How to Make Adobe Acrobat Recognize a Brother MFC-J995DW Printer
Question details
The user needs to configure Adobe Acrobat to successfully detect and list the Brother MFC-J995DW printer for printing and scanning tasks.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Attempting to print or scan a PDF document using a newly connected Brother MFC-J995DW printer within the Adobe Acrobat software.
- Observed behavior
- The Brother MFC-J995DW printer is visible and functional within the Windows operating system but does not appear in Acrobat's list of available scan or print devices.
Ensure that your Brother MFC-J995DW printer is powered on, connected to the same network or directly via USB to your computer, and successfully prints a standard test page from the Windows Settings menu.
Update Brother Drivers and Remove Obsolete Software
Downloading the official full driver package ensures Adobe Acrobat has the necessary communication protocols to recognize the printer.
Often, basic Windows drivers are insufficient for third-party applications like Acrobat to fully recognize scan and print capabilities. A clean installation of the manufacturer's full software suite resolves these missing communication links.
Navigate to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Locate any software or drivers for older Brother printers you no longer use, click the three dots, and select 'Uninstall'.
Visit the official Brother Support website, search for the 'MFC-J995DW' model, and download the 'Full Driver and Software Package' specific to your version of Windows.
Run the downloaded installer file and follow the on-screen prompts to completely set up the printer connection and associated Brother utilities.
Once the installation is complete, restart your Windows computer to refresh the system's device list and apply the driver configurations.
Repair or Update the Adobe Acrobat Installation
If the correct drivers are installed but the printer is still missing, repairing Acrobat can fix broken application files preventing device detection.
Print PDFs Seamlessly with WPS Office
If Adobe Acrobat continues to have trouble communicating with your printer, WPS Office offers a highly compatible, lightweight built-in PDF reader that natively detects all Windows printers, ensuring you can print your documents without hassle.
- 1. Open your PDF document: Launch WPS Office, click the 'Open' button on the home screen, and select the PDF file you wish to print.
- 2. Access the print menu: Click the 'Print' icon on the top toolbar or press the Ctrl + P keyboard shortcut to bring up the print dialog box.
- 3. Select the Brother printer and print: Choose your Brother MFC-J995DW printer from the 'Name' drop-down menu, configure your desired page settings, and click 'Print'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Brother printer show up in Windows but not in Adobe Acrobat?
Windows uses basic WSD drivers to recognize the printer, but advanced applications like Adobe Acrobat often require the manufacturer's specific TWAIN or WIA drivers to fully interface with the device's print and scan features. Installing the full driver package from Brother resolves this.
Will repairing the Adobe Acrobat installation delete my saved PDFs or settings?
No. Selecting 'Repair Installation' simply scans the core Adobe application files for errors or missing components and replaces them. It will not delete your saved PDF documents or personal application preferences.
Can outdated software from an older printer cause conflicts in Acrobat?
Yes. Lingering software or registry entries from older, unused Brother printers can sometimes confuse the system's print spooler or Adobe Acrobat's device query process. Removing outdated printer software before installing the new drivers is highly recommended.
