Can someone tell me how to correct the “Scanners not appearing” message

Question

After a new PC install (W11) Under Settings, Printers and Scanners at the bottom under Scanner Settings, More information I get a ? “Scanners not appearing” error. I feel confident the printer/scanner works OK as it does on my W10 pc. On the W11 system when I press Scan on the printer/scanner I do NOT get the Paperport window that I do on my W10 pc, and I get a "Reading from Device" message. I do get a low-resolution image, indicating to me that it's not a hardware problem. The new W11 system was actually an upgrade from W10, and it had the same issue. on my older W10 system when I scan on my Brother printer/scanner it pops up a Nuance Paperport screen, and I get high-resolution scans.

Answer 1

It's unreal microsoft continues breaking things with windows 11 with no solutions.

Answer 2

After a new PC install (W11) Under Settings, Printers and Scanners at the bottom under Scanner Settings, More information I get a ? “Scanners not appearing” error. I feel confident the printer/scanner works OK as it does on my W10 pc. On the W11 system when I press Scan on the printer/scanner I do NOT get the Paperport window that I do on my W10 pc, and I get a "Reading from Device" message. I do get a low-resolution image, indicating to me that it's not a hardware problem. The new W11 system was actually an upgrade from W10, and it had the same issue. on my older W10 system when I scan on my Brother printer/scanner it pops up a Nuance Paperport screen, and I get high-resolution scans.

I'm sorry for the delay, Someone at Microsoft thought just because I changed my backup/alternate e-mail address, I didn't need functionality of replying or adding to messages to this forum.

Is ANYONE else getting the "Scanners Not Appearing" message with their Scanner issues (Settings, "Printers & Scanners" at the bottom More information. I'm really wanting to move the W11 full time, but I need the High-Res scanning from my hard-wired Brother MFC-6490CW. The MS Scan app is low res only.

Answer 3

After a new PC install (W11) Under Settings, Printers and Scanners at the bottom under Scanner Settings, More information I get a ? “Scanners not appearing” error. I feel confident the printer/scanner works OK as it does on my W10 pc. On the W11 system when I press Scan on the printer/scanner I do NOT get the Paperport window that I do on my W10 pc, and I get a "Reading from Device" message. I do get a low-resolution image, indicating to me that it's not a hardware problem. The new W11 system was actually an upgrade from W10, and it had the same issue. on my older W10 system when I scan on my Brother printer/scanner it pops up a Nuance Paperport screen, and I get high-resolution scans.

I'm sorry for the delay, Someone at Microsoft thought just because I changed my backup/alternate e-mail address, I didn't need functionality of replying or adding to messages to this forum.

Is ANYONE else getting the "Scanners Not Appearing" message with their Scanner issues (Settings, "Printers & Scanners" at the bottom More information. I'm really wanting to move the W11 full time, but I need the High-Res scanning from my hard-wired Brother MFC-6490CW. The MS Scan app is low res only.

Yes, I am. I've tried everything. I can print from the PC and I can scan from the PC using the Windows Scan app but when I try to scan from the Brother printer/scanner it says it can't connect to PC. And if I try to use the Brother Utility it says "Failed to connect to the device". Reinstalled Brother software and drivers. I also can't connect using WiFi. It finds the ssid but when I enter the PW it fails. I tried WPS and it fails. Tried to use Ethernet but the PC doesn't find it. I have to use USB which at least lets me print. So it may be something to do with the printer/scanner. It used to work over WiFi.

