Scanner not working or not detected on Windows
A very common pattern: the printer part of a multifunction device works, but scanning fails - because printing and scanning use separate drivers and software. The scan side may be missing, incompatible with the current version of Windows, or blocked by a connection issue.
Why this happens
- The scanner driver or the vendor's scan utility was never installed - printing works without it, scanning doesn't.
- A Windows upgrade left the print driver working but broke the scan driver.
- Network scanning is blocked (the PC and scanner sit on different networks, or a firewall is in the way) while USB printing still works.
- The vendor's scan software (Canon IJ Scan Utility, Epson Scan, HP Scan) can't find the device.
Quick checks first
1Check the connection and power
For USB: cable seated on both ends, try a rear port. For Wi-Fi scanners: the scanner and the PC must be on the same network - check the network name on the device's own screen.
2Try scanning from Windows itself
Open the built-in Windows Scan app (or Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → your device → Scan). If Windows can scan but the vendor app can't, the driver is fine - reinstall the vendor software.
3Restart both devices
Power-cycle the scanner/MFP (off, ten seconds, on) and restart the PC. Scanner modules inside multifunction devices hang independently of the printer part.
4Did scanning break after a Windows upgrade?
If scanning worked on the previous Windows version, the scan driver is likely incompatible with the new one - the manual reinstall below targets exactly this.
If scanning still fails, the scan driver itself is the likely cause. The next step is to identify the exact model and install its scanner driver.
Drivers most often behind this problem
Fixing it manually
Install the scanner driver for your exact model
- Find the exact model on the device label (e.g. Canon PIXMA MG3650, Epson L3250 - the suffix matters).
- Search the model in our database and pick the scanner driver or the full driver package matching your Windows version.
- Create a restore point, install, then reconnect the device and test with the Windows Scan app first.
Reinstall the vendor's scan utility
- Scanning software is separate from the driver: Canon IJ Scan Utility, Epson Scan 2, HP Scan, Brother iPrint&Scan.
- Remove the old utility (Settings → Apps), install the current version for your model, and let it search for the device.
- For network devices, add the scanner by IP address if automatic discovery fails (the IP shows on the device's network settings page).
Know the exact device model?
Search the scanner and printer driver database by model name or Hardware ID. Review matching Windows versions and available driver releases.
For scanners and MFPs the model name on the device is usually enough. USB-connected devices also show a Hardware ID in Device Manager (under Imaging devices or Printers), useful when the label is unreadable.
Try for example: Canon IJ Scan Utility · read the Hardware ID guide · or browse the driver category
Browse printers & scanners drivers by brand
Frequently asked questions
▸The printer prints but won't scan. How is that possible?
Printing and scanning use separate drivers and often separate software. A Windows upgrade or a partial installation can leave the print side working while the scan side is missing or incompatible - reinstalling the scan driver and utility usually addresses it.
▸Windows Scan works but the vendor's utility doesn't find the scanner.
That means the driver is working and the problem is in the vendor software: an outdated utility version, or network discovery being blocked. Install the current utility for your model and, for network devices, try adding the scanner by IP address.
▸Windows says “scanner driver is unavailable” - what does that mean?
The same failure the printer version of that message signals: the scan driver is corrupted, incompatible with the current version of Windows, or missing. A clean install of the scanner driver for your exact model - the steps above - normally clears it.