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If a Brother printer scans from Windows but not from its control-panel Scan button, check ControlCenter and the PC’s Scan To registration. If neither method scans, first verify network access, then check the selected Windows scanner driver and firewall permissions. The steps vary by model, so use Brother’s support page for your exact machine when a menu or download differs.
First identify which scan workflow is failing
There are two distinct ways to start a network scan: launch a scan from an application on the Windows 11 PC, or press Scan on the Brother machine and send the job to the PC. The second method has an additional requirement: the computer must be registered for the machine’s Scan To function. Identifying the failing method helps avoid changing unrelated settings.
- PC-initiated scan: Start the scan in a Windows or Brother scanning application. Check that the Brother TWAIN or WIA source is selected.
- Machine-initiated scan: Choose the PC on the printer’s Scan To screen. Check that ControlCenter is running and the PC is registered.
If both methods fail, work through the network, driver, and firewall checks below. Brother’s guidance is model-specific; its Windows 11 FAQs are associated with representative models, so confirm instructions against your machine’s Brother support page.
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Try printing to the Brother machine over Wi-Fi from the same PC. If network printing also fails, resolve the connection problem first; scan troubleshooting assumes the machine is reachable on the network. Successful printing is a useful initial check, not proof that every scan-related connection is working. Brother’s Windows 11 guidance for “I can print but cannot scan via network” likewise treats network reachability and scanning as separate checks.
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Fix scans started from a Windows application
Select the Brother scanner source
In the scanning application, open its scanner or source selection and choose the Brother TWAIN or WIA driver as the primary source. If the Brother source is missing, download and install the scanner driver or Full Driver & Software Package for the exact model and region from Brother Downloads. Do not assume a package for another Brother model applies.
Brother’s Windows 11 network-scan FAQ specifically advises checking that the Brother TWAIN or WIA driver is selected. If the correct source is installed and selected but scanning still fails, continue to the firewall check.
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Fix scans started with the printer’s Scan button
Run ControlCenter and register the PC
- Open Start > Brother > Brother Utilities > Scan > ControlCenter.
- Open Scanner Properties, then select the Scan To Button tab.
- Check Register your computer with the ‘Scan To’ functions at the machine and save the setting.
- At the Brother machine, open its Scan To menu and select the displayed name of your PC.
Keep ControlCenter running when testing a scan from the machine’s control panel. The menu labels may differ by model. These steps follow Brother’s Windows 11 instructions for a scan key that does not send a scan to the computer.
Check Windows Firewall and other security software
A firewall or security program can block network communication used by scanning even when printing works. Brother lists these UDP ports for firewall configuration:
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- UDP 54925
- UDP 137
- UDP 161
Brother also states: “If the feature works properly after disabling the Firewall, this means the Firewall on your computer is rejecting the necessary network connection.” Treat disabling protection only as a brief diagnostic test; turn it back on immediately, then allow the appropriate Brother application or traffic instead.
Brother’s related Windows FAQ names ControlCenter Launcher (BRCTRLCNTR.EXE), Brother iPrint&Scan.exe, and iPSNotifier.exe as applications to allow. Confirm that an application is installed for your model and that its name and location match your PC before creating an exception. Where possible, permit the appropriate application or traffic in the firewall rather than leaving protection disabled. See Brother’s network scanning guidance and Scan button guidance for model-related details.
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If the scan still fails
- Confirm that the Brother scanner driver is installed and selected in the scanning application.
- For a control-panel scan, verify that ControlCenter is running and the PC appears in the machine’s Scan To menu.
- Review firewall or security-software rules for the installed Brother scanning applications and relevant traffic.
- Reinstall the Brother drivers using the package for the exact model, then test scanning from another PC on the same network.
If another PC can scan, focus next on the original computer’s driver, security software, or network configuration. If no PC can scan, return to the machine’s network and model-specific setup. Brother’s Windows network-scan FAQ includes driver reinstallation and testing from another computer as escalation steps. For further help, use the exact model’s Brother support and downloads pages; sharing the model number and the scanning application name will make the fault easier to narrow down.
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