How to properly scan documents to a computer using a printer

What devices support this function

In the modern world, in order to obtain a photocopy, it is not at all necessary to spend your time looking for firms or companies offering such a service. Everything can be done at home with the appropriate equipment. A separate class of devices that offer scanning or copying capabilities are called MFPs, or multifunctional devices. This is a technique that has three possibilities at once - a printer, a scanner and a copier.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION!

There is a wide variety of such machines on the market, which differ in size, speed of operation, the ability to issue full-color printing and the presence of additional options. The cost is set depending on the class of the device and its functionality.

If we consider the capabilities of modern printing or scanning devices, it is more difficult to find those that do not have the function of photocopying. As a rule, these are the simplest printers, endowed only with the ability to print text or images.

Before purchasing, you should carefully read the instructions or consult with the seller to determine the availability of the required function. Also, you can often understand the purpose of the device only by its appearance. A conventional printer that is used for printing has one paper tray, and the output of the finished sheet is at the top.

MFPs are large in size, since there are several trays and additional mechanics for scanning and printing inside at once. As a rule, the scanning surface in the form of a glass block is on top and covered with a plastic cover, which is often removable to facilitate photocopying of bulky materials. Additionally, the multifunctional device can be provided with several trays for loading paper and outputting finished products.

How to choose a cheap and reliable MFP for home use: rating of popular models.In a special publication of our portal, we will tell you in detail how to choose an MFP. You will learn what an MFP is, what it is for, types of MFPs for home use and the main technical parameters of MFPs.

Preparatory work

Before starting scanning or even simple printing, the device requires preparatory steps. How to make a photocopy on a printer?

The first steps are taken in a specific sequence:

1. Connecting the MFP to a computer or checking if the connection is correct. It is necessary to connect the printing device via the USB port. Modern technologies called Plug and Play allow you to connect without having to restart Windows.
   

   

2. The next step is to plug in the device or press the power button on the case.
3. If the connection is made for the first time, then beforehand for the correct operation of the device, you will need to install the drivers. Despite the fact that the operating system in most cases independently determines which software software should be installed for a specific model, most often common kits are installed drivers. This threatens that some important functions may not work correctly.
   

   

4. If there is no disk, you can download the drivers directly from the manufacturer's official website. As a rule, to get the software you need, you will need to enter the full model name and select the appropriate installation file to download.

IMPORTANT!

Very often, manufacturers do not complete the device with a cable for connecting an MFP to a computer. Therefore, you should be puzzled in advance with this issue and buy a cord or clarify the completeness.

After the installation process is complete, the operating system will recognize the newly connected device, which will be displayed in the appropriate section of the explorer (the "Printers and Faxes" folder). The full name of the device is most often used as a name, including an alphabetic or numeric index. Having installed the device, it is required to determine through which software product the process of interaction between the OS and the MFP will be carried out. You can simply use the built-in tools of the operating system, which are limited in functionality. If there is a question how to photocopy on a printer correctly and get perfect scanned copies of documents or graphic files, it is best to consider using third-party software specially designed for scan.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION!

Each MFP comes with a CD or USB drive, which contains the necessary software from the manufacturer, specially developed for a specific printing device.

How to connect a printer to a laptop: an analysis of popular methods on different operating systems.In a special publication of our portal, we will tell you in detail how to connect a printer to a laptop. You will learn the basic connection methods, software installation methods and follow the connection instructions for models from different manufacturers.

How to scan documents to a computer through a scanner

To start scanning the required documents or photos, you must first configure the device. Further, the question of how to make a scan to a computer from a printer involves the use of the "Wizard for working with a scanner", which is available in the operating system. The sequence of steps for simple scanning and saving the file to the hard disk of the PC is as follows:

1. Switch on the device and check the cleanliness of the glass surface under the top cover.
   

   

2. Next, you need to put the text or photo that you want to scan, face down, adhering to the dimension markers applied at the edges of the scanning area.
3. Close the lid.
4. The next step is to go to the "Control Panel" and select the item "Hardware and Sound".
5. Then the user needs to go to the "Devices and Printers" item.
6. Having found your device, you need to press the right mouse button until the context menu appears, where you should select the "Start Scanning" item.
7. Then you can select the options you want and click on "Preview".
8. A window will open with a preview of the scanned document. Here you can adjust the dimensions by dragging the borders or select the image quality settings. If the user is satisfied with everything, the next step is to click the "Scan" button.
9. In just a few seconds, the device will perform the scanning procedure, after which the file can be saved to a computer or immediately sent to print.

Features of copying text information

When scanning documents, this is especially true for personal papers (passport, certificates or statements), a high quality copy is required so that all signs, letters and numbers remain readable. Next, follow the steps:

1. Remove document from covers or file folders that might interfere with scanning.
2. It is recommended to set “shades of gray” in the device settings, and set the optimal resolution at 300 dpi.
3. Place the document on the scanner surface and close the cover securely.
4. Be sure to enable preview to get an idea of ​​how the scan will turn out and check the detail.
5. Next, you need to click the "Scan" button and check the resulting picture.
6. Save the file to your hard drive. It is advisable to save in .tiff or .bmp formats, which better convey monochrome images.

How to scan a photo to a computer via a printer

Instructions on how to make a photo scanner on a printer are practically no different from a similar scheme for text documents.

IMPORTANT!

Before placing photos on the scanning surface, make sure that they are free of spots, dust or dirt.

The algorithm of actions will be as follows:

1. Connect the MFP to the PC and turn it on.
2. Place the image face down.
3. It is advisable to use special software when scanning a photographic image, which allows you to make adjustments.
4. When setting the resolution, it is recommended to use the maximum quality settings.
5. During scanning, do not tamper with the settings or open the cover to avoid distortion.
6. The finished scanned copy can be saved on a personal computer in any convenient format.
7. Further, it will be useful to use a graphical editor, which has more functionality than the built-in program of the scanner itself or the operating system application.

Document scanning software capabilities

How to scan a document in Word

To obtain a text document based on a scanned image, it takes two stages: actually obtaining a scanned copy and its further recognition by means of a special programs. The scanning process takes place according to the algorithm described above. The only recommendation would be to set the maximum available resolution - 400-600 dpi, which will facilitate the recognition procedure.

The most important step for obtaining a text document from a scanned image is image recognition. This is done without the involvement of a copier.

For recognition purposes, you can use programs such as Adobe FineReader (paid) or FineReader (free), or find a suitable online service that offers recognition capabilities completely is free.

The general stages of recognition are as follows:

1. Launching the program.
2. Loading an image into it.
3. Determine the part of the document that you want to recognize.
4. Set the type of data that will be received at the output.
5. Press the "Recognize" button, which may have a different external design depending on the application.
6. Save the received document in .doc or .docx format.

The last step will be to open the saved file in Word and make adjustments, because even the most expensive paid OCR software can violate formatting.

BY THE WAY!

Microsoft Office, starting in version 2013, has a built-in function for recognizing and editing .pdf files. This simplifies the process of working with documents that have been scanned through the MFP.

How to scan a pdf document

Documents in pdf format are increasingly found in the workflow. This is due to the wide possibilities that this method of storing data presents. The PDF document can contain full color pictures, text diagrams, and comments. Also, with proper saving and the presence of special software, such files can be edited.

The process of scanning a document or photo for a final pdf file is no different from a simple copying procedure. The only difference is in setting the output format in the settings. During the scanning process, the user can set the resolution, give the final file a name and write the path for saving.

Features of working with specific models of MFPs on the example of Canon and HP

How to scan to a computer using a Canon printer

To scan documents using the technology of this well-known brand and recognized leader in the production of printing devices, the first step is to install the correct drivers. They are located on the disc included in the kit. Also, the official site contains an exhaustive archive of installation files for installing software for all models.

To make a copy using a Canon scanner you need:

1. Open the lid.
2. Place a document or photo face down.
3. Press the "Scan" or "Start" button on the device itself.
4. Eat a copy from the output bin.

Scanning by means of a PC is carried out by using the "Scan Wizard" of the operating system or by means of a proprietary utility Canon MF Toolbox, which offers a wide range of useful functions for copying, scanning and even editing Images.

How to scan to a computer through an HP printer

A company that competes with Canon in the printing market. To work with a copier or scanner, you need to install the appropriate driver, which can be attached as a disk or downloaded from the official website. Also, for convenience, the user can install the proprietary HP Scanner Utility. This feature is built into all drivers released after 2011. It contains a large number of scanner settings. The scanning process itself is launched in the application that opens after selecting the "Scan document or photo" item.

Also, for device models released after 2010, the HP Solution Center app is available to online, start scanning tasks, change settings, save the received scans in various formats.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION!

With HP Solution Center, the user can automatically attach scanned documents to email. This feature is available by default for Microsoft Outlook, Live Mail, and Mozilla Thunderbird. If you use other mail clients, you need to set up a local account.

Problems arising from the operation of the MFP

Why won't the printer scan my document to my computer

There are several reasons that lead to the inability to scan documents using an MFP or scanner:

1. The program is not responding. In this case, the solution is to reboot the device. If the usual on / off does not help, then you should turn off the device for 60 seconds and turn it on again.
2. Mistake. Sometimes the device may experience errors that have their own code. It can be sent to technical support for comprehensive troubleshooting information.
   

   

3. There are a lot of documents in the queue. Sometimes, when there are many files to be executed in the print queue, the MFP may slow down and not complete the task. To eliminate it, you just need to wait for the completion of the running processes or stop them forcibly by right-clicking and selecting "End task".
4. Driver problems. If the device driver has crashed, you will need to reinstall it.

Why does the printer scan but not print from the computer

The reasons for not printing are not because of scanner problems, but because of problems with the printer itself. This can happen:

1. If the current device is not installed or configured correctly.
2. In the event of a "crash" of the printer driver.
3. If there is a problem with the cartridge or continuous ink supply system.
4. In case of hardware breakdowns of the printing unit itself.

The last problem can only be eliminated by contacting a specialized service for repairs.

Video instructions for scanning documents using the MFP are shown in the video: