HP Smart Cannot connect to scanner

[Manish12345]

@Elohi_NR, HP needs to solve this issue with HP Smart app. In my case, I have tried all steps on the forums. The scanning works fine from within the HP Print and Scan doctor tool but does not work in HP Smart. This is a software issue in HP Smart.

[Thub]

I constantly get this error, then go through a bunch of hoops and eventually one day it just starts working again. 

@hpsupport please take note of the error message, it's COULDN'T CONNECT TO SCANNER, which is different than the resources you posted to check. 

In any event, it's been an ongoing issue with my HP printer MF148fdw and the HP smart app for years, it prints from my computer fine but won't scan (although it just scanned fine last week). I am connected with USB cable. 

I will NEVER buy an HP product again. 

[DamonG117]

It looks like this is an issue on HPs end. I have multiple HP printers for our school having the same exact issue. I have downloaded windows scan or use the windows fax to scan for the mean time, But HP needs to be aware that this is an ongoing issue with their HP smart application. 

[Ne0t · Accepted solution]

Downgrading HP Smart app to the previous version (v153.1.1137.0) works for me.

Steps :

1. Disable auto-updates on Microsoft store

2. Uninstall HP Smart

3. Download previous HP Smart app installation file from HP Smart for Windows - Download it from Uptodown for free

4. Run the installation file

5. Turn off HP Printer for 30 seconds

6. Turn on HP Printer and try to scan

[DamonG117]

I've basically been installing windows scanner from Microsoft store for all end users. its super easy and simple.

[danmur15]

This seems to be an ongoing issue with HP Smart (more like HP Dumb tbh). We've had an influx of calls to our Help Desk with this issue.

I was able to work around this issue by having the user press the scan button directly on the printer instead of trying to scan from HP Smart. I was working with a user who had a wired printer with USB, so I am unsure how this will work for network connected printers. It appears that the scan button uses a different process for scanning and bypasses HP Smart entirely. I forgot to take note of the name of the .exe it uses unfortunately. Note that this might require the scan drivers for your model to be installed.

[staber13]

Thanks, unfortunately some of the printers that we have in the office are older/smaller models, and do not have the option to scan directly from the printer. I got it to work for one day on my printer by switching from USB to Wi-Fi, but the next morning it stopped working again regardless of whether it was USB connected or Wi-Fi connected.

[staber13]

THANK YOU!!! This is the only thing that has worked! 

[Conundrum2024]

Thank you. This fixed our issue as well. Whatever the problem with the HP Smart update was it really slowed down our office. Thank you again for this solution.  

[RichardD7]

I have the same problem. It appears to come from the latest HP Smart update dated 19/06/2024.

HP must have a solution !