changing the default print quality

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How do I change the default print quality of my printer.

Currently its set to normal, I wish to change it to draft as to save ink

(I have gone to System Preferences – Print & Fax and the only default that I can change is the paper size not the printing quality.)

Please help

Thanks
 
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When you are ready to print, go to File>Print and a selection box will/should pop up in which you can select print quality, best, better etc. Maybe you can set it to draft but the more ink you save the inferior the quality of the finished job.
 
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Depending on the application, it can be a little tricky to find, but you are looking for a tab called "Paper Type/Quality". Every application puts it in a different place.

To get you started, here's where it is in Safari...

1. Select File > Print

2. Next to the name of your printer should be a little arrow. Click on the arrow to expand the print selection box.

3. Midway down is a selection box which defaults to "Safari". Click on this and select "Paper Type/Quality".


If it isn't there, then you may have a driver issue. You'll need the driver specific to your printer. The Gutenprint 5.1.3 (or whatever the number is) that Apple supplies doesn't usually give you an option to print black & white, draft, etc. It's very limited.

Also, you can have this problem if you're trying to use a print server. The Mac sees the print server instead of the printer attached to it and wants to use a generic driver.

See if any of this helps. If not, tell us exactly what you have and how it's connected, and we'll go from there.
 
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I have an Epson printer, and the ability to change the print quality is something that is supported by the driver. When you issue File, Print, the print dialog that comes up allows me to do this.

What type and model of printer do you have? Perhaps someone who has the same type and model will be able to point you to the exact way to do it for your printer.
 
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I am using a HP Office jet 4355 All in One.

I have downloaded the latest drivers,

I can lower the quality, as you have described above, but I have to do this each and every time I print. For that reason I need to know how to change the default quality setting.

Thanks
 
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Next time, select print but try pulling down the "preset" menu within print, then select "Last used settings" which should match what you did previously.

"preset" will then be set to "last used settings" even after you close and re-open the application. This will also be the case in other apps.

Robert
 
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File > Print

The 2nd tab should be "Preset". Open this and there should be an option for Save As. You can save and name this setting. Also saves paper size. I have a default setting that prints in draft on 8.5x11. But I also have a preset setting for printing high quality on 11x17 paper.

Also, under the print type/quality setting, there is on option for Ink. This will allow you to increase/decrease the amount of ink volume that is used. I had to turn mine down a notch. The normal setting used a lot and it tended to bleed through the paper.
 

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Changing printer quality settings on an imac

Hey everyone, new Mac user here, just following your posts as I too was having trouble changing my printer quality settings, however when I pull down the File>Print selection box, I see different things than what you have said should come up? Instead of finding a "Paper Type/Quality" selection in the menu, the first default I come across is Layout, which when clicked on also yields, in a list, " colour matching, paper feed & handling among "printer features", which when selected and settings altered, does not seem to alter quality condition of print???????? Please help!!!
 

chscag

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No one is going to be able to help you if you don't give us any information about your Mac (model, year), which version of OS X you're running, and finally, which printer? (make, model)
 

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