Unable scan from the HP 4650 All-in-One Printer to the Surface Pro 11 using the USB Cable

[fmucadre]

Hello,

I am looking for assistance with my HP 4650 All-in-One printer and scanner. Each time I attempt to scan a document from the HP 4650 to my Surface Pro, I receive the following error message:

Error Message Displayed:
“HP Smart cannot scan from this printer. Either no scanner was detected or HP Smart is not compatible with the scanner in this printer.”

The printer is detected, and prints normally, but scanning fails with the error message listed above.

Product: HP 4650 All-in-One Printer
Operating System / Device: Microsoft Surface Pro (Windows 11)

Troubleshooting Steps Performed:

• Verified USB cable connection between the printer and Plugable docking station (same error occurs).
• Confirmed the printer is detected in Windows Device Manager.
• Connected the printer directly to the Surface Pro USB-C port using a USB adapter (same error occurs).
• Uninstalled and reinstalled the HP Smart application.
• Downloaded and installed the latest HP drivers:
  • Basic Driver:
    Driver_Basic_Webpack_x64-63.5.6118_ARM64-SJ0001_Basicx64_Webpack.exe
  • Full Driver:
    Full_Webpack-63.5.6118_ARM64-SJ0001_Full_Webpack.exe
• Performed a factory reset on the HP 4650 All-in-One printer.

Current Status:
The same error message persists after all troubleshooting steps have been completed.

Request:
Please advise on additional troubleshooting steps or confirm whether the HP 4650 scanner is compatible with HP Smart on a Surface Pro (ARM64) device.

Thank you for your assistance.

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @fmucadre 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

I understand how frustrating it must feel to have the printer working perfectly for printing but not for scanning, especially after all the careful troubleshooting you’ve already done. You’ve been very thorough, and I appreciate the effort you’ve put in so far. 

Let’s walk through a few additional steps together to help narrow this down.

 

Confirm HP App Usage
HP Smart has been replaced by the HP App on Windows 11. Please ensure you are using the HP App from the Microsoft Store rather than HP Smart.

• Download link: HP App – Microsoft Store

Check Windows Scan Utility
Try scanning using the built-in Windows Scan app to confirm if the scanner is detected outside of the HP App.

• Open the Microsoft Store, search for “Windows Scan,” install it, and attempt a scan.
• If scanning works here, the issue is isolated to the HP App.

Verify WIA Service
The scanner relies on the Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service.

• Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
• Locate Windows Image Acquisition (WIA), ensure it is set to Automatic and is running. Restart the service if necessary.

Test with HP Scan and Capture
Install HP Scan and Capture from the Microsoft Store and attempt scanning.

• Link: HP Scan and Capture

Driver Verification
Even though you installed both basic and full drivers, confirm that the scanner driver is correctly listed:

• Open Device Manager → expand Imaging Devices.
• Ensure the HP 4650 scanner is listed. If not, reinstall the full driver package once more.

Try Wireless Connection
The HP 4650 supports wireless scanning. If USB scanning continues to fail, connect the printer to Wi-Fi and add it to your Surface Pro via Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners. Then retry scanning through the HP App.

 

The HP 4650 is supported for scanning on Windows 11 devices, including ARM64 systems, but scanning may require the HP App or Windows Scan utility rather than HP Smart.

You’ve already done an excellent job covering the basics. At this point, testing with the HP App and Windows Scan utility will help confirm whether the scanner is being recognized properly. 

If wireless scanning works, that’s a strong indicator the hardware is fine and the issue is limited to USB communication.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Akhil_QCOMM]

Hi,
your HP OfficeJet 4650 will print on an ARM-based Surface Pro using Windows’ built‑in IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) drivers. For scanning, the device supports eSCL, which allows you to scan over the network without relying on HP Smart. This combination gives you full functionality for both printing and scanning on ARM64 Windows devices. No special HP drivers are required beyond the native IPP and eSCL support.

Thanks!

[Hawks_Eye]

Thanks for replying @fmucadre 

I understand how frustrating it must feel to have the printer working fine for printing but not for scanning, especially after all the careful troubleshooting you’ve already done. You’ve been very thorough, and that effort is appreciated. 

Since you’re using a Surface Pro 11 with Windows 11 on ARM64, let’s focus on the most reliable ways to get scanning working.

 

Key Points About Compatibility

• The HP OfficeJet 4650 supports scanning over the network using eSCL (AirScan).
• On ARM‑based Windows devices, scanning via USB drivers can be limited, but printing works through IPP (Internet Printing Protocol).
• This means scanning is best achieved over Wi‑Fi rather than USB.

 

Steps to Enable Scanning

Install the HP App

• HP Smart has been replaced by the HP App on Windows 11.
• Download from the Microsoft Store: HP App.

Connect Printer to Wi‑Fi

• On the printer control panel, go to Wireless Setup Wizard.
• Connect the printer to your home Wi‑Fi network.

Add Printer in Windows

• Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → Add device.
• Select your HP 4650 from the list.

Test Scanning with Windows Scan App

• Install Windows Scan from the Microsoft Store.
• Open the app, select your HP 4650, and try scanning.
• If successful, this confirms the scanner is recognized via eSCL.

Optional: Use HP Scan and Capture

• Download HP Scan and Capture.
• This app also supports network scanning and can save scans directly to your Surface Pro.

 

Why USB Scanning Fails

• On ARM64 systems, the USB scanner driver for older models like the 4650 is not fully supported.
• Printing works because Windows uses IPP drivers, but scanning requires eSCL over the network.

 

Recommendation

Switch to wireless scanning using the HP App or Windows Scan. This will give you full functionality on your Surface Pro 11 without relying on USB drivers. Since your printer is already working for printing, adding it over Wi‑Fi will unlock scanning.

Would you like me to guide you step by step through connecting the HP 4650 to Wi‑Fi and testing a scan with the Windows Scan app, so you can confirm scanning works right away?

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[fmucadre]

Good Evening Hawk_Eye,  

Thank you so much for your help.  Below are my results for each troubleshooting step you provided:

Confirm HP App Usage

The HP App has replaced HP Smart on Windows 11.
Response: I downloaded and installed the HP App (HP Smart) from the Microsoft Store.

Check Windows Scan Utility
Response: I downloaded the Windows Scan utility from the Microsoft Store and was able to successfully scan using this application, confirming that the scanner is detected and functional outside of the HP App. I also attempted to save the scanned document as a PDF by selecting Save As → File type: PDF. While scanning completed successfully, PDF saving was not consistently available as an option.

Verify WIA Service

Response: I opened services. MSc, located Windows Image Acquisition (WIA), confirmed it is set to Automatic, and verified that the service is running.

Test with HP Scan and Capture
Response: The HP Scan and Capture application has been retired from the Microsoft Store as of May 1, 2024, and is no longer available for installation.

Driver Verification
Response: I opened Device Manager, expanded Imaging Devices, and confirmed that the HP 4650 scanner is listed.

Try Wireless Connection
Response: I downloaded the Basic_Webpack_x64-63.5.6118_ARM64-SJ0001_Basicx64_Webpack.exe driver. The installer requires an internet-based setup. I do not currently have the Ethernet cable that originally came with the printer, so I have not yet completed a wired network setup.

I will setup the printer using the wireless setup.

Thank you.  

[Hawks_Eye]

You are Welcome @fmucadre 

Thank you for carefully walking through each of the steps and sharing your observations in such detail. It’s clear you’ve been very thorough, and I appreciate the effort you’ve put into confirming the scanner’s functionality across different utilities. 

Let’s build on what you’ve already accomplished to ensure smooth scanning with your HP 4650 and Surface Pro 11.

 

HP App (HP Smart replacement)

• Since the HP App is installed, ensure you’re signed in with a Microsoft account and that the printer is added under “Printers & Scanners.”
• Within the HP App, try scanning again after connecting the printer wirelessly. The app is optimized for wireless workflows and may provide more consistent PDF saving options compared to USB.

Windows Scan Utility PDF Saving

• The intermittent PDF option is a limitation of the Windows Scan utility. For reliable PDF output, the HP App provides better support once the printer is connected wirelessly.

Wireless Setup

• Complete the wireless setup using the Basic Driver package you downloaded. During installation, select “Wireless” and follow the guided steps.
• If you need instructions, HP provides a clear guide here:
  HP Printers - Wireless Printer Setup (Windows)

Confirm Network Connection

• Once connected wirelessly, open the HP App and verify the printer shows as “Ready.”
• Test scanning directly from the HP App. You should see consistent options for saving as PDF, JPEG, or PNG.

Since the scanner is already detected via USB and works with Windows Scan, completing the wireless setup will give you the full feature set, including reliable PDF saving and integration with the HP App. This should resolve the inconsistency you observed.

Thanks,

Hawks_Eye

[fmucadre]

Good Evening  Hawks_ Eye,

Able to scan successfully over Wi-Fi and save files as PDF, JPEG, or PNG. However, I am still unable to scan when using the USB cable.

I uninstalled and reinstalled the HP Smart app, but the issue persists. The printer is detected, and prints normally, but scanning fails with the same error message:

“HP Smart cannot scan from this printer. Either no scanner was detected, or HP Smart is not compatible with the scanner in this printer.”

Although the printer is recognized and functions properly for printing, scanning over USB does not work and continues to display the error above.

Thank you for your assistance. 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @fmucadre 

Thank you for the detailed update—and well done on getting scanning to work over Wi-Fi with full file format support. That’s a solid step forward.

The persistent USB scanning issue you're encountering is unfortunately a known limitation of the current HP App (formerly HP Smart) on Windows 11. While the printer is fully functional for printing via USB, the HP App has gradually shifted toward prioritizing wireless workflows, and in many cases, USB scanning support has been deprecated or inconsistently implemented—especially for older models like the HP OfficeJet 4650.

Here’s what we know and what you can do:

 

What’s working:

• Windows Scan: Successfully detects and scans via USB.
• HP App (Wi-Fi): Fully functional for scanning and saving in multiple formats.
• Printing via USB: Works as expected.

 

What’s limited:

• HP App (USB scanning): Not supported for some legacy models, including the 4650, despite the printer being detected.

 

Recommended Workaround:

Since Windows Scan works reliably over USB, I recommend using it for quick scans when wireless isn’t available. For more advanced features (like multi-page PDF, OCR, or cloud sync), the HP App over Wi-Fi remains the best route.

Thank you again for your persistence and clarity throughout this process. You’ve done everything right, and I’m here if you’d like to explore further options or just simplify your scanning setup.

Regards,

Hawks_Eye