on the cartridges.

if your document only black and white , the machine only use black ink, no going withdraw the color ink. but you have had to leaved the full color ink in the machine.

Black ink is an essential part of the printing process. The black color is only made by the black cartridge, the color cartridge does make "black".
One or more optional photo cartridges may be available, depending on your printer model.

• Use the photo cartridge with a tri-color cartridge for best-quality color photos and graphics, and sepia or antique photos.
• Choose a gray photo cartridge to print black and white photos with truer grays and richer blacks.

I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/joe_8b8c2cd6ce148309

if you look at the options in the printer there should be an option to use the color cartridge to print black. How does this work? Well what the printer will do is mix all three colors to make a light black. This will eat up your color cartridge faster but is useful when you are out of black ink and you need to print