HP Officejet 4630 scanner always says "Scanner in use." I use HP Smart and have Windows 11.

[Wareandtare]

 Using HP Smart to try to scan via my HP Officejet 4630 printer, it always says "Scanner in use. Please try again when available." Alternatively, when I press the Scan button on the printer (instead of using HP Smart), it says "No Computer Found," which is odd, given that wireless printing works fine. My Dell computer is on Windows 11. The last time I scanned successfully was on my Windows 10 Dell computer. I have tried restarting the computer, and unplugging the printer and waiting and re-plugging it in. I ran HP Smart's Diagnose & Fix (wrench button), and it said there are no issues. The printer was bought in 2014 and the warranty expired, but the copying and wireless printing work fine. Does the printer need to be newer for scanning to work?

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Wareandtare,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

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

The issue you're encountering—"Scanner in use" or "No Computer Found" when trying to scan from your HP Officejet 4630, while printing works fine—typically points to a scanning communication issue, not a general connectivity issue.
 

Here's how to fix it:

1. Restart Everything (Clean Boot Style)

• Turn off the printer and unplug it from the power for 60 seconds.
• Restart your PC.
• Plug the printer back in and power it on.
• Open HP Smart and try scanning again.

2. Check Windows WIA (Windows Image Acquisition) Service

• Press Windows + R, type services.msc, press Enter.
• Scroll down to Windows Image Acquisition (WIA).
• Make sure it's running and Startup Type = Automatic.
• If it’s stopped, right-click → Start.

3. Use “Scan to Computer” Feature

Your printer likely needs this enabled again:

• Open HP Printer Assistant or HP Smart.
• Look for Scan → Manage Scan to Computer (or similar).
• Click Enable Scan on Computer.

4. Reinstall the Full HP Driver (Not Just HP Smart App)

HP Smart alone often lacks the full scan driver.

1. Go to HP Officejet 4630 e-All-in-One Printer series Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Support.
2. Download the Full Feature Software and Drivers.
3. Uninstall your current printer software from Windows (Apps & Features).
4. Restart the PC.
5. Install the full driver you downloaded.

 5. Try USB Connection

If you're on Wi-Fi and it's still not working:

• Try connecting via USB cable temporarily and test scanning.
• If USB works, it's a network scanning issue, not hardware.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, as it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support

[Wareandtare]

Hi,

Thank you for the suggestions. I tried all of them.

On #2, the Windows Image Acquisition was on Manual, and I changed it to Automatic.

On #3, HP Smart > Printer Settings > Advanced Settings > Scan tab has Scan to Computer as "Webscan" and can't be changed.

The computer and the printer are both on the same network.

When I press Scan on the printer, it says "Connection error. The computer is not responding."

And when I click Scan from HP Smart, it says "Scanner in use." 

Printing still works fine.

But scanning still doesn't work. Also, Copying doesn't work either.

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Wareandtare,

Thank you for letting me know, and sorry to hear that you still have trouble using the device.

Please help us with the Printer serial number or the product number in a private message for further assistance.
 

Here is the link to find the product number: - Click here

To access your private messages, simply click the private message icon in the upper right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your profile and send a private message to me with the serial number, because we value your privacy.
 

VikramTheGreat

HP Support