Printer problems under MacOS? Here's the solution!
Whether Catalina, Big Sur or newer: MacOS can no longer cope with some printers. Luckily there is a solution.
With MacOS 10.15 "Catalina" Apple has completely converted the operating system to 64-bit. As a result, 32-bit software no longer runs. I had to delete a bunch of older games, but what's even more annoying is that the printer (Samsung ML2070) doesn't want to work properly anymore: it occasionally prints pages of special characters instead of the desired document. The old Brother color printer (MFC-490CW), on the other hand, has not been able to cope with the colors since Catalina. Both do not scan properly and show stripes in the scan, scan only halfway or the MacOS scanner software crashes. Affected but printers from all sorts of manufacturers seem to work be.
Solution 1: Update printer driver
Probably the easiest solution to get rid of printer problems is a new 64-bit printer driver for the respective printer. The problem with this: Many older devices in particular are no longer supplied with drivers by the manufacturers. Or there are no longer any MacOS drivers because MacOS has always supplied good drivers itself. With my more than 10 year old (!) MFC-490CW and many other models, Brother also delivers in an exemplary manner new drivers for Catalina: They are installed in just a few steps, the problems are then history and the printer does its job as a scanner and printer.
Solution 2: Use Airprint and solve printer problems on macOS
The situation is different with my much newer Samsung ML2070 multifunction device: sometimes it prints reliably, sometimes it just comes out of the printer nonsense. This is particularly perfidious with this model, as there is a page counter that announces when the toner is empty. That means: After the number of pages intended by the toner cartridge, it's over, even if thousands of pages with a single letter have been printed! I could spend hours ranting about manufacturers' overpriced and senseless proprietary rubbish of toner and ink, but I'll spare you that at this point. The important thing is to get the damn printer working again. Because for Samsung printers, HP has taken over the support – but does not provide any current drivers. However, Apple offers a list of Airprint-compatible printers, which also lists my Samsung.
Set up an AirPrint printer on MacOS
Luckily my ML2070 supports Apple's AirPrint feature. And that in turn works without a driver! Under iOS and iPadOS printing with the device is therefore not a problem, but a printer can also be set up via AirPrint under MacOS Catalina:
- Open the System Preferences in MacOS and select "Printers & Scanners".
- Click the plus sign in the lower-left corner of the printer list.
- The add dialog now shows you your printers on the Mac and in the network.
- Click on the desired printer. MacOS will now load the drivers.
- Since the printer does not work with the in-house driver, you must select "AirPrint" in the "Use" list.
- With a click on "Add" the printer is set up as an AirPrint printer under MacOS.
Conclusion: Annoying thing!
Even if it can be solved quite easily in many cases, the printer problem under MacOS 10.15 "Catalina" is really annoying. Especially since it didn't occur regularly, at least for me, but completely randomly. What particularly annoys me in my case is that HP does not ship updated printer drivers for my Samsung printer. The old Brother inkjet, on the other hand (which, by the way, has been working with China cartridges for 10 euro each for 1 years!), is dutifully supplied with drivers by Brother. When I next decide to buy a printer, I will therefore also include the long-term support. And Samsung won't come into my house at this point either.
Update 1: Specific solution for Samsung M2070 series printers
Unfortunately, your comments showed that the solution does not work for the Samsung M2070 printer mentioned in the article. I had severe problems myself when I wanted to print more than one page at a time. Luckily I was able to find a workaround after all: someone in the HP support forum has it posted a solution that seems to work, at least it worked for me:
- Download the latest driver from HP website, the file name is M2070_Series_Mac_PrinterDriