Download HP officejet pro 6978 Drivers

The HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 is an all-in-one inkjet printer ideal for small office and home office environments. Keeping drivers updated is crucial to obtain full features and best performance. This guide outlines the latest HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 driver version, documents improvements introduced recently, provides clean install/update instructions, and evaluates the overall driver status.

Latest Driver Version Overview

The most recent HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 driver available is Version 12.4, released on January 15, 2024. This update focuses mainly on security patches and bug fixes.

Always get HP drivers directly from their official website based on your printer model to ensure compatibility.

Key New Features

While version 12.4 itself does not add significant features, previous OfficeJet Pro 6978 driver updates within the past year have introduced some useful capabilities:

• Expanded mobile printing options
• Encrypted PIN printing support
• Duplex/two-sided scanning optimization
• New photo editing and preview tools

So continuous improvements expand functionality over time through driver and firmware updates.

Installing/Updating Drivers

Follow these steps to properly install or update HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 printer drivers:

1. Download latest driver
2. Temporarily disable antivirus software
3. Run HP full feature printer driver installer
4. Follow prompts to remove existing driver and install updated driver
5. Restart computer after finished
6. Confirm functioning with test print

Considerations:

• Backup current driver as precaution before update
• Use wired connection for smooth install
• Verify OS compatibility (Windows 10/11 supported)

Always refer to HP documentation for device-specific guidance.

Performance Improvements

Updating to the latest OfficeJet Pro 6978 driver improves performance in these ways:

• Faster two-sided print speeds: Up to 30% faster duplex document printing
• Increased monthly page volume: Expanded from 30,000 pages to 35,000 pages per month
• Better photo rendering: Enhanced color accuracy and gamut for image printing

For example, a 50 page double-sided text document took 2 minutes 30 seconds to print on the old driver, and now takes only 1 minute 55 seconds on the new driver.

Resolved Issues

The OfficeJet Pro 6978 driver version 12.4 fixes:

• Addressed printer going offline randomly requiring power cycles
• Fixed issue with missing or incorrect printer settings options
• Updated components prevent crashes when using high-capacity cartridges
• Resolved problems scanning to email and network folders
• Corrected print alignment issues causing uneven text

Review the release notes for more specifics on addressed bugs.

Known Remaining Issues

Some unresolved problems to still be aware of:

• Visible quality loss with refilled or third-party ink cartridges
• [FIX PENDING] Wireless connectivity drops requiring occasional reboots
• Incompatibility reported with some specialty third-party media

HP provides suggested workarounds for each issue on their support site, and is reportedly working on firmware updates to address wireless problems.

Driver Settings Overview

The OfficeJet Pro 6978 driver provides extensive printing preferences:

Print Quality

• Draft (high-speed)
• Normal office quality
• Best (higher quality but slower speed)

Page Layout Settings

• Custom scaling
• Multi-page layouts
• Booklet printing
• Watermarks

Ink Configuration

• Black print only
• Downgrade from XL cartridges
• Dry time adjustment

Media Profiles

• Default printer settings
• HP photo paper profiles
• Other specialty paper types

And other options to customize output.

Conclusion/Verdict

The latest version 12.4 HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 driver focuses mainly on essential security updates, bug fixes and compatibility rather than new features. Installing improves safety and resolves previous issues while unlocking optimizations added from past year's worth of enhancements. Given the focus on fixes over interface changes, this is a valuable update for most OfficeJet Pro 6978 owners to bolster performance.