Why is My Scanner Not Working Properly?

Last Updated on October 25, 2016 by Christian Ralph

Having a reliable, high-quality scanner at hand is a must-have for any business that depends on uploading digital copies of essential documents. Unfortunately, while the devices can be essential to the everyday workings of your business, there will be occasions when something goes wrong.

If this should happen to you, there are some important checks you should make before coming to the conclusion that perhaps your scanner has outlived its purpose.

If you’re in a situation where you may be asking yourself why your scanner is not working properly, we have detailed the most common scenarios as to why this may be happening, and how to resolve these scanner issues as quickly as possible.

Scan Not Successful

If you are ever confronted by this message, it is likely an issue with your local connection, meaning you should check any physical connections to your scanning device.

Your first port-of-call would be to double-check if your printer or multifunction device is ready to print. Check again if your scanner is switched on, as many scanners automatically go into standby mode if left idly for long enough.

If this has been checked, you should then check your wired connection to see if that’s the cause of your scanner problem. Sometimes you can have a faulty USB cable or port, in which case you should use a different one and see if that resolves the issue.

If you are seeing this error and are using a port replicator or a docking station to connect your scanner to your computer, it may be worthwhile attempting to connect the two devices directly and see if the issue remains.

Scanner Not Working on Windows 10

If you’re working with a system using Window’s current iteration, it is best to double check whether your scanner is compatible with this version.

Most scanners will require you to update their drivers from time to time, which is easily done by going to the manufacturer’s website. Once you have downloaded the most recent driver for Windows 10, your system should be able to work with your device.

If your model doesn’t offer Windows 10 support directly, simply download the most recent driver for Windows 7 or 8, both of which are compatible with Windows 10 systems.

Scanner Taking Too long

If your scanner is taking longer than usual, there are a few things you can do try and speed up the process.

First of all, the delay in scan speed might simply be a result of your system being slowed down by the number of programs you are currently running. Try closing down a couple of programs and in most cases, you will see some improved performance from your scanner.

If your scanner continues to be slow, you may want to check what kind of USB port you are using. Computers with USB 2.0 ports are known to have much faster scanning speeds than those using USB 1.1 ports. However, sometimes an issue with scanning speed can occur when your scanner doesn’t support USB 2.0 ports. To check this, take a look at your system requirements as well as your scanner’s user manual to see if you are using the correct USB cable.

One last thing you can try is reducing your scanning resolution in your settings menu. Sometimes a higher resolution can be quite taxing on your scanner, which is why lowering it when productivity slows down might just help speed up the process.

Poor Image Scanning quality

If your scanner is having issues when it comes to image quality, there are a number of potential issues you should check for to get to the root of the cause.

For instance, your scanner may have already detected the issue and tried to make you aware of it with an error message. Check for any of these messages and follow the instructions if there is one that fits the description of your scanner problem.

Sometimes, a problem with image quality can be a result of the glass on your scanner becoming dirty or dusty over time. If you are experiencing some image distortion, try cleaning your glass with a microfiber cloth to remove any smudges or other unwanted contaminants and attempt your scan again.

Another issue might be a result of the quality of what you are trying to scan, rather than the scanner itself. To determine whether this is the case, try and scan a different document that does not have any creases or blemishes, and see if the quality of the scan changes at all.

Partial Scan

Another issue you may encounter is the occasional partial scan. This is where parts of your document will not register and as a result will not show the entire document. If this is something you are experiencing, check the resolution of your scan settings and see if that is the cause of your distortion.

If everything seems to be in order in that regard, check that your paper size setting matches the size of the paper you’re currently scanning. To change custom paper size, select your scan settings, click the customise option on the paper tab, select the change button and customise the setting to what you need.

If you would like to learn more about how to resolve scanner issues in greater detail, feel free to contact us and a member of our team will be happy to share their expertise on scanners to get your device working as efficiently as possible.