You open Windows Scan or Image Capture and it reports that no scanner is connected, even though the same printer prints without complaint. Printing and scanning use separate drivers and separate ways of talking to the computer, so one can work while the other is missing. This guide checks the printer and connection first, then the Windows Image Acquisition service, scan drivers, network discovery and the Mac side, so you can find the broken link.
What you might be seeing
- Windows Scan or Windows Fax and Scan says no scanners were detected
- The printer appears in Printers & scanners but there is no scanner option
- Image Capture on a Mac lists no scanner
- Printing works normally but every scan attempt fails
Common causes
- Print-only driver installed
- Windows sometimes installs only the print half of an all-in-one printer's driver, so the scanner never appears.
- WIA service stopped
- Most Windows scanning runs through the Windows Image Acquisition service. If it's stopped, apps report that no scanner exists.
- Network discovery blocked
- Network scanners are found through WSD and eSCL discovery, which a Public network profile or a firewall rule can block.
- Weak USB link or changed address
- A hub or poor cable can drop the scan interface, and a printer with a new IP address leaves the scan driver looking in the wrong place.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order and test a print after each one. Most people are done within the first few steps.
Confirm the scanner works on its own
Wake the printer and make a copy from its control panel. If the copy comes out normally, the scanner hardware works and the problem lies between printer and computer. Next, close every scan app and reopen just one. Two programs claiming the scanner at once, such as the manufacturer's app and Windows Scan, can make both report that no device is available.
See whether Windows has a scanner entry
In Windows 11 open Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners, or in Windows 10 Settings › Devices › Printers & scanners, and select your printer. An Open scanner option means Windows has a scan driver. If only print options appear, the scan part is missing. Select Remove, restart the computer, then choose Add device and let Windows find the printer again.
Restart the Windows Image Acquisition service
Press Windows key + R, type
services.mscand press Enter. Double-click Windows Image Acquisition (WIA), set Startup type to Automatic, then click Stop and Start, or just Start if it isn't running. Check that Shell Hardware Detection is running too, since WIA relies on it. Then open Windows Fax and Scan, select New Scan, and see whether your scanner is listed.Install the full scan driver from an official source
Check Settings › Windows Update › Advanced options › Optional updates for a driver update for your printer. If none is listed, get the full software or full driver package for your exact model from the manufacturer's official website or app; it normally includes the WIA and TWAIN scan drivers a basic print driver lacks. Install it with the printer on and connected the way you'll use it, then restart.
Check the USB connection and Device Manager
For a USB printer, plug the cable straight into the computer rather than a hub, keyboard or monitor port, and try another port. Right-click Start, open Device Manager, and look under Imaging devices and Other devices. A yellow warning icon means the scan driver failed to load: right-click it, choose Uninstall device, unplug the cable, restart and reconnect.
Let Windows discover a network scanner
Make sure the computer and printer share the same network, not a guest network. In Windows 11 open Settings › Network & internet, select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open your connection's properties and set Network profile type to Private, then turn on Network discovery under Advanced network settings › Advanced sharing settings. If scanning stopped after a router restart, the printer may have a new IP address, so remove it from Printers & scanners and add it again.
Check scanning on a Mac
Open Image Capture from the Applications folder and look for the printer under Devices or Shared in the sidebar. macOS scans from most recent network printers without extra software. If it's missing, open System Settings › Printers & Scanners, select the printer, click the minus button to remove it, then click Add Printer, Scanner or Fax and add it again so macOS picks up its scan function.
How to keep it from happening again
- Reserve a fixed IP address for the printer in your router
- Install the full driver package rather than a print-only driver
- Keep the computer on a Private network profile at home or work
- Close one scanning app before opening another
Common questions
Why can I print but not scan?
Printing and scanning use separate drivers, and on Windows scanning also depends on the WIA service. Windows Update can install the print driver alone, while the scan driver needs a fresh device add or the manufacturer's full package. Network scanning also relies on discovery settings that printing doesn't always need.
What's the difference between WIA, TWAIN and eSCL?
They're three ways software talks to a scanner. WIA is built into Windows and used by its own scanning tools. TWAIN is an older standard that many document and photo programs use, usually installed with the manufacturer's driver. eSCL is a driverless network method built into macOS, ChromeOS and many mobile apps.
Do I need the manufacturer's app to scan?
Not always. The scanning tools built into Windows and macOS work with most printers once the right driver or driverless support is present. The manufacturer's app adds extras such as scan buttons on the printer, multi-page PDF and OCR. If you'd rather skip it, install only the scan driver and use the built-in tools.
This guide is general information written for common home and office printers. Menus and button names vary between models, so check your printer’s manual where a step differs. Printer Problems Solved is independent and not affiliated with any printer manufacturer. See our disclaimer.