Table of Contents
Scan on Windows 10/11
Method 1: Windows Scan App (Recommended)
- Open the Windows Scan app (search "Scan" in Start menu)
- If not installed, get it free from Microsoft Store
- Select your scanner from the dropdown menu
- Choose source: Flatbed or Feeder
- Select file type: PNG, JPEG, TIFF, or PDF
- Click Preview to check alignment
- Adjust the crop box if needed
- Click Scan
- File saves to Pictures > Scans folder
Method 2: Windows Fax and Scan
- Press Windows + S, type "Windows Fax and Scan"
- Click New Scan in the toolbar
- Select your scanner and click Change if needed
- Choose profile: Photo, Documents, or custom
- Set resolution (300 DPI for documents)
- Click Preview, then Scan
- Go to File > Save As to save in your preferred format
Tip: For multi-page PDF scanning, use your printer's software (HP Smart, Canon IJ Scan) which has better batch scanning features.
Scan on Mac
Method 1: Using Preview
- Open Preview app
- Go to File > Import from Scanner
- Select your scanner from the list
- Click Show Details for more options
- Select scan mode: Color, Black & White, or Text
- Choose resolution and format
- Click Scan
- Save with File > Export as PDF or Save
Method 2: Using Image Capture
- Open Image Capture from Applications
- Select your scanner in the left sidebar
- Choose where to save: Desktop, Documents, etc.
- Select format: JPEG, PNG, PDF, TIFF
- Click Scan
HP HP Printer Scanning
Using HP Smart App (Recommended)
- Download HP Smart from Microsoft Store or hp.com
- Open HP Smart and add your printer if not already added
- Click the Scan tile on the home screen
- Select source: Scanner Glass or Document Feeder
- Choose preset: Document, Photo, or Custom
- Adjust settings: Size, Color, Resolution, File Type
- Click Scan in the bottom right
- Edit if needed, then Save or Share
Multi-page scanning: After first scan, click "Add" to scan more pages into the same PDF.
Scan from Printer Control Panel
- Place document on scanner glass
- On printer screen, tap Scan
- Select Scan to Computer
- Choose your computer from the list
- Select scan shortcut (Document to PDF, Photo, etc.)
- Press Start Scan
- File appears on your computer in the designated folder
Canon Canon Printer Scanning
Using Canon IJ Scan Utility
- Download IJ Scan Utility from canon.com/support
- Open IJ Scan Utility
- Click scan type: Document, Photo, Custom, or ScanGear
- For documents: Click Document for auto settings
- For photos: Click Photo
- For custom: Click Settings to adjust resolution, format
- Scan completes and opens automatically
- Save location: Documents > Canon IJ Scan Utility folder
Scan to PDF on Canon
- Open IJ Scan Utility
- Click Settings (gear icon)
- Select Document Scan tab
- Under Data Format, select PDF
- Enable PDF Compression for smaller files
- Click OK to save settings
- Click Document to scan
Epson Epson Printer Scanning
Using Epson Scan 2
- Download Epson Scan 2 from epson.com/support
- Open Epson Scan 2
- Select Mode: Document Mode or Photo Mode
- Choose Document Source: Scanner Glass or ADF
- Set Document Size (Auto Detect works well)
- Select Image Type: Color, Grayscale, or Black & White
- Set Resolution: 300 DPI for documents
- Click Preview to check
- Click Scan
- Choose save location and format
Using Epson Smart Panel (Mobile)
- Download Epson Smart Panel app on phone
- Connect to same WiFi as printer
- Open app and select your printer
- Tap Scan
- Place document on scanner
- Tap Scan button in app
- Save to phone or share directly
Brother Brother Printer Scanning
Using Brother iPrint&Scan
- Download Brother iPrint&Scan from brother.com
- Open the app and select your Brother printer
- Click Scan
- Select document type and settings
- Click Scan
- Preview and save or continue scanning pages
Using ControlCenter4 (Windows)
- Open ControlCenter4 from Start menu
- Click the Scan tab
- Select scan type: Image, OCR, E-mail, or File
- Adjust settings if needed
- Click Scan
- File saves to Documents folder
Troubleshooting Scan Problems
Scanner Not Detected
- Restart your printer and computer
- Check USB cable or WiFi connection
- Reinstall printer drivers from manufacturer website
- Run Windows Troubleshooter: Settings > Devices > Printers > Troubleshoot
- Ensure Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service is running
Scan Quality Issues
- Blurry scans: Clean scanner glass with glass cleaner
- Lines on scans: Clean the scanner glass and document feeder rollers
- Dark scans: Adjust brightness in scan settings
- Low resolution: Increase DPI to 300 or higher
Can't Scan to Computer Over Network
- Ensure computer and printer are on same WiFi network
- Check firewall isn't blocking scanner communication
- Add exception for printer software in Windows Firewall
- Try scanning via USB to verify scanner works
- Reinstall printer software with network scanning enabled
Recommended Scan Settings
| Document Type | Resolution | Color Mode | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text Documents | 300 DPI | Black & White | |
| Color Documents | 300 DPI | Color | |
| Photos (viewing) | 300-600 DPI | Color | JPEG |
| Photos (printing) | 600+ DPI | Color | TIFF or PNG |
| Archival | 600 DPI | Color | PDF/A or TIFF |