printer works fine but scanner doesnt, needs to have HP assistant installed HOW TO DO THAT

[drvince]

HP Officejrt pro 8600 installed and prints fine..Im trying to scan and I guess an HP assistant needs to be installed,..what do i need to do

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @drvince,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

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

It sounds like your HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 is printing perfectly, which is great news. Now let’s get scanning back up and running for you. If you’re being prompted for HP Assistant or something similar, likely, the HP scanning software isn’t fully installed — but don’t worry, we can fix that step by step.

Step 1: Download and Install Full Feature Software

To scan properly, especially with buttons on the printer or advanced options, you’ll want the HP Full Feature Software, not just basic drivers.

1. Go to HP's driver page: 🔗 HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 N911a Software & Drivers
2. Select your Windows version if needed (e.g., Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit)
3. Under Driver-Product Installation Software, download:

“HP Officejet Pro 8600 e-All-in-One Printer series – Full Feature Software and Drivers”

1. Run the downloaded file and complete the installation — this includes:
   • HP Scan utility
   • OCR software (for scanning to editable text)
   • HP Printer Assistant

Step 2: Use HP Printer Assistant

Once the full package is installed:

• Open HP Printer Assistant (search for it in the Start menu)
• Select “Scan”, then choose:
  • Scan a Document or Photo
  • Or use Manage Scan to Computer to enable the scan-from-printer panel

HP Printer Assistant is the tool that lets you manage scanning, ink levels, print preferences, etc.

Step 3: Enable “Scan to Computer”

1. Open HP Printer Assistant
2. Click on Scan > Manage Scan to Computer
3. Enable Scan to Computer

This allows you to scan directly from the printer's control panel to your PC.

Alternative: Use HP Smart App (Optional)

If you want a modern interface:

• Download the HP Smart app from the Microsoft Store
• Add your printer
• Click the Scan tile to scan documents easily

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