using? How to use the scan function of the printer, which is useful for telework | @DIME at dime

If you scan a paper document, it becomes data that can be shared online, which is convenient for telework. If you choose a printer with a scanning function, you can print and scan, killing two birds with one stone. It takes up less space than buying a printer and scanner separately. This article introduces how to use the scan function of the printer. We will also introduce recommended printers from each manufacturer, so it should be useful for those who are considering purchasing.

[Related article] How to use smartphones for video conferencing, scanning paper documents, and unexpectedly unknown remote work

How to use the printer's scan function

The type of printer called a multifunction device also has a scan and copy function.

First, let's briefly explain how to use the scan function of the multifunction device.

There are two ways to save data scanned with a printer: saving to a computer or saving to an external memory such as a USB memory or SD card.

When saving to an external memory, attach a USB memory or SD card to the printer. And let's change the settings of each printer so that they can be saved in an external memory. How to install the external memory and how to change the save destination differ depending on the product, so please refer to the instruction manual.

If you want to save to your computer, first connect the printer to your computer. In the case of wired connection, it is OK if you connect the USB cable to the computer and the printer. The wireless connection setting method differs depending on the printer, so please refer to the instruction manual for this as well.

And when you save it to your computer, you also need software. There are software provided by each manufacturer, but here we will explain how to use the software that is installed in Windows 10 from the beginning.

With the printer connected, first select "Windows Accessories" → "Windows Fax and Scan" from the start menu at the bottom left of the screen. Click "New Scan" in the toolbar of the window that opens.

On the "New Scan" screen, you can set the color, resolution, file type, etc. After setting, click "Scan".

When you connect your computer to the printer and scan, you basically need to operate from the computer. However, if the prescribed software is installed on the computer, there are some that can be scanned from the operation panel or buttons on the printer itself.

When you want to edit the scanned image on your computer immediately, or when you need to change the scanning settings for each document, it is more convenient to operate from your computer. On the other hand, when scanning documents continuously without changing the settings in the middle, it is easier to operate from the printer's panel than to go back and forth between the printer and the computer.

Windows 10 has a built-in function to convert image files to PDF. Open the image file and click the printer icon in the upper right corner. Set "Microsoft Print to PDF" or "Adobe PDF" in the printer field on the displayed screen, and press "Print" to convert the image to PDF.

Also, depending on the printer, some models can scan after selecting a file format such as PDF or jpg in advance.

If you haven't changed the default settings, your scanned images will be saved in your Documents folder. If it's not there, scan the appropriate document again and see where it's saved.

In the case of Windows 10, if you open Explorer, "Recently used files" will be displayed. If the scan was recent, you can also see where it's saved here. Explorer also has a file search function, so it would be nice to use this.

First, make sure the printer and computer are properly connected. If you have a wired connection, check the cable. If you are using a wireless connection, make sure the printer's wireless LAN settings are enabled. If you want to save to an external memory, make sure that the USB memory or SD card is securely attached.

Also, if you are using software provided by each manufacturer, uninstalling and reinstalling the software you are currently using may solve the problem. Try it.

[Reference] What to do when the Wi-Fi connection between the PC and the printer does not work

Recommended printers that can use the scan function

From here, we will introduce printers that are easy to use with the scan function. Please use this as a reference when selecting a product.

[Reference] Which one should you choose based on price? How to choose a home printer with outstanding cost performance that you want to use for telework

Canon's "PIXUS XK70" uses premium 6-color hybrid ink and is a highly functional product as a printer.

Scanned images can be saved as PDFs using the bundled software "My Image Garden". You can also edit pages by adding or replacing them.

[Reference] Canon official website product details page

There are two ways to set up Canon printers: using the included setup CD-ROM or downloading data from Canon's website. To download from the website, click "Set up" from the "Welcome!" page on the official Canon website and follow the instructions.

[Reference] Canon official website

For Canon, frequently asked questions are published for each product. Select the product you have and its condition from the online manual for each product and refer to it.

[Reference] Online Manual (Canon)

Epson's "EP-982A3" can scan up to A4 size, but can print up to A3 size. Scanned images can be saved in PDF format using the software "Epson Scan 2".

Text information can be added to the created PDF data, and character searches within the file are also possible.

[Reference] EPSON official website product detail page

In the case of EPSON, the user's guide prepared for each product is useful. Enter the model number of the product on the "Support & Download" page of the official website and select the "Troubleshooting/How to use/How to operate" tab. You can see the "User's Guide" from the "Manual List" item.

[Reference] Support & Downloads (EPSON)

Brother's "DCP-J988N" is a printer equipped with an "ADF (automatic document feeder)" that can read up to 20 documents at once. High-capacity ink cartridges are used, and printing costs are low.

Scanned data can also be saved directly in PDF format. You can save the trouble of converting the scanned data to PDF later.

[Reference] Brother official website product details page

Brother also publishes how to deal with troubles on the official website. Visit our Support page for FAQs and Product Manuals.

[Reference] Support (brother)

How to scan a smartphone without a printer

There is a way to scan with a smartphone without a printer.

If you have an iPhone, you can scan from the "Notes" app. You can scan by launching a new memo, tapping the camera mark, selecting "Scan Document" (left image), and aligning the position of the document and taking a picture.

If you have an Android smartphone, "Google Drive" has a scanning function. Launch the drive app, tap the "+" mark (left image), select "Scan" (right image) and shoot with the camera.

So far, I have introduced the scan function of the printer. Scanners that can digitize paper documents are effective in sharing information and reducing storage space for materials. I hope this article will encourage you to actively use the scan function of your printer.

* Data is based on editorial research as of mid-September 2020.

* We have made every effort to ensure that the information is complete, but we do not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the content.

* Please use and operate the product at your own risk.

Sentence / Cat Reset