my brother printer support app settings keep resetting every time i print from a different program, is this normal?

Diagnosis

This behavior is not a malfunction or a bug, but rather a consequence of how the Brother Work Smart 1360 driver interacts with the Windows Print Spooler and the application-level API. The Brother Print Support App functions as a dynamic interface for the printer driver; however, most modern software (such as Google Chrome, Adobe Acrobat, or Microsoft Word) creates a "temporary print job" instance. When you initiate a print command, the application sends its own specific set of parameters to the driver, overriding any global preferences you may have set previously.

Essentially, the printer is treating each application as a unique user profile. If you set the printer to "Draft Mode" and "Grayscale" while printing a PDF in Adobe Acrobat, those settings are cached for Acrobat only. When you switch to Microsoft Word, Word sends its own default request (usually "High Quality" and "Color"), which forces the Brother Support App to reset to those defaults. You can confirm this by printing a single page from two different browsers; you will notice the "Print Preview" settings in the Brother app revert to the system default every time you switch windows.

How to Fix It

Since there is no "Global Override" button within the Brother Print Support App itself, you must change the settings at the Windows System level to force a permanent default across all applications. Follow these exact steps:

1. Close all open printing dialogue boxes and any active print jobs in the queue.
2. Press the Windows Key, type "Control Panel", and open it.
3. Navigate to Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers.
4. Locate the Brother MFC-J1360W icon. Right-click the icon and select Printing Preferences from the dropdown menu. (Note: Do not select "Printer Properties," as this manages connectivity, not print quality).
5. In the window that appears, navigate to the Basic tab. Here, set your desired defaults for Media Type (e.g., Plain Paper), Print Quality (e.g., Normal), and Color/Grayscale.
6. If you want 2-sided printing to be the default, go to the Basic tab and change the 2-sided Printing dropdown from "Off" to "Long Edge."
7. Click Apply and then OK.
8. Restart your computer to ensure the Windows Registry updates the default spooler settings for all third-party applications.

If That Didn't Work

If the settings still reset after modifying the Control Panel, try these alternative solutions:

• Disable "Let Windows manage my default printer": Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Toggle the switch for "Let Windows manage my default printer" to Off. This prevents Windows from dynamically switching driver profiles based on the last printer used, which can sometimes trigger a settings reset.
• Reinstall the Full Driver & Software Package: If you are using the "Class Driver" (the basic driver Windows installs automatically), the Print Support App will not retain settings. Download the Full Driver & Software Package specifically for the MFC-J1360W from the official support site to ensure the full API communication is established between the OS and the hardware.
• Clear the Print Spooler Cache: Open cmd as Administrator, type net stop spooler and press Enter. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete all files in that folder. Go back to the command prompt and type net start spooler. This clears corrupted temporary preference files that may be blocking the new defaults.
• Check Application-Specific Overrides: Some apps, like Google Chrome, have their own internal print dialogue. Ensure you are clicking "Print using system dialogue" (Ctrl+Shift+P) instead of using the Chrome print preview, as the browser's built-in preview often ignores system-level driver defaults.

Heads Up

Keep these maintenance tips in mind to avoid further driver conflicts:

• Avoid "Generic" Drivers: Never use the "Brother Generic" driver if you want advanced settings like specific paper weights or duplexing to stick; always use the model-specific MFC-J1360W package.
• Firmware Updates: Ensure your printer firmware is up to date via the Brother Utilities tool, as outdated firmware can cause communication errors between the Support App and the printer hardware.
• Ink Level Awareness: Setting "High Quality" as a global default will significantly increase ink consumption and slow down print speeds across all documents.
• Paper Alignment: When changing paper sizes in the global settings (e.g., switching from Letter to A4), ensure you physically adjust the paper guides in the tray to prevent "Paper Size Mismatch" errors.