Fix: Canon Scan won’t work after Upgrading to Windows 10

Canon scanning failures after a Windows 10 upgrade usually cause the scanning software to freeze or show a “Cannot communicate with the scanner” message while running. The error means Windows cannot make a working link between the scanner and the system’s scanning services.

Not compatible or damaged Canon scanner drivers after the upgrade are the most common cause, with other causes including bad USB connections, turned-off Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service, or problems with security software.

Following are the fixes reported by other users that seem to have done the trick.

1. Use Canon’s MF Toolbox

Most users reporting this problem are using Canon scanners, so the first method focuses on fixing the scanner issue. Follow these steps:

1. Firstly, you need to download the Canon MF Toolbox from the Canon website. Go to this link to enter your scanner’s model and follow the on-screen instructions to download the utility.
2. Once downloaded, install the application.
3. Once installed, right-click on the application icon and select Properties.
4. Move to the Compatibility tab and check the box next to “Run this program in compatibility mode for:”
5. From the drop-down list, select “Windows 8”
6. (Optional) Also check “Run this program as an administrator” to give it full permission.
7. Now run the application and try a test scan from MF Toolbox.

2. Create a Power Plan

Some users have found the problem is caused by how Windows manages power to the USB ports when the laptop is plugged in. If the problem only occurs when your computer’s power cable is connected (and not when it’s running on battery), the power settings for the USB ports may be the cause.

The easiest way to fix this is to put your laptop on Power saver mode when scanning. You can do so by clicking on the battery icon in the taskbar and clicking on Power saver. (Or you can just remove the power cable when scanning.)

If you want to keep the power cable plugged in and don’t want to set your laptop to Power saver, you can create a custom power plan that uses similar power-saving settings while plugged in. To do this, click on the battery icon from the taskbar and then click on Power & sleep settings.

Then scroll down to “Related settings” and click on Additional power settings. In your current plan, you can also open Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings and try adjusting the USB settings—especially “USB selective suspend,” which controls power to USB ports. Toggle it for “Plugged in” (try Disabled first) and test your scanner until you find a setting that works reliably.

On the left-hand side, there will be an option to Create a power plan. Click on it, follow the on-screen steps, and see if you can make a power plan that works for your setup. After saving the plan, test your scanner again. If it still fails, check Canon’s website for the latest Windows 10 drivers for your exact model.