If your computer won’t recognize Brother Printer, then follow the solutions in this article to fix this problem.
My Computer Doesn’t Recognize my Brother Printer [Reasons & Solutions]
Below are some of the reasons your computer may not recognize your Brother printer and their solutions:
1. Poor USB Connectivity
If your computer is connected to the Brother printer via a USB, then there may be a chance that the connection is not properly secured. So, the first thing to do is to check whether the connection is secured.
Disconnect your USB cable from both ends and then reconnect it after a while. After you have done this, check to see if your computer now recognizes your Brother Printer.
If the problem is not solved, then your USB cable may be faulty. Check the cable and ensure there is nothing wrong with it. The cable should also meet these specifications:
i. Must not be longer than 6 feet
ii. Should be shielded
iii. Should be a twisted pair
If the cable is not damaged and it also meets the above specifications, then it may be connected to the wrong port. Check and ensure that your cable is attached to the printer’s USB port and not a network or another port.
2. Obsolete Printer Driver
Your printer driver may be obsolete. When this happens, the printer will be unable to connect or get recognized by the computer. Open your computer’s printer folder with the following instruction based on your operating system:
For Mac OS: Open “System Preferences”, and then select “Print & Fax”
For Windows XP: Click on Start, then select “Printers and Faxes”
For Windows Vista: Click on Start, then select “Printers”
For Windows 2000: Click on start, then open Settings, and then select Printers
For Windows 7: Click on Start, then select “Devices and Printers”
For Windows 8 and 10: Open “Control Panel”, then select “Hardware and Sound”, then select “Devices and Printers”
Once you have opened the folder, a list of available printers will come up. Check the list to see if your printer is on it. If it is not, then your printer driver is the cause of the problem.
In this case, you will need to update the printer driver to solve the issue. Simply go to the download section of the Brother Printer official page and download your printer’s latest driver package.
If after updating your printer driver you still can’t get your Brother printer to recognize your computer, then the problem is probably a hardware issue. You may be unable to handle this by yourself. We recommend that you contact Brother Support for further assistance on the matter.
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My iPad Does Not Recognize My Brother Printer [Solution] – Computer Won’t Recognize Brother Printer
Try the following steps to troubleshoot your iPad not recognizing your Brother printer issue:
Step 1: Ensure the printer is on. Most printers sometimes power off automatically.
Step 2: Sending print commands from your iPad to a Brother printer by AirPrint is made possible through a Wi-Fi connection. Therefore, the next thing to do after ensuring the printer is on is to make sure your printer and iPad are connected to one network.
Step 3: If the Wi-Fi connection is correct, then you have to refresh the Wi-Fi on the iPad. This will cause your iPad to search for your printer again. Do this by opening Settings on your iPad, then select Wi-Fi. Next, switch off the Wi-Fi, wait for some seconds, and then switch the Wi-Fi back on.
Step 4: You need to reboot your iPad if it still does not recognize the printer.
Step 5: The problem may be from the printer and not the iPad if the problem persists at this point. So, what you have to do is reboot the printer. Simply turn it off and turn it back on after a few seconds. After the printer comes back on, check to see if your iPad can now recognize your Brother printer.
My Brother Printer Won’t Recognize Ink Cartridge [Solutions]
Do the following solutions if your Brother printer won’t recognize ink cartridge:
1. Check the Cartridge
It could be that the cartridge you are using is not compatible with your printer. So, the first thing you need to do when your Brother printer won’t recognize the ink cartridge is to check the cartridge.
Ensure the cartridge you are using is genuine Brother ink. It must also be compatible with your printer’s model. If it isn’t then you have to replace it with a compatible one.
If the cartridge is genuine but you still have the problem, then there is a chance that the cartridge’s contact chip is bad or missing.
In this case, take out the old cartridge’s contact chip and use it for your new cartridge.
Watch this instructional video on how to replace a Brother toner cartridge chip.
2. Remove the Ink Cartridge’s Protective Tape
A new ink cartridge’s electrical panel is usually protected with tape. If you install the cartridge without removing this tape, your Brother printer may not recognize your ink. Therefore, if you have a compatible Brother ink but still have this problem, this may be why.
To fix the problem in this case, uninstall the ink cartridge and then remove the tape and reinstall the cartridge. If this was the cause of the problem, this should solve it.
3. Reset Your Printer’s Internal Memory
This issue may occur if your printer has an internal memory problem. The printer may be unable to reset its internal memory; therefore, the error message keeps popping up.
How to Reset your Brother Printer Internal Memory
You can reset your Brother printer’s internal memory with these steps:
Step 1: Uninstall the cartridge and then switch the printer off.
Step 2: Wait for about 60 seconds, then turn your Brother Printer back on.
Step 3: Reinstall the cartridge when your printer displays its home screen.
Your printer’s internal memory should be fine now and the ink error message should no longer be displaying.
At this point, you should be able to get your Brother printer to recognize ink cartridges. However, if for some reason the problem persists, then you may need to update your printer’s firmware.
To do this, visit the download section of Brother’s official website and download your printer’s model Firmware Update Tool. Afterward, follow the instructions that come with the software to install it.
If all these solutions do not solve the issue, then you may need to contact Brother Support for further assistance.
