You're unable to scan a file using Adobe Acrobat and facing one of the following issues. Refer to the corresponding solution to troubleshoot the issue you get while scanning a file.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
File not scanning |
Follow the Steps to troubleshoot |
Correcting page size when scanning |
Some scanners don't report 'supported sizes' to Acrobat when Hide Scanner's Native Interface is selected in Scanner Options inside Acrobat 8. Switch the User Interface option to Show Scanner's Native Interface and select the page size from the scanner application. |
Negative image while scanning |
If the image comes out negative (for example white paper becomes black), then select Invert Black and White Images in the Scanner Options. Attempt to make the PDF again. |
Getting an error when scanning a file. |
Select the error you get to find the resolution steps: |
(Applicable to Windows only)
Change the Data Transfer Method under Scanner Options from Memory to Native Mode.
Memory mode uses the same data transfer method as previous versions of Acrobat and scans directly to the computer's memory. Native mode scans directly to the file and is more compatible with various scanners.
(Applicable to Windows only)
Change User Interface under Scanner Options from Hide Scanner's Native Interface to Show Scanner's Native Interface. Show Scanner's Native Interface uses the same scanning method as previous versions of Acrobat. It lets the scanner's driver operate the scanner. Hide Scanner's Native Interface attempts to use the Twain driver directly. It can eliminate error messages, especially when scanning multiple pieces of paper. If none of these solutions work, then it's sometimes necessary to use a workaround.
Contact your scanner manufacturer for an updated driver.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
To verify that the scanner works appropriately, scan the file into another application, such as Microsoft Word, using the same settings that failed with Acrobat.
Note: Photoshop and Photoshop Elements don't always provide good results to test against. Scanner manufacturers develop software specifically for these products to reduce the likelihood of problems.
If the problems recur when scanning another application, contact the scanner manufacturer.
(Applicable to Windows only)
Acrobat supports Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) drivers. If your scanner supports both drivers, then select the WIA driver from the Device menu in the Create PDF From Scanner dialog box. Scan the document.
(Applicable to Windows only)
If a TWAIN file is missing or damaged, Acrobat returns an error message when scanning using the TWAIN interface. Reinstalling the scanner driver replaces the TWAIN file.
Contact the scanner manufacturer to obtain the latest driver. To reinstall the driver, delete all files and folders that begin with Twain (for example, "Twain_32.dll") in the Windows or Winnt folder. Then, restart Windows, and then install the latest scanner driver according to the manufacturer's instructions.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Some applications can cause system errors or freezes when running concurrently with Adobe Acrobat. Before starting Acrobat, disable other applications, including startup items (items that start automatically with Windows).
| To disable startup items in Windows: |
To disable startup items in macOS: |
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(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Scanning into Acrobat in some color modes can cause problems when using certain scanners. For instructions on scanning into Acrobat using a different color mode, see the documentation included with the scanner.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
If the scanned image is clipped or has the wrong dimensions, then specify the image size in the preview panel for the scanner software. For instructions on specifying the image size, see the documentation included with the scanner.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
If you've successfully scanned into Acrobat before, your user account could be corrupted, causing problems when you scan. Create a user account with administrative privileges, then log in to your system using the new account.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
To convert a TIFF file to PDF, do one of the following:
> Create > PDF from file. Then, select the TIFF file and then select Open.(Applicable to Windows only)
Some scanners don't report 'supported sizes' to Acrobat when Hide Scanner's Native Interface is selected in Scanner Options in Acrobat. Switch the User Interface option to Show Scanner's Native Interface and select the page size from the scanner application.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
If the image comes out negative (for example, white paper becomes black), then select Invert Black and White Images in the Scanner Options. Attempt to make the PDF again.
To fix the problem, try the steps below in the order. After each step, check whether the problem is resolved; if not, follow the next step.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Check if the device is connected physically:
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Windows can have both TWAIN and WIA drivers installed. Similarly, Mac can have both TWAIN and ICA drivers. Try to scan with any other scanner driver alternative (ICA, WIA, or TWAIN) if one doesn’t work.
On Windows: Select any of TWAIN and WIA drivers on the scanner selection screen in Acrobat.
On macOS: Select the ICA drivers on the scanner selection screen in Acrobat.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Verify if the scanner is working with other applications:
If the scanner doesn’t work with any application, then this confirms the fact that that scanner isn't functioning correctly, and you may contact the scanner manufacturer for the issue.
Re-launch Acrobat.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Restart the system with start-up items disabled:
Some applications can cause system errors or freezes when running concurrently with Adobe Acrobat. Before starting Acrobat, disable other applications, including startup items (items that start automatically with Windows).
| To disable startup items in Windows: |
To disable startup items in macOS: |
|
|
(Applicable to Windows only)
Install the latest scanner drivers and then restart the system:
To fix the problem, try the steps below in the order. After each step, check whether the problem is resolved; if not, follow the next step.
(Applicable to Windows only)
Install the latest scanner drivers, and then restart the system:
(Applicable to Windows and macOS)
Check if the device is connected physically:
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Windows can have both TWAIN and WIA drivers installed. Similarly, macOS has ICA drivers. Try to scan with any other scanner driver alternative (ICA, WIA, or TWAIN) if one doesn’t work.
On Windows: Select any of the TWAIN and WIA drivers on the scanner selection screen in Acrobat.
On macOS: Select the ICA drivers on the scanner selection screen in Acrobat.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS)
Verify if the scanner works with any other application:
If the scanner doesn’t work with any application, then this confirms the fact that that scanner isn't functioning properly, and you may contact the scanner manufacturer for the issue.
Re-launch Acrobat.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Restart the system with start-up items disabled:
Some applications can cause system errors or freezes when running concurrently with Adobe Acrobat. Before starting Acrobat, disable other applications, including startup items (items that start automatically with Windows).
| To disable startup items in Windows: |
To disable startup items in macOS: |
|
|
To fix the problem, try the steps below in the order. After each step, check whether the problem is resolved; if not, follow the next step.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Check if the device is connected physically:
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Windows can have both TWAIN and WIA drivers installed. Similarly, Mac has ICA drivers. Try to scan with any other scanner driver alternative (ICA, WIA, or TWAIN) if one doesn’t work.
On Windows: Select any of the TWAIN and WIA drivers on the scanner selection screen in Acrobat.
On macOS: Select the ICA drivers on the scanner selection screen in Acrobat.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Verify if the scanner works with any other application:
If the scanner doesn’t work with any application, then this confirms the fact that that scanner isn't functioning properly, and you may contact the scanner manufacturer for the issue.
Re-launch Acrobat.
(Applicable to Windows and macOS only)
Restart the system with start-up items disabled:
Some applications can cause system errors or freezes when running concurrently with Adobe Acrobat. Before starting Acrobat, disable other applications, including startup items (items that start automatically with Windows).
| To disable startup items in Windows: |
To disable startup items in macOS: |
|
|
(Applicable to Windows only)
Install the latest scanner drivers, and then restart the system:
Scanner drivers are software programs that tell computers how to run and communicate with a scanner. Installing scanner drivers is an essential step in setting up a working scanner.
Note: In some cases, the scanners may not have both the TWAIN and Native scanner drivers. In those scenarios, all the scanner operations can be accessed by the available driver.
ICA driver: The latest ICA Scanner Driver for this product is available only via Apple's Software Update. Here's how to get it:
WIA Driver: Users of Windows must first log in as Administrator to install programs.