Fix Scanner Not Detected by Windows Fax and Scan on Windows 11

Quick fix: Windows Fax and Scan needs the scanner driver and the Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service. Open services.msc, find Windows Image Acquisition (WIA), set Startup type to Automatic and Start. Then in Windows Fax and Scan, click New Scan → Change → pick scanner. If scanner doesn’t appear, install the manufacturer’s WIA driver.

You connect a flatbed scanner or all-in-one printer/scanner. Windows shows it as a printer but doesn’t recognize the scanner side. Open Windows Fax and Scan → New Scan → no scanners available. The cause is usually the WIA service stopped, the wrong driver, or scanner-side configuration.

What causes this

Scanners use the WIA (Windows Image Acquisition) service to communicate with apps. If WIA service is stopped or disabled, no scanner appears. Also: many multifunction printers (HP OfficeJet, Canon Pixma, Brother MFC) install printer drivers automatically but require a separate scanner driver download. Network scanners need additional discovery setup.

Method 1: Start WIA service and re-detect

The standard fix.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, press Enter.
2. Scroll to Windows Image Acquisition (WIA). Right-click → Properties.
3. Set Startup type to Automatic. Click Start if not running. Apply.
4. Also check these dependencies (must all be running):
   • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
   • Shell Hardware Detection
   • DCOM Server Process Launcher
5. Verify in PowerShell:

   Get-Service stisvc, RpcSs, ShellHWDetection, DcomLaunch | Format-Table Name, Status, StartType

   All should be Running.

6. Open Windows Fax and Scan (search Start menu).
7. Click New Scan → Change. Pick your scanner from the list.
8. If scanner now appears: scan a test page. If still not appearing: see Method 2.

This resolves most “scanner not detected” cases.

Method 2: Install manufacturer scanner driver

For multifunction printer scanners that need separate driver.

1. Identify your device. Note the model.
2. Visit the manufacturer’s support site. Look for the model. Download the full driver package (not just printer-only).
3. Common URLs:
   • HP: support.hp.com
   • Canon: canon.com/support
   • Brother: support.brother.com
   • Epson: epson.com/support
4. Run installer. Choose Full Feature Software if option appears (printer + scanner + utilities).
5. For network printers: ensure the printer’s IP/hostname matches what Windows knows. The scanner uses the same connection.
6. Reboot.
7. Open Windows Fax and Scan → New Scan. Scanner should now appear.
8. Alternatively, use the vendor’s scan app instead of Windows Fax and Scan: HP Smart, Canon IJ Scan Utility, Brother iPrint&Scan, Epson Scan 2. Often more features than Windows’s built-in.

Vendor driver is the right path for most multifunction devices.

Method 3: Configure network scanner discovery

For Wi-Fi or Ethernet scanners.

1. Verify the scanner is on the same network as your PC. Print a Network Configuration Report from the scanner to confirm IP and connectivity.
2. In Windows: Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → Add device.
3. Windows scans for devices. The scanner should appear in the list with a Scanner icon.
4. If not appearing: click Add manually. Pick Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth scanner. Enter the IP or hostname.
5. For network scanners that show as printer only: open Windows Fax and Scan → Tools → Scan Routing. Add the scanner manually with its IP.
6. For SMB-based scan-to-folder (HP Enterprise, Canon imageRunner): different setup. Scanner pushes files to a network share. Configure share on Windows, share path/credentials in scanner’s admin web page.
7. For TWAIN scanners: install TWAIN driver from manufacturer. Use TWAIN-compatible apps (Photoshop, IrfanView) for scanning — Windows Fax and Scan only supports WIA.

This handles network scanner specifics.

How to verify the fix worked

• Open Windows Fax and Scan. Click New Scan. Scanner appears in the list.
• Choose the scanner. Click Scan. Test page scans and saves.
• Run Get-Service stisvc | Format-Table Name, Status in PowerShell. WIA shows Running.

If none of these work

If scanner still not detected: Cable/port issue: try a different USB port. Try a different cable. Built-in front USB ports on desktops can have power issues; use rear ports. Power cycle the scanner: turn off, wait 30 seconds, turn on. Scanner may have stuck firmware state. Driver conflict: remove all existing scanner driver entries. Settings → Apps → Installed apps → uninstall scanner software. Device Manager → Imaging devices → uninstall device. Reboot. Reinstall driver fresh. For scanner that worked before: roll back recent Windows update via Settings → Windows Update → Update history → Uninstall updates. Some cumulative updates have broken scanner compatibility temporarily. For 64-bit Windows with old 32-bit drivers: scanner manufacturers (especially older HP, older Canon) may not provide 64-bit drivers. Check that driver is for your Windows architecture. For TWAIN-only scanners: try NAPS2 (free, opensource) which supports both WIA and TWAIN with a simpler interface than Windows Fax and Scan.

Bottom line: Start the WIA service. Install manufacturer’s full driver package. For network scanners, add manually via Settings → Printers & scanners → Add device.