Deskjet 2630 now "couldn't connect to scanner"

[John--H]

HP Deskjet 2630, USB connection to PC, suddenly HP Smart is giving me an error message Couldn't connect to scanner, printer still works fine, deleted HP Smart, reloaded from HP, connected printer, done all the usual stuff, power down everything, wait, start up, disconnect. Still can't scan.Helpl!

[Nal_NR]

Hi @John--H, 

Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

I'd be happy to help you! 

I understand that you are having issues with the scanning

If your HP DeskJet 2630 printer is connected via USB to your PC and HP Smart is giving you an error message stating "Couldn't connect to scanner," here are some steps you can follow to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting:

Check the USB Connection:

• Ensure that the USB cable is securely connected to both the printer and the PC.
• Try using a different USB port on your PC.
• If possible, use a different USB cable to rule out a faulty cable.

Restart Devices:

• Turn off your printer and your PC.
• Wait for about 30 seconds.
• Turn on your printer first, then your PC.

Update or Reinstall Drivers:

• Go to the HP Support website.
• Search for your printer model (HP DeskJet 2630) and download the latest drivers and software for your operating system.
• Install the latest drivers and software, following the on-screen instructions.

Run HP Print and Scan Doctor:

• Download and run the HP Print and Scan Doctor tool from the HP Support website.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to diagnose and fix any issues with the scanner.

Check HP Smart Settings:

• Open the HP Smart app on your PC.
• Ensure that your HP DeskJet 2630 printer is selected.
• Go to the Printer Settings and check the scanner settings.

Kindly check the next set of steps in the next post.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance.

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

[Nal_NR]

Hi @John--H, 

Kindly find the next set of steps below

Windows Scan App:

• Try using the built-in Windows Scan app to see if the issue is specific to HP Smart:
  • Open the Windows Scan app from the Start menu.
  • Select your HP DeskJet 2630 printer and try to scan.

Check Device Manager:

• Open Device Manager on your PC (right-click on the Start menu and select Device Manager).
• Look for any issues under Imaging Devices or Universal Serial Bus controllers.
• If you see any devices with a yellow triangle or exclamation mark, right-click and select Update driver.

Firewall and Antivirus:

• Temporarily disable any firewall or antivirus software that might be blocking the scanner connection.
• Try scanning again with the firewall or antivirus disabled.

Reinstall HP Smart:

• Uninstall the HP Smart app from your PC.
• Restart your PC.
• Download and install the latest version of HP Smart from the Microsoft Store.

Additional Steps:

Printer Reset:

• Reset your printer to factory defaults:
  • On the printer's control panel, press the Wireless and Cancel buttons simultaneously and hold them for about 5 seconds until the Power button blinks.
  • This will reset the network settings to default.

Check for Windows Updates:

• Ensure that your PC is up to date with the latest Windows updates:
  • Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates.

Summary:

• Ensure a secure USB connection.
• Restart your printer and PC.
• Update or reinstall printer drivers.
• Use HP Print and Scan Doctor.
• Check settings in the HP Smart app.
• Try the Windows Scan app.
• Check for issues in Device Manager.
• Temporarily disable firewall/antivirus.
• Reinstall the HP Smart app.
• Reset the printer if necessary.
• Ensure Windows is up to date.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue of the HP Smart app not connecting to the scanner on your HP DeskJet 2630. If the problem persists, contacting HP Support for further assistance may be necessary.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance.

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

[John--H]

Thanks for your suggestions, tried most of them yesterday, printer was happy to print and happy to scan and print from another laptop using the wifi connection. In the end I loaded the HP Easystart software, now everything works fine through that app but still not through the HP Smart App. No idea what has happened, maybe something to do with an HP Smart update or Windows update. Not my firewall, no difference with that disabled. Thanks anyway

[Nal_NR]

Hi @John--H,

Thanks for writing back. 

Thanks for writing back. Let's try this if not done already.

If you encounter the "Couldn't connect to scanner" error with your HP printer, try the following steps to resolve it:

Run HP Print and Scan Doctor (HPPSdr.exe) to diagnose and fix any connection issues12.

You may also, check these documents:

•  'Another program has control of the scanner' Message Displays
•  'Feature Unavailable' displays in HP Smart (Android)
•  'Scanning is Currently Unavailable' displays in the HP Smart app (Windows, macOS)
•  HP Smart scan button not working or preview not loading (Android)
•  No Scan Options message (Windows)
•  Resolve scan quality problems on HP printers

If this does not help recommend you contact phone support. 

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance.

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