How do I set up my printer as a scanner?

Question

How do I set up my printer as a scanner?

Heather Fuller 0

I have renamed my printer and now I need to know how to set it up as a scanner.

John Jefferson Doyon 89,910 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-08-24T19:08:39.8766667+00:00

Hi, @Heather Fuller

What is the exact make and model of your printer?

Also, is it connected to the PC by USB or Wi-Fi?
Leslie Taylor 0 Reputation points

2026-09-05T18:48:32.04+00:00

HP ENVY 4500 Wireless Printer

Difficulty printing a document by laptop or iphone

2 answers

Your answer

John Jefferson Doyon 89,910 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-08-24T19:08:39.8766667+00:00

Hi, @Heather Fuller

What is the exact make and model of your printer?

Also, is it connected to the PC by USB or Wi-Fi?
Leslie Taylor 0 Reputation points

2026-09-05T18:48:32.04+00:00

HP ENVY 4500 Wireless Printer

Difficulty printing a document by laptop or iphone

Answer 1

Welcome Heather Fuller,

I understand how frustrating it can be after renaming your printer, you need help setting it up for scanning.

Before we continue, could you please confirm:

Does the scanner appear in the Windows Scan app?

In addition to Q&A Assist's suggested steps, please try these extra checks to move forward:

Option 1: Check whether the scanner is detected by Windows.

Open Start and search for Scan.
Open the Windows Scan app and see if the scanner is listed.

Option 2: Verify scanner installation.

Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
Select the printer and look for scanner-related options.

Option 3: Update the device driver.

Open Device Manager.
Expand Imaging devices or Printers.
Right-click the device and select Update driver.

Option 4: Check the Windows Image Acquisition service.

Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
Locate Windows Image Acquisition (WIA).
Ensure it is running and set to Automatic.

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Emma1-N 13,780 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-28T03:13:46.25+00:00

Hello Heather Fuller,

I just wanted to check if my previous response addressed your question correctly. If there is anything I may have misunderstood, I would truly appreciate it if you could provide a bit more detail to help me better understand your needs.

Answer 2

If the printer already has scanning hardware, renaming it does not add scanning by itself. Windows needs to detect the scanner portion of the device again.

Try these steps in Windows 11:

Open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
Select the renamed printer.
If scan options are available, use the scanner from there.
If the scanner does not appear, remove the device:
- In Printers & scanners, select the printer.
- Select Remove and confirm.
Re-add it:
- In Printers & scanners, next to Add a printer or scanner, select Add device.
- Wait for Windows to find the printer/scanner.
- Select it and complete setup.

If it is a USB multifunction printer and the scanner still is not detected, try this reconnect sequence:

Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
Remove the affected printer.
Disconnect the USB cable.
Reconnect the USB device.

If Windows detects the scanner again, it should become available for scanning.

If the device is Bluetooth, make sure it is turned on and discoverable, then go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Add device and add it again.