How to Connect a Scanner to a Computer

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: July 9, 2020 References

This wikiHow teaches you how to connect a scanner to a computer wirelessly or with a USB cable. Luckily, this process is usually as simple as plugging the scanner into your computer, but if that isn't immediately working, there are steps you can take to manually add your scanner.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:
Connecting Wirelessly on Windows 10

1
Plug in your scanner to a power source and turn it on (if it's not already on). You need it powered on so your computer can detect it.
- If your computer detects the scanner once they are both powered on, you need to follow the on-screen prompts to download any necessary drivers and skip the rest of this method.
2
Click the Start Logo
. You'll see this in the lower left corner of your screen.
3
Click the settings icon
. You'll see this gear icon on the left of your screen.
4
Click Devices. You'll see this with an icon of a speaker and keyboard in the second column.
5
Click Printers & Scanners. You'll see this in the vertical menu on the left side of the window and a list of available scanners will populate.
6
Click Add a printer or scanner. You'll see this at the top of the window.
7
Click your scanner's name and click Add device. In the list that populates, the scanner you want to add will most likely display with the manufacturer name, the model name, and/or the model number.
- Your computer must be on the same Wi-Fi network as your scanner for it to detect it. If you're using Wi-Fi extenders for either device, connecting might not be successful.^{[1]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Microsoft Support
  Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
  Go to source}
- Some scanners, especially scanners that use Bluetooth to connect wirelessly, require you to put them in pairing or discovery mode first. You can do this by pressing the Bluetooth button on the scanner. Refer to the manual that came with it for more information.^{[2]
  X
  Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:
Connecting with a Cable on Windows 10

1
Plug in your scanner and computer. Using the USB cable that came with your scanner, plug it into an open USB port on your computer. If you don't have a USB cable that came with your scanner, usually any USB cable will work.
- If your computer detects the scanner once they are both powered on, you need to follow the on-screen prompts to download any necessary drivers and skip the rest of this method.
2
Plug in your scanner to a power source and turn it on (if it's not already on). You need it powered on so your computer can detect it.
3
Click the Start logo
. You'll see this in the lower left corner of your screen.
4
Click the settings icon
. You'll see this gear icon on the left of your screen.
5
Click Devices. You'll see this with an icon of a speaker and keyboard in the second column.
6
Click Printers & Scanners. You'll see this in the vertical menu on the left side of the window.
7
Click Add a printer or scanner. You'll see this at the top of the window.
8
Click your scanner's name and click Add device. In the list that populates, the scanner you want to add will most likely display with the manufacturer name, the model name, and/or the model number.
- Follow any on-screen instructions if any pop-up. For instance, if your Windows Security asks for permission to allow your scanner to install software and drivers, click Yes.^{[3]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Microsoft Support
  Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
  Go to source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:
Connecting Wirelessly on Mac

1
Plug in your scanner to a power source and turn it on (if it's not already on). You need it powered on so your computer can detect it.
2
Click the Apple logo
. You'll see this in the menu bar that runs horizontally across the top of your screen.
3
Click System Preferences. This is generally the second listing in the drop-down menu.
4
Click Printers & Scanners. You'll see this next to an icon of a printer.
5
Click + (if you don't see your scanner listed). You'll see this in the bottom left corner of the window. If, however, you see your scanner listed, skip this step.
6
Select your scanner. When you click your scanner, your Mac will begin the process of setting up that device so you can easily use it.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- If you're having issues, make sure your macOS is updated.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:
Connecting with a Cable on Mac

1
Plug in your scanner to a power source and turn it on (if it's not already on). You need it powered on so your computer can detect it.
2
Plug in your scanner and computer. Using the USB cable that came with your scanner, plug it into an open USB port on your computer. If you don't have a USB cable that came with your scanner, usually any USB cable will work.
- If your Mac only has one USB-C port and you have a USB connection, you can use a multiport adapter.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
3
Click the Apple logo
. You'll see this in the menu bar that runs horizontally across the top of your screen.
4
Click System Preferences. This is generally the second listing in the drop-down menu.
5
Click Printers & Scanners. You'll see this next to an icon of a printer.
6
Click + (if you don't see your scanner listed). You'll see this in the bottom left corner of the window. If, however, you see your scanner listed, skip this step.
7
Select your scanner. When you click your scanner, your Mac will begin the process of setting up that device so you can easily use it.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- If you're having issues, make sure your macOS is updated.

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References

About This Article

Written by:

Darlene Antonelli, MA

Tech Specialist

This article was written by Darlene Antonelli, MA. Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. This article has been viewed 28,930 times.

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Co-authors: 3

Updated: July 9, 2020

Views: 28,930

Categories: Computers and Electronics

Article SummaryX

1. Plug in your scanner to a power source and turn it on (if it's not already on).
2. Click the Start logo.
3. Click the settings icon.
4. Click Devices.
5. Click Printers & Scanners.
6. Click Add a printer or scanner.
7. Click your scanner's name and click Add device.

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