CANNOT SCAN. PROMPT: THE SCANNER IS CURRENTLY IN USE. PLEASE WAIT UNTIL.....

[JASH47]

I have HP SMART TANK500 PRINTER. CANNOT SCAN OR COPY. GETTING PROMPT THE SCANNER IS CURRENTLY IN USE. PLEASE WAIT UNTIL YOUR PREVIOUS TASK IS COMPLETE.

[Sneha_01]

Hi @JASH47,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

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

If your HP Smart Tank 500 printer is displaying a message saying "The scanner is currently in use. Please wait until your previous task is complete," and you cannot scan or copy, here are some troubleshooting steps to help resolve the issue:

1. Check for Ongoing Tasks

Verify Scanner Usage:

• Ensure that no other scanning or copying tasks are in progress. Sometimes, tasks might be queued or pending, causing the scanner to appear busy.

Cancel Pending Tasks:

• On your computer or the printer’s control panel, cancel any pending scan or copy jobs to clear the queue.

2. Restart the Printer

• Press the power button to turn off the printer.
• Disconnect the power cord from the back of the printer. Wait for 60 seconds.

Reconnect and Restart:

• Plug the power cord back in and turn the printer on. This can help reset the scanner and clear any temporary issues.

3. Restart Your Computer

1. Reboot Your Computer:
   • Sometimes, restarting your computer can resolve software or communication issues with the printer.

4. Check Printer Software

• Ensure that you are using the latest version of the HP Smart app. Go to your device's app store and check for updates.
• If updating doesn’t help, uninstall and reinstall the HP Smart app to reset its settings.

5. Check for Software Conflicts

• Make sure no other applications that might use the scanner are running. Close any scanning software or utilities that might be accessing the scanner.
• On your computer, open Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) and ensure no background processes are using the scanner.

6. Ensure Printer Connectivity

• Ensure that the printer is properly connected to your network if you’re using a wireless setup. Verify that your computer can communicate with the printer over the network.
• If you’re using a USB connection, ensure the cable is securely connected to both the printer and the computer. Try using a different USB port if available.

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