PIXMA TR8520 - Color Options Menu (Mac)

[Applescruff]

I am running macOS Catalina 10.15.5 on a new iMac I recently purchased. I successfully set up and used my TR8520 printer, but the color was waaay too faint for my purposes.

On my old computer I could use the Color Options menu to adjust the color levels, intensity, and contrast but I don’t have that option on my Mac. Though the Canon website said no drivers were necessary to install, I installed the software package anyway and tried setting up the printer again via the software. The setup was successful but didn’t solve the Color Options problem, so I did more research and found one forum post that suggested the problem was leaving “Use: AirPrint” selected during the setup, which I had indeed done. I started over so that I could select an alternate option for “Use:” but AirPrint and Secure AirPrint are my only options. When I click “Select Software,” I’m given a list of Dymo, Epson, HP softwares to select (none of which I have), but no Canon software is listed.

I also tried reinstalling the printer via USB to see if that would give me an alternative to AirPrint, but under “Use: Choose a Driver” it says “Software for this printer isn’t available from Apple. Contact the manufacturer for the latest software.”

I don’t even know if the AirPrint selection is the problem, it’s just the only suggestion I’ve found so far. I REALLY need to figure this out, I’ve been trying to find answers for almost 6 months. Thank you!

[JayC1]

Hi! Thanks for posting in the Canon Community Forum. I see that you are unable to find the color options for your Canon PIXMA TR8520 on a computer that is running MacOS Catalina Ver. 10.15.5.

Our older models did come with come with their own Mac drivers. However, our newer models have conformed to the Mac Standard known as AirPrint. AirPrint can be used to add the TR8520 (TR8500 series) to your computer. You will not be able to find a Canon driver because there is no need for one.

Other things have changed for these newer models. When you use AirPrint, you will not see a see an option that allows you to manage the color intensity. You may be able to manage your colors with other programs. For example, you can use Adobe Photoshop to manage the colors of your photos.

Since you mention that the colors are faint, I recommend troubleshooting the printer. If you have not done so, please print a nozzle check pattern. You’ll find instructions in the online manual. Here is a link:

https://ij.manual.canon/ij/webmanual/Manual/All/TR8500%20series/EN/UG/ug_m_01_02_c.html

You’ll find an example of a good pattern here:

https://ij.manual.canon/ij/webmanual/Manual/All/TR8500%20series/EN/UG/ug_m_01_03_c.html

For the Cyan < C > and Magenta < M > inks, there should be two bars of different intensity. The top bar should be the darker of the two and the low bar should be the lighter. If you do not see a difference in intensity for the bars, I recommend that you clean the print head nozzles. The instructions are in the following section of the manual:

https://ij.manual.canon/ij/webmanual/Manual/All/TR8500%20series/EN/UG/ug_m_01_04_c.html

If any of the color bars are missing, you should consider performing a deep cleaning instead of a cleaning. After the cleaning or deep cleaning, I recommend printing another test pattern. If there is no improvement, you should wait 8-12 hours and then do another cleaning. During that time, the ink may soak through the dry nozzles and loosen the clog.

Should you want to know what options you do have on a Mac computer using AirPrint, please visit the following page:

 https://ij.manual.canon/ij/webmanual/PrinterDriver/M/TR8500%20series/1.0/EN/PPG/dg-printer01_01.html

If you do not have your own photo printing applications, I recommend downloading and using the Easy-PhotoPrint Editor or My Image Garden programs. Both can be downloaded from the Canon Website:

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/support/details/printers/inkjet-multifunction/tr-s...

You’ll find instructions for using My Image Garden in the following section of the manual:

https://ij.manual.canon/ij/webmanual/WebPortal/PTA/pta_guide.html?lng=en&type=app-gd&app=mig

For a guide to Easy-PhotoPrint Editor, please visit:

https://ij.manual.canon/ij/webmanual/WebPortal/PTA/pta_guide.html?lng=en&type=app-gd2&app=epe

I hope this information helps. Thanks for choosing Canon.