Answer 4

The Brother support site has the following page on this issue: https://help.brother-usa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/187053?R3ModelID=MFC9560CDW&_gl=11b1qjxl_gcl_auMTMxNjkzMjEzNy4xNzM5MTMyMTQ3_gaMjA0NDk0NTE5OC4xNzM5MTMyMTQ3_ga_NCEW43SJ8W*MTczOTgwNTc2NC4zLjEuMTczOTgwNTkyMC41NC4wLjExMDgzODU5NjE  It cites Windows 11 version 24H2 and says to contact Microsoft. FYI

Answer 5

Hello, RaptorGuy

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

Hello, thanks for reporting your issue here, it looks like your Brother printer/scanner is not working properly on Windows 11, but is working fine on Windows 10. The "Scanner not showing" message usually indicates a driver or software issue, which is common after upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

I'll give you some general suggestions to troubleshoot first:

1. Check Windows 11 compatibility

Make sure your Brother printer/scanner is fully compatible with Windows 11. While most modern printers and scanners are compatible, it's best to confirm whether Brother has provided dedicated drivers or software for Windows 11.

Visit the Brother website and search for your printer/scanner model.

Check the Drivers section to see if there are any drivers available for Windows 11. If there are no dedicated Windows 11 drivers, you can try installing the latest Windows 10 drivers, which usually work fine on Windows 11 as well. You can also provide the model number of your device here and I'll check it for you.

2. Update the printer/scanner driver

Even if you've upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11, Windows 11 may not detect your printer/scanner correctly. You can manually install the correct driver:

Open Device Manager: right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.

Find your Scanner, usually under Imaging Devices, or Printer, usually under Printers.

Right-click your Printer/Scanner and select Update Driver.

Select Search automatically for updated drivers to see if Windows can find the latest compatible driver.

If no update is found, you can visit the Brother website to manually download the latest driver for your model and follow the instructions provided to install it.

3. Reinstall Nuance PaperPort

If you do not see the PaperPort window when scanning (this is a normal experience on Windows 10), the scanning software may not be properly installed or updated. You can reinstall it by following these steps:

Uninstall Nuance PaperPort via Settings > Apps > Installed Apps.

Reinstall PaperPort using the original installation disc or by downloading it from the Nuance website. Make sure you download the latest version that is compatible with Windows 11.

During the installation process, ensure that the scanner driver and PaperPort software are properly integrated.

4. Install the Brother Software Suite

Some Brother printer/scanner features, such as high-resolution scanning or launching software such as PaperPort, may require special software from Brother. You can download the full Brother ControlCenter software suite, which provides an interface for scanning, printer management, and settings configuration:

Visit the Brother website and find your model.

Download the full Brother ControlCenter software package.

Install and follow the instructions to configure.

5. Check Windows 11 built-in scanning capabilities

Windows 11 has a built-in scanning tool called Windows Scan. However, this tool may sometimes not work well with certain scanner models. Here are the steps to make sure it works properly:

Open the Microsoft Store and download the Windows Scan app if it is not already installed.

After installing, try to scan with it.

If you experience low resolution or "Reading device" issues, it may be that Windows Scan is using the default low-resolution mode. Make sure the scan settings are configured to high resolution in the app.

6. Check the scanner settings

Open Settings and go to Devices > Printers & Scanners.

Select your Brother printer/scanner, click Manage, and then select Scanner Setup or Advanced Setup (depending on your model).

Make sure the scanner is configured correctly and that Resolution is set for high-resolution scanning.

7. Make sure the scanner is the default device

In Printers & Scanners, check if your Brother scanner is set as the default device. If not, you may need to select it and click Set as Default.

8. Check the USB or network connection

Since you are upgrading from Windows 10, you need to make sure the scanner is still properly connected to the PC:

If it is a USB connection, try using a different USB port or changing the USB cable, or connecting to another PC to rule out hardware issues.

If it is a Network connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), make sure the printer/scanner is connected to the same network as the PC.

9. Run the Windows Troubleshooter

Windows 11 has a built-in troubleshooter that can help identify and fix problems with your printer/scanner:

Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooting.

Find Printers and click Run to let Windows automatically detect and fix any problems.

10. Reset Windows 11 Scan Settings

If none of the above fixes the problem, you may need to reset Windows 11 scan settings:

Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners.

Select the Brother scanner and click Remove device.

Restart your computer.

Re-add the scanner by selecting Add a device and follow the on-screen instructions.

Best regards

Bobhe | Microsoft Community Support Specialist