How to Add a Scanner in Windows 11

To add a scanner in Windows 11, connect it and turn it on, then go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Select Add device next to Add a printer or scanner, wait for the scanner to appear, and select Add device next to its name.

Applies to: Windows 11. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 6, 2026.

Before you start

Microsoft says that in most cases Windows finds and installs a scanner by itself, whether it’s plugged into the PC or on your network. So the first thing to do is connect the scanner properly and give Windows a moment. The manual steps below are for when that doesn’t happen.

How you connect the scanner decides what to get ready:

Scanner type	What to do first
USB scanner	Plug the USB cable into the scanner and the PC, then turn the scanner on.
Wi-Fi or network scanner	Join the scanner to your network using the maker’s instructions. If both the scanner and the PC use Wi-Fi, they need to be on the same wireless network (the same network name, or SSID).
Bluetooth scanner	Turn on Bluetooth on the PC, then turn on the scanner and make it discoverable.
All-in-one printer	Connect it the way you would for printing. The scanner is added along with the printer.

An all-in-one (also called a multifunction printer) is a printer with a scanner built in. Windows may list it as a printer only, which is normal. There’s more on that below.

Add a scanner in Settings

Use these steps for a scanner connected with a USB cable. The same steps work for a network scanner once it’s on your network.

1. Connect the scanner and turn it on. Wait a minute to see if Windows sets it up without your help.
2. Select Start > Settings. You can also press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
3. Select Bluetooth & devices, then select Printers & scanners. A list of the printers and scanners Windows already knows about opens.
4. Next to Add a printer or scanner, select Add device. Windows starts searching. Microsoft notes this can take several minutes, so give it time.
5. When your scanner shows up in the results, select Add device next to it. Windows installs the scanner and adds it to the list.

If the scanner was already in the list when you opened Printers & scanners, Windows installed it for you and there’s nothing more to add.

Add a scanner that Windows can’t find

If the search ends and your scanner isn’t in the results, Windows offers a manual route on the same page.

1. Go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and select Add device.
2. Wait for the search to finish. The line The printer that I want isn’t listed appears.
3. Next to it, select Add a new device manually. The Add Printer window opens.
4. Follow the instructions in that window to finish adding the device.

The wording says “printer,” because it is the same window you use to add a printer in Windows 11, but this is the route Microsoft gives for scanners too. If the manual route doesn’t work either, the scanner probably needs its maker’s software. See the driver section below.

Add a Bluetooth scanner

Bluetooth is more common on small portable scanners than on desktop ones. Check your scanner’s manual to confirm it supports Bluetooth and to learn how to make it discoverable.

1. Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices and make sure Bluetooth is switched On. If you can’t find the switch, see how to turn on Bluetooth in Windows 11.
2. Turn on the scanner and make it discoverable.
3. Select Printers & scanners, then select Add device next to Add a printer or scanner.
4. When the scanner appears, select Add device next to it.

If your scanner is part of an all-in-one printer

Windows may show an all-in-one as a printer in the Printers & scanners list, with no separate scanner entry. To check that the scanner half was picked up, select the printer in the list. If Windows also detected it as a scanner, Scanner settings is listed as an option on the printer’s page.

If Scanner settings isn’t there, Windows is treating the device as a printer only. Installing the maker’s full software package for your model usually fixes that, because the basic driver may cover printing but not scanning.

Check that it worked with a test scan

First, confirm the scanner is installed: turn it on, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, and look for it in the list. Then run a real scan with the Windows Scan app.

1. In the search box on the taskbar, type Windows Scan. Under Apps, select Scan. If it isn’t in the results, the app isn’t installed yet. Get Windows Scan from the Microsoft Store, then open it.
2. Put a page face down on the scanner glass, or load it in the document feeder.
3. In the app, check that your scanner is the one chosen in the scanner drop-down menu.
4. In the Source menu, pick where the page is: Flatbed, Feeder, or Auto-configured.
5. In the File type menu, choose JPEG, PNG, TIFF, or Bitmap.
6. To choose where the file goes, select Show more, then select the link under Save file to.
7. Select Scan. When it finishes, select View to open the scan in the Photos app, or Close to get ready for the next one.

