How to scan from printer to computer – it’s easy!

Do you want to scan your documents and photos from printer to computer? It’s very easy! These instructions will show you how to scan from printer to computer, but first let’s discuss the basics of what you will need in order to scan from printer to computer. You will need three things in order to be able to successfully scan from printer to computer.

Install the right software

To be able to print something, you first need to have a printer. To connect your printer to your computer and make sure they communicate, you need some software called drivers. If you have a brand new computer or a relatively new one, chances are there is no need for drivers. They should come pre-installed on your operating system. When in doubt, check with your manufacturer of choice (HP, Dell, etc.). The most common cause of connection issues comes from outdated drivers. Keep them up-to-date and printing should work like a charm. If you don’t know how to how to unpause a printer , You can check

Attach a scanner

Before you can do anything with your scanned images, you need to attach a scanner. Scanners are available for purchase for less than $100 and are extremely simple to install; generally, all you need is an available USB port. For example, with HP printers/scanners, when your computer asks if you’d like to attach a new device during startup (this will be after booting up and before logging in), simply click Yes on screen. Once your driver is installed, attaching your scanner is as simple as plugging it into an outlet. That’s it! Note: if you’re not able to complete these steps during startup and instead have to go through Windows or Mac OS X settings options on bootup, check out our guide here.

Adjust your scanning settings

As with most printers, you’ll need to adjust your scanner settings. For any given scan, you’ll want to choose Color and Grayscale in addition to (depending on what you’re scanning) 200 dpi, 300 dpi, or 400 dpi. To get started, go into Control Panel and double-click on Printer Properties. In there, click on Paper/Quality Tab, select Settings, then click Scanner Tab. From there, adjust as necessary for a clear image: If your document is text-heavy—you can likely set a lower resolution for clearer results when scanning documents; if it’s a photo—set as high of resolution as possible for more detail.

Scanning documents and photos

The built-in scanner on most modern printers can be used to scan important documents and photos. Using a scanner has several advantages over using a digital camera: you get higher resolution images and don’t have to worry about capturing reflections, as you would when taking a photo of a page or printed image. Check your manual for your specific model, but here are some general tips on scanning documents and photos with your printer.

Scanning with multiple pages

If you want to scan documents with multiple pages, put your pages in a stack. If they’re bound by staples or paper clips, remove them first so they don’t appear in your image. Press Start and then align your document along a horizontal edge of your scanner glass. Hold it steady while scanning and remove once finished. Make sure there is enough room on both sides of each page to ensure no distortion occurs during scanning.

Document along a horizontal edge of your scanner glass

To start scanning, you need to place your original face down in a vertical position along one edge of your scanner glass. For example, if you want to scan a picture or photo, place your photo on top of your scanner glass such that one side of the picture is parallel with one side of your scanner glass. If you’re scanning a document, align any word at least partially with one side of your scanner glass. In other words, make sure at least some text in each scanned line will be printed along that edge. If you are scanning both sides of an original document or photograph, ensure that both sides are aligned with a side of the scanner. That way all pages will be scanned front and back without any issues.