Even in this day and age where almost everything is online and virtual, it still can't be helped that you will become some concrete documents. And the best fashion to preserve these documents is to browse them and save them on your hard drive, cloud storage, or NAS.

To exercise so, you demand a multifunction or all-in-one printer. However, these devices can be confusing to set and employ. They often crave different apps and drivers, even if you lot're using other models from the same maker.

Luckily, both Windows and Mac let you to practise it easily. Here'southward how.

Scanning on Windows

If you're a Windows user, your computer will automatically detect your device once it'southward plugged in via the USB port. Whether your printer is a wireless or network device, Windows will automatically detect it, provided it'due south continued to your network or to the estimator's Bluetooth connection.

Still, if your computer doesn't detect information technology, you lot will have to prepare the machine up manually.

Manually Adding a Printer

screenshot of printers and scanners in windows settings

Before starting this process, you must ensure the post-obit: your printer has power, is turned on, and is connected to your calculator. If you lot have a network or wireless printer, y'all should too check if it's connected to the same network that your computer uses.

One time yous've double-checked the above, try to restart your printer and encounter if your reckoner will find information technology now. If it still doesn't, then let's go on with adding your printer manually.

Showtime, click on the First button, then go to Settings. In the Settings window, go to Devices > Printers & scanners. Under the Add printers & scanners section, select the Add a printer or scanner button. Wait for the computer equally information technology tries to detect nearby devices, both connected directly to your computer or via the network.

manually adding a printer by other options screenshot

One time your reckoner detects all nearby devices, select the 1 you want to utilize and click on Add device. Information technology will then automatically add your machine, and you tin choose information technology from your scanning options later.

Nonetheless, if that doesn't happen, click on The printer that I want isn't listed link. Windows will then open up a sorcerer to add your printer. Just follow the instructions to install your device.

Once you lot've added the hardware, you can open the apps to start your scan. Windows offers two ways of scanning documents; the first is the legacy Windows Fax and Scan app, and the 2d is the newer Windows Scan app. Nosotros will tackle both beneath.

Windows Fax and Scan

Screenshot of the legacy Windows Fax and Scan app

Click on Start, so get to Windows Accessories > Windows Fax and Browse to access the app. In the Windows Fax and Scan window, select New Browse. A New Scan window will then appear. Ensure you've chosen the correct device under Scanner. Otherwise, click on Change… to choice the right one.

Once you lot've picked your device and take set your browse settings, click on Preview to start scanning and see how your document will appear. And once yous're happy with the results, click on Browse to scan and save the paradigm.

The saved prototype will then appear in the main window of the Windows Fax and Browse app. If you lot want to access the file, it's ordinarily saved in your Documents > Scanned Documents folder.

Windows Scan

Windows Scan screenshot

This app isn't normally pre-installed in Windows. Y'all first need to go to Microsoft Store, search for Windows Browse, and and then download and install it. One time it's gear up up, launch it from your Commencement Menu by clicking on Scan.

A new Scan window will appear. If you accept multiple scanners, choice out the correct device, select the File type you desire to salvage your scan, and so press Preview. You will and so come across your scan in the main window. You can as well adjust the edges of your file by dragging and dropping the white circles at the corners of your file.

Once y'all've finalized your settings, click on Scan. Afterward your file is scanned, the app will show a pop-up at the top of the window telling you the file name of the scan and where information technology'south saved. Click on View to open the file in a photo app, or press Close when you're done. You tin access the saved file in your Pictures > Scans folder.

Scanning on a Mac

If yous have an Apple computer, y'all tin can also browse from whatever multifunction printer using your device. Beginning, go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners to bank check if your multifunction printer is installed on your system. Yous should see it listed in the left column; otherwise, you need to add together it.

Adding Your Printer

screenshot of how to add a printer on a mac

To practise and so, click on the + sign. An Add Printer window volition and so appear. If y'all're using a USB printer, information technology should announced automatically listed in this window. Simply if you lot're using a network printer, you should click on the IP icon and gear up it up using its network accost.

Nevertheless, if your device is however not constitute in the Add Printer window, you take to visit your printer brand's website and download the pertinent drivers.

Starting Your Scan

Screenshot of how to scan on a Mac

Once your device is installed on your Mac, go back to Printers & Scanners. Select the device you want to use, and so click on the Scan tab. You should run across your device'south proper noun in the chief window, then underneath it, click on the Open up Scanner… push button.

A Scanner window volition then open up. In the lower bar, select the binder where y'all desire to salve your scanned file, pick the paper size of your document, then printing Scan. The printer will showtime execute a preliminary scan to determine the docs it's working with. It will and so scan each document it detects and save information technology as a carve up file.

To find the file you've recently scanned, head to the folder you've selected in the previous paragraph.

Digitizing Your Life

It's definitely a good idea to keep digital copies of your most important concrete files. These could exist your birth certificate, holding titles, and contracts. That way, fifty-fifty if y'all lose the original document, you notwithstanding have access to their copies for your reference.

All the same, wherever y'all're storing these copies, always ensure that it'southward in a prophylactic place. If you're saving it on your computer or a cloud storage service, ensure it's encrypted. And if you are keeping it on an offline server, secure those drives in a locked safety. That way, your near precious belongings, similar your identity, cannot be easily stolen.

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About The Author

Jowi Morales (238 Articles Published)

Jowi is a writer, a career motorcoach, and a pilot. He developed a love for anything PC ever since his father bought a desktop computer when he was five years old. From then on, he has been using and maximizing engineering science in every aspect of his life.

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