If you didn’t pick a location, the scan is saved in the Scans folder inside your Pictures folder. A clean scan there means the scanner is set up correctly.

Install or update the scanner driver

A driver is the small piece of software that lets Windows talk to the scanner. There are two legitimate places to get one.

• Windows Update. Microsoft recommends Windows Update for downloading and updating printer drivers, which covers all-in-ones. Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update and check for updates. If any are offered, select Download & install. Our guide on how to update Windows 11 walks through it.
• The scanner maker’s website. Find the exact model name on the scanner, go to the maker’s official site, open its support or drivers section, search for your model, pick your version of Windows, and download the software. Run the downloaded file and follow its prompts.

Only download drivers from the maker’s own site. Driver download sites run by anyone else are a common source of unwanted software.

Maker software is often worth installing even when Windows already found the scanner. Features such as two-sided scanning, the buttons on the scanner itself, or saving to other file formats may only work with it.

One exception: Microsoft says some Arm-based PCs can’t add a printer using the installer from the printer’s maker. If you have an Arm PC and an all-in-one, add it through Settings as shown above instead.

Remove a scanner and add it again

If the scanner is listed but won’t scan, removing it and adding it back gives Windows a fresh start with it.

1. Go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Select the device, select Remove, then select Yes to confirm.
3. Make sure the scanner is on and connected, then select Add device and add it again.

For an all-in-one, this removes the printer as well. Our guide on how to remove a printer from Windows 11 covers what to do if it keeps coming back.

If the scanner still doesn’t show up

• Restart the scanner. Turn it off, unplug it, plug it back in, and turn it on. Then run the search again.
• Check the USB cable. Make sure it’s pushed in firmly at both ends. Try a different USB port on the PC, and plug straight into the PC instead of through a hub.
• Check the wireless connection. Confirm the scanner’s wireless option is turned on. Many all-in-ones can run a wireless connectivity test from their own control panel. Your device’s manual explains how.
• Check that both devices are on the same network. A PC on your main Wi-Fi and a scanner on a guest network, or on a different network name, won’t see each other.
• Wait longer. The search can take several minutes. Don’t close Settings too soon.
• Run Microsoft’s troubleshooter. For an all-in-one that Windows can’t connect to, Microsoft’s printer help page offers a Run the troubleshooter in Get Help option that checks the connection for you.
• Work or school PC. Your organization may control which devices and drivers can be installed. If adding a device is blocked or asks for a password you don’t have, contact your IT support team.
• Older scanners. If the maker doesn’t offer Windows 11 software for your model, Windows may not be able to use it. Check the maker’s support page for your model before spending more time on it.

Frequently asked questions

Does Windows 11 have a built-in scanning app?

Microsoft’s app is called Windows Scan, and it appears as Scan in search results. It isn’t on every PC. If searching doesn’t find it, install it from the Microsoft Store.

Where do my scans go?

Unless you choose somewhere else under Save file to, the Windows Scan app saves to the Scans folder in your Pictures folder.

Can the Windows Scan app save a PDF?

Microsoft lists four file types for the app: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and Bitmap. PDF isn’t one of them. If you need PDFs, check whether your scanner maker’s software offers that option.

Why does my all-in-one only show up as a printer?

That’s how Windows often lists these devices. Select the printer in Printers & scanners and look for Scanner settings. If it’s there, the scanner is installed.

Can I add a wireless scanner without a USB cable?

Yes, as long as the scanner is already connected to the same network as the PC. Use the scanner’s own setup instructions to join it to your Wi-Fi, then add it in Printers & scanners.

Do I have to install the manufacturer’s software?

Not always. If Windows adds the scanner and a test scan works, you can stop there. Install the maker’s software if Windows can’t find the scanner or you want features the Windows Scan app doesn’t have.

Microsoft’s full reference is Install and use a scanner in Windows. Once your test scan looks right, you’re ready to scan your real documents.