All-in-one printers from the likes of Canon, Epson, Ricoh, and Brother have made office work all the more simple. These printers do so much more than printing, boasting scanning and copying capability, and sometimes a fax feature as well.
If you own such a printer, you may be wondering how you scan documents to get them on your computer.
This article is here to help you so that you can get scanning whether using a Windows or Mac operating system.
So, without further ado, let’s get to telling you how to scan.
Step By Step Guide To Scanning From Printer To Computer Using Windows
A. CONNECTION
Ensure that the computer you want to use and the printer you want to use are connected and turned on. This connection can be done wither through wires (such as entry via USB port) or wirelessly (via Wi-Fi network, Wi-Fi Direct, or Bluetooth.
B. PREPARING DOCUMENT FOR SCANNING
Take your document, and place it face down on the glass of the scanner portion of the printer. The side you intend to scan should be facing the glass. Ensure it is aligned within the boundaries of the glass, and then close the lid.
C. FIND WINDOWS FAX AND SCAN
In the lower-left of your screen (using Windows 10), you should see the Windows icon. To the right of this should be the search icon. Click on the search icon and type ‘Windows Fax and Scan’. Click ‘Windows Fax and Scan’
D. NEW SCAN
You should see a tab that says ‘New Scan’. Click this. After clicking, a new window should open.
E. CHECK PRINTER IS CORRECT
You should be able to see the printer you want to use written in the upper left corner of the window that just opened. If it is not there, you need to change it. There should be a ‘Change’ icon. Click this icon and select the correct printer.
F. SELECT SETTINGS
There are four stages to this:
- Select the file type you wish to use from the ‘Profile’ section
- Choose to scan either in color or black and white
- Pick the file type you wish the documents to be saved as
- Change any settings such as brightness and resolution as you wish
G. PREVIEW THE SCAN
Check everything is okay with the document, including alignment using the ‘Preview’ option. If anything needs an adjustment, do it now. Should you have adjusted anything, check again with another ‘Preview’.
H. SCAN THE DOCUMENT
You’re ready to scan the document. Do this by clicking ‘scan’.
If you haven’t changed the default path for scans, you will find your scan in ‘Documents’ in a folder titled ‘Scanned Documents’. The scan may be in a folder named with the date the scan was taken.
Step By Step Guide To Scanning From Printer To Computer Using Mac
A. CONNECTING THE PRINTER
Ensure the printer you are using is connected to your Mac either through cables or wirelessly.
B. OPEN APPLE MENU
To do this, click on the Apple logo, which is found on the home screen’s left-hand side.
C. LOCATE YOUR PRINTER
Click System Preferences > Scanners and Printers
You should see the printer you want to use in the column on the left-hand side. Click this.
D. MAKE ADJUSTMENTS
Click Scan > Open Scanner > Show Details
This screen is where you will:
- Choose your desired file format under ‘Format’
- Choose whether to use color or black and white under ‘Kind’
- Pick the location the scan will save to using ‘Scan to’
- Make any adjustments to size, resolution, brightness, and other settings
E. SCAN YOUR DOCUMENT
Once everything is set up, click ‘Scan’. Your newly scanned document can be found in the location you set when you picked it in ‘Scan to’.
Conclusion
There you have it!
Scanning a document using your all-in-one printer couldn’t be any simpler.
We’ve outlined the process using both Windows and Mac. Should you need assistance using any other operating system, we recommend using YouTube to find some instructional videos.
If you are still having difficulty with Mac or Windows-based scanning, don’t forget that there are many forums online from where you can receive outstanding technical help.