Brother Printer Won’t Scan? Easy Fixes for Windows and Mac

A Brother printer won't scan +1-803-866-1601 issue can be confusing, especially when the same device prints without any problems. You may place a document on the scanner, start a scan from your computer, and receive an error such as “Scanner Not Found,” “Cannot Communicate,” or “Check Connection.” In other situations, the scanning software may simply fail to detect the printer.

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Fortunately, a Brother printer not scanning problem is often related to connectivity, scanner software, drivers, network settings, or temporary communication errors. Follow the troubleshooting methods below to identify the cause and get your scanner working again.

Why Is My Brother Printer Not Scanning?

Printing and scanning use different software components, which means your printer may print correctly while scanning fails.

Common reasons include:

• Printer and computer are not communicating

• Scanner driver is missing or outdated

• Printer and computer are on different WiFi networks

• USB cable is loose or damaged

• Scanning software is not configured correctly

• Firewall or security software is blocking communication

• Incorrect scanner is selected

• Temporary network connection problem

• Scanner service is not running

• Printer software installation is corrupted

Start with the basic connection checks before reinstalling software.

Restart the Printer and Computer

A temporary communication error can prevent your computer from detecting the scanner.

Turn off the printer and computer. If you use the printer wirelessly, restart your router as well. Wait for the network to become available before turning the printer back on.

Restart your computer and try scanning a simple document.

This basic process refreshes the connection and may resolve a temporary Brother scanner not working problem.

Check the Printer Connection

If your Brother printer won't scan to computer, verify how the printer is connected.

For a USB printer, make sure the cable is securely connected to both the computer and printer. Try another USB port if the scanner is not detected.

Avoid connecting through an unreliable USB hub while troubleshooting.

For wireless scanning, make sure the printer is connected to WiFi. Your printer and computer should normally be connected to the same local network so they can communicate with each other.

Check the WiFi Connection

Wireless connection problems are a common reason a printer can suddenly stop scanning.

Confirm that the printer displays a successful wireless connection. Check your computer's WiFi network and make sure it corresponds to the network being used by the printer.

If you recently changed your router, WiFi network name, or password, reconnect the printer using the current network information.

Restarting the router may also help if the network connection is temporarily unstable.

Make Sure the Correct Scanner Is Selected

If you have previously installed multiple printers or scanners, your computer may be attempting to use the wrong device.

Open your scanning application and check the selected scanner. Choose the correct Brother printer model before starting a new scan.

Removing unused or duplicate printer entries can also make it easier to identify the correct scanner.

Update the Scanner Driver

A missing, outdated, or corrupted scanner driver can cause a Brother printer not scanning to computer problem.

The scanner driver allows the operating system and scanning application to communicate with the scanner hardware.

Check your exact printer model and operating-system version, then install the appropriate scanning software and drivers. Restart the computer after completing the installation.

If scanning stopped after an operating-system update, reinstalling the current compatible software can be particularly useful.

Brother Printer Won't Scan on Windows 10 or Windows 11

Windows users should first check whether the operating system recognizes the printer.

Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and locate your printer. If it is missing, add the printer again.

You can also test scanning with a compatible Windows scanning application. If one application detects the scanner but another does not, the problem is likely related to the individual application rather than the printer connection.

If Windows cannot detect the scanner at all, reinstalling the scanner driver may be necessary.

Check Windows Image Acquisition Service

Windows Image Acquisition, commonly called WIA, provides scanning functionality for many imaging devices.

Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.

Find Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) in the list. If the service is stopped, start it. If it is already running but scanning is not working, restarting the service may help.

Afterward, close the Services window and test the scanner again.

Brother Printer Won't Scan on Mac

If your Brother printer won't scan on Mac, open System Settings > Printers & Scanners and confirm that the printer appears correctly.

You can also test the scanner through a compatible macOS scanning application.

If the printer is installed but the scanning function is unavailable, remove the printer and add it again. Make sure the appropriate software is selected when adding the device.

Also confirm that macOS permissions are not preventing your scanning application from accessing required folders or network resources.

Check Firewall and Security Software

A firewall can sometimes prevent scanning software from communicating with a network printer.

This is especially relevant when printing works but network scanning does not.

Check whether your security software is blocking the scanning application or printer communication. Instead of permanently disabling security protection, allow the legitimate printer software through the firewall when appropriate.

If you temporarily change a security setting for testing, restore protection afterward.

Clear Network Communication Problems

A network printer can receive a different local IP address after a router restart or network change. Your scanning software may continue trying to communicate with its previous address.

Restart the printer and computer and allow them to reconnect to the network. If the scanning software still cannot find the device, removing and adding the printer again can refresh the network configuration.

Persistent problems may require checking the printer's current network settings.

Reinstall the Printer and Scanner Software

If none of the previous solutions work, reinstalling the printer software can help resolve damaged configuration files or incomplete driver installations.

Remove the existing printer software and restart your computer. Install the appropriate software package for your exact printer model and operating system.

Reconnect the printer and complete the setup process. Test scanning before changing additional settings.

Brother Printer Scans but Won't Save the File

Sometimes scanning works, but the resulting document cannot be saved.

Check the destination folder selected in your scanning software. Make sure the folder exists and that your user account has permission to write files there.

Try saving the scan to another folder, such as Documents or Desktop. Also verify that sufficient storage space is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Brother printer printing but not scanning?

Printing and scanning rely on different drivers and services. The printer driver may work correctly while the scanner driver, scanning application, or network configuration has a problem.

Why won't my Brother printer scan to my computer?

Check the USB or WiFi connection, confirm the correct scanner is selected, restart your devices, and verify that the scanner driver is properly installed.

Why is my Brother scanner not detected?

The scanner may not be detected because of a connection problem, missing driver, incorrect network configuration, stopped scanning service, or firewall restriction.

How do I get my Brother printer to scan again?

Restart the printer and computer, check the connection, verify the scanner selection, update the scanning software, and reinstall the scanner driver if necessary.

Final Words

When your Brother printer won't scan +1-803-866-1601, begin with simple troubleshooting. Restart the printer and computer, check the USB or WiFi connection, and confirm that the correct scanner is selected.

If your Brother printer is not scanning after these checks, examine the scanner driver, Windows scanning services, firewall settings, and network configuration. Reinstalling the printer and scanner software can resolve more persistent problems and restore normal scanning functionality.