Fix Acrobat Pro 2017 Cannot Detect a Scanner on Windows
Question details
The user is encountering a 'Scanner not found' error when attempting to scan documents in Adobe Acrobat Pro 2017.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro 2017
- Device & OS
- Windows 7
- Scenario
- Attempting to scan a physical document directly into the PDF application using a connected Canon scanner.
- Observed behavior
- Acrobat displays a 'Scanner not found' message and fails to scan, despite the scanner having up-to-date drivers and working perfectly in other software.
Before making software changes, ensure your scanner is securely connected via USB or network, powered on, and clearly recognized by your Windows operating system in the Devices and Printers menu.
Verify Scanner Drivers and Change TWAIN/WIA Configuration
Ensure that Acrobat is recognizing the correct scanner driver protocol installed on your Windows system to re-establish communication.
Acrobat Pro communicates with scanners via TWAIN or WIA drivers. If the default driver protocol selected in the software does not match the driver actively used by the scanner, the software will fail to locate the device.
Launch Adobe Acrobat Pro 2017, go to the 'Tools' menu, and select 'Create PDF'.
Click on 'Scanner' from the left sidebar to view the list of available scanning devices.
Click the 'Gear' icon or 'Options' button next to the scanner dropdown to open the advanced scanner configuration settings.
In the settings menu, locate the driver or device option and switch the protocol from TWAIN to WIA (or vice versa), then apply the changes and test the scan.
Restart the Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) Service
Restarting the background Windows service responsible for scanning can resolve temporary communication errors between the OS and your PDF software.
Easily Scan Documents to PDF with WPS Office
If you are struggling with scanner detection errors or driver compatibility in other software, WPS Office provides a streamlined, highly compatible built-in tool for scanning physical documents directly into high-quality PDFs.
- 1. Launch WPS PDF: Open WPS Office on your computer and click on the 'PDF' tab located on the main workspace.
- 2. Select the Scan Tool: Navigate to the top toolbar and click on the 'Picture to PDF' or 'Scan' option to activate your connected scanner.
- 3. Configure Scan Settings: Select your connected scanner from the dropdown list and choose your preferred scanning resolution and color options.
- 4. Scan and Save: Click 'Scan' to process the physical document, then save the newly created file directly as a standard PDF document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Canon scanner work in other applications but not in Acrobat?
Different software applications utilize different driver protocols to communicate with hardware. While native Windows apps might use standard WIA drivers perfectly, Acrobat often defaults to TWAIN or requires specific configuration settings that may not be properly mapped out of the box.
How can I update my scanner drivers on Windows 7?
Open the Windows Device Manager, locate your specific scanner under 'Imaging devices', right-click it, and select 'Update Driver Software'. For the most accurate drivers, visit the scanner manufacturer's official support website, enter your model number, and download the specific Windows 7 driver package.
Can I still create a PDF if my scanner isn't detected by my PDF software?
Yes. You can bypass the PDF software entirely by using your scanner's native application or the default Windows 'Fax and Scan' utility to scan the document as a high-quality image (such as JPG or PNG). Once saved, you can easily convert that image into a PDF.
