Hello Declan Corcoran,
When a multifunction printer is connected to your laptop, Windows often installs the print driver automatically but does not always configure the scanner portion. To check this, open Device Manager and confirm whether the device appears under Imaging Devices. If the scanner component is missing, you need to install the full driver package from the manufacturer’s support site rather than relying on the generic print driver. For HP, Canon, Epson, and similar vendors, this usually comes as a combined installer that includes both print and scan services.
Once installed, verify that the Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service is running (services.msc) because this service is required for scanner communication. You can then test the scanner using the built‑in Windows Fax and Scan application or Scan from the Settings app. If the scanner still does not appear, check whether the connection is USB or network‑based; for network scanners, ensure that the correct IP address is configured and that firewall rules allow inbound TWAIN/WIA traffic. This process will ensure the scanner function is properly registered and usable alongside the printer.
If my answer is useful for you, please hit Accept the answer to support me.
Thank you,
HL.