How To Fix Scanner Not Working In Windows 11,10?

A scanner is an important peripheral device to scan and digitize physical hard copies of your documents. Digital documents are preferred over physical documents as they are easier to send, cheaper to maintain, and can be secured with a password if required. All that you need is a scanner. This guide is all about scanner problems and solutions, and will help readers fix a scanner not working on Windows 11/10.

Why Does The Scanner Not Working Issue Occur?

There could be many reasons why the problem connecting to the scanner on Windows 11 occurs. We have highlighted the major causes of the scanner not working issue.

• Misconfigured scanner connections.
• Outdated, missing, or corrupt drivers.
• Conflict with the WIA service.
• Corrupted system files.
• False positive with Antivirus or Firewall.

Solutions to The Problem Connecting to The Scanner on Windows 11/10

Method 1 – Check Basic Connections

1. Ensure the scanner is powered on.
2. Check the USB cable or Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connection (if wireless).
3. Try connecting the scanner to a different USB port or another computer to rule out hardware issues.

Method 2 – Restart Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) Service

The WIA service controls scanner communication. You must toggle the service to clear any glitches that may arise.

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

2. Find Windows Image Acquisition (WIA).

3. Right-click → Properties → set Startup type to Automatic.

4. Click Start → Apply → OK.
5. Restart your PC.

• Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
• Shell Hardware Detection
• DCOM Server Process Launcher

Method 3 – Update Scanner Driver

a.) Update Via Device Manager

The Device Manager is an amazing tool that can help update drivers on your PC. This tool is provided free of cost to all Windows users, but it has a limitation in searching for drivers on Microsoft Servers only. You need to turn on and connect the scanner to your PC before following the steps mentioned below.

1. Press `Win + X` and select Device Manager.

2. Expand Imaging Devices in the new box.

3. Right-click your Scanner and click on Update driver.

b.) Update Via OEM Website

All Scanner manufacturers maintain an official website to provide their customers with resources, user manuals, software, drivers, etc, related to their scanner hardware. You can visit the official website of your scanner manufacturer and enter your model number to get the resources. Download the drivers and install them on your PC.

c.) Update Via Advanced Driver Updater

If you are looking for an easier way to download/install/update scanner drivers, then you can use Advanced Driver Updater. This software identifies driver anomalies on your system and fixes the problems by updating the drivers on your PC. Here are the steps.

1. Download Advanced Driver Updater using the button provided below.

2. Double-click on the downloaded file to commence the installation process.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen with positive responses to complete the installation.

4. After the process is complete, launch the software by double-clicking the shortcut created on your desktop.
5. Press the Start Scan Now button to begin scanning the drivers installed on your PC.

6. After the scan, a list of driver anomalies will be presented on your screen.

7. Click on the update driver link next to each driver to update it to the latest version.

8. Reboot the PC after all the drivers have been updated.

Method 4 – Run Windows Troubleshooter

Some experts suggest using the built-in troubleshooters provided by Microsoft. These troubleshooters will try to detect and fix the issues with your scanner. Here are the steps.

1. Open Settings by pressing Windows + I.
2. Click on System in the left panel and then click on System, followed by Troubleshoot and Other troubleshooters.
3. Run the Printer troubleshooter.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Method 5 – Use Windows Fax and Scan or Scan App

To isolate issues with manufacturer software and ensure the scanner is compatible with your Windows version, use the following steps.

Try scanning with Windows Fax and Scan:

1. Press the Windows key and type Windows Fax and Scan, and click on it
2. Click New Scan → Select your scanner → Adjust settings → Scan.

Try scanning with Windows Scan:

1. Download Windows Scan App (available in Microsoft Store)
2. Open the app and select scanner → choose file type → Start scanning.

If the app doesn’t detect the scanner:

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Devices.
2. Check if the scanner appears under Other devices or Printers & scanners.

If this works, your scanner hardware and drivers are fine — only the vendor software is problematic

Method 6 – Reset the Windows Image Acquisition Folder

Sometimes, corrupted files in the WIA folder cause issues.

1. Press Windows + R, and type the following command.

C:\Windows\System32\spool

2. Delete contents inside drivers or WIA folder (don’t delete folders themselves).
3. Restart the system.

Method 7 – Disable Antivirus & Firewall

a.) Disable the Windows Security Antivirus

1. Press the Win key and type Windows Security.

2. Click on the relevant result under Best Match.

3. Next, click on Virus & Threat Protection.
4. Click on Manage Settings.
5. Slide the toggle button under Real-Time Protection towards the left to disable it.

Read Also : How To Set Up Proper Security and Firewalls on Windows

b.) Disable the Windows Firewall

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Navigate to Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Firewall & network protection.

3. Click on all network profiles (Domain, Private, or Public) one by one.

4. Under Microsoft Defender Firewall, toggle the switch to Off.

Method 8 – Reinstall the Scanner Software

Uninstall the scanner’s bundled software (from Control Panel → Programs), reboot, and reinstall the latest version from the manufacturer’s website.

Method 9 – Use SFC & DISM Commands (for corrupted system files)

The System File Checker and the Deployment Imaging Service and Management Tool are two built-in utilities that help Windows users fix corrupted and missing system files. Here is what you need to do –

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start menu.
2. Type Command Prompt.
3. Locate Command Prompt in the results and choose  Run as administrator.
4. Click Yes in the User Account Control (UAC).
5. Type the following command in the command prompt window.

sfc /scannow

6. Press the Enter key to initiate the command.

7. The SFC tool will begin scanning your PC for missing or corrupted files.
8. This utility will attempt to automatically fix issues.
9. Restart your computer.

Now, run DISM to further repair any errors with your system image

1. Launch Command Prompt in admin mode.
2. Choose Yes on the User Account Control (UAC) window..
3. Type the following command in the Command Prompt window.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

4. Press the Enter key to initiate the command.

5. Reboot your PC.

Method 10 – Disable USB selective suspend

Windows 11 might be putting your USB devices to sleep to save power. Here are the steps to prevent that.

1. Press Win + R to launch the RUN box and type Control, followed by a click on the OK button.
2. Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options.

3. Next, click on Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings.

4. Locate the USB settings and click on it to reveal other options.

5. Ensure you change both these options to Disabled.

Method 11 – Update Windows

Windows updates consist of security patches, bug fixes, new features, and more that may help fix major and minor issues on your PC. Here are the steps to update Windows.

1. Press Win + I to launch Settings.
2. Choose the Windows Update Tab in the left section.
3. Click on the “Check For Updates” button in the right panel.

4. Windows will check Microsoft Servers for updates and install them on your computer.
5. Click Advanced Options.
6. Click Optional Updates.

7. Click Driver Updates and check all the boxes.
8. Click the Download & Install button.
9. Restart your computer.

Method 12 – System Restore

The final solution is to restore your PC to the date when this error did not occur and your scanner was working properly. Here is how to do that.

1. Press the Win key and enter “System Restore”.
2. Click the “Create A Restore Point” in the search results.
3. Click the System Restore Button.

4. Click Next and select a previous restore point.

5. Click the Next and Finish button.
6. Your PC will restart and be restore to a previous point in time.

Conclusion – Are You Able To Fix Scanner Not Working On Windows 11/10?

We hope that the above troubleshooting methods have helped you fix the problem connecting to the scanner on Windows 11/10. You need to complete all the steps under each troubleshooting method one by one and check the result after every method. If you issue resolves after a method, then you may ignore the rest. Do write to us in the comments section about your issue and how you fixed it.

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Windows Cannot Connect to the Printer – Here’s What You Can Do!