My printer will not duplex print, what should I do?

[Agrippa]

I'm trying to print out a document in duplex mode, but my printer keeps printing it out in simplex mode, even though I keep setting it to duplex. Now what can I realistically do to fix this, aside from printing each page one side at a time? Should I just give up, which I strongly feel like doing right now?

[factotum]

Well, the first obvious question is: is your printer actually duplex capable? Just because the printer driver offers the option doesn't necessarily mean the printer itself has the capability.

[snowblizz]

Well, the first obvious question is: is your printer actually duplex capable? Just because the printer driver offers the option doesn't necessarily mean the printer itself has the capability.

That was more or less going to be my question too.

In addition, have you actually printed duplex with this printer before?

[Agrippa]

That was more or less going to be my question too.

In addition, have you actually printed duplex with this printer before?

My printer, an HP Envy 5660, is duplex printing capable. At least it was a few months ago.

[snowblizz]

Have you recently updated the drivers or computer software?

Off the top of my head, either the printer settings, the OS printer settings or the program printing may or may not be set to duplex. I once had to change the "Windows printing app" to override settings. I also discovered to my annoyance the printing app changed what settings I could access depending on what program tried to print. I.e. a pdf printed from Edge had a slightly different set of options than a pdf printed from Adobe Reader. Same file, same printing app form the OS, just a difference of which program opened the file.

[Agrippa]

Have you recently updated the drivers or computer software?

I've updated the printer drivers as best as I can, if that's what you mean. Of course I'm stuck using an older version of Windows (Widows XP, to be precise), so there may be further complications.

Off the top of my head, either the printer settings, the OS printer settings or the program printing may or may not be set to duplex. I once had to change the "Windows printing app" to override settings. I also discovered to my annoyance the printing app changed what settings I could access depending on what program tried to print. I.e. a pdf printed from Edge had a slightly different set of options than a pdf printed from Adobe Reader. Same file, same printing app form the OS, just a difference of which program opened the file.

What do you mean by "Windows printing" and where can I find it?

[snowblizz]

I've updated the printer drivers as best as I can, if that's what you mean. Of course I'm stuck using an older version of Windows (Widows XP, to be precise), so there may be further complications.

I was more thinking along the lines of Win10/HP doing some autoupdate recently which could mess with settings, but it doesn't sound like that then. If you got XP then I can't really help. I moved on from that at least a decade ago.

What do you mean by "Windows printing" and where can I find it?

Nothing that exists in XP as such.

But generally speaking there are settings in the software doing printing, settings in the printerspooling (effectively the dialogue that opens when you click print) and settings in the printer. In theory, when you print the settings closest to the user, which be the program you print from should be determining the settings, but in Win10 I've had it take settings from down the line.

Where are you choosing duplex mode? IIRC in XP still when you click print in say Word it opens a dialogue where you can set print options?

Another thing to check is that the printer might not be able to duplex print from all paper sources, e.g. a manual feed tray.