HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 on my MacBook Pro with Catalina 10.15.7 ... not scanning available.

[Lohman]

Is there an OS upgrade to get the scanner working?

[Sneha_01]

Hi @Lohman,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

To resolve the issue with your HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 scanner not being available on your MacBook Pro running macOS Catalina 10.15.7, there are a few steps you can take. Here’s a detailed approach:

Check HP Software Updates: Firstly, ensure that you have the latest HP software for your printer/scanner. HP regularly updates its drivers and software to fix bugs and improve compatibility with operating systems.

Upgrade macOS: macOS Catalina 10.15.7 is not the latest version, and upgrading to a newer version of macOS might resolve compatibility issues with your printer. macOS Big Sur (11) and macOS Monterey (12) introduced several enhancements that could potentially solve your problem. Before upgrading, ensure your MacBook Pro's specifications meet the system requirements of the newer macOS versions.

HP Easy Start Tool: HP provides an HP Easy Start tool that automatically finds and installs the latest software for your printer. This tool can be helpful in setting up your printer/scanner with the most recent drivers compatible with your macOS version.

Reset the Printing System:

• Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
• Right-click in the list of devices and choose “Reset printing system…”.
• Add your printer again and try scanning.

Check Network Connection: If your printer is connected via a network, ensure the network connection is stable. Sometimes, network issues can cause the scanner not to be recognized properly.

Scan Using Apple's Image Capture: Sometimes, even if HP's software doesn't work as expected, Apple’s own Image Capture application can still operate with the scanner. Open Image Capture from your Applications folder to see if it recognizes your scanner.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Rachel571

HP Support