Digitizing your cherished photos is a wonderful way to preserve memories and share them easily. Scanning photos to your computer allows you to create digital backups, enhance images, and incorporate them into various projects. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up your scanner and scanning photos directly to your Windows computer.
Whether you have a dedicated photo scanner or a multifunction printer, Windows is designed to recognize and install most scanners automatically. Network scanners, including wireless and Bluetooth models, or those connected to another computer and shared on your network, should be detected seamlessly. However, if your scanner isn’t automatically detected, don’t worry! We’ll cover manual installation as well.
Let’s get started on making your physical photos digital.
Automatically Installing Your Scanner on Windows
Windows often makes connecting devices straightforward. Here’s how to check if your scanner installs automatically:
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Begin by opening the Settings app. The quickest way to get there is by right-clicking the Start menu icon located at the bottom left of your screen, and then selecting Settings from the context menu.
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In the Settings window, navigate to the Bluetooth & devices section and then click on Printers & scanners. Alternatively, you can use this direct shortcut: Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners in your web browser to jump directly to the correct settings page.
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Once you are in the Printers & scanners settings, Windows will automatically start searching for available scanners on your network. This process might take a few moments, so be patient while Windows scans for devices.
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After the search is complete, any network scanners it finds will be listed under the Printers & scanners window. Locate your scanner in the list. Once you’ve found it, click the Add device button that appears next to your scanner’s name.
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Windows will now proceed to install your selected scanner. Once the installation is finished, your scanner will be listed as an installed device in the Printers & scanners window, ready for you to use to scan your photos.
Manually Adding Your Scanner if It’s Not Automatically Detected
If Windows doesn’t automatically find your scanner, you can easily add it manually:
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Follow steps 1 and 2 above to get to the Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners settings window.
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In the Printers & scanners window, if your scanner isn’t listed, look for the option that says Add printer or scanner and click the Add device button.
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If, after a few minutes, your scanner still doesn’t appear in the list, click the link that says Add a new device manually, usually located next to the text “The printer that I want isn’t listed”.
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Clicking this link will open the Add Printer window, which will guide you through a manual installation process. Follow the on-screen instructions. This might involve selecting your scanner from a list of manufacturers and models, or providing the scanner’s network address if it’s a network scanner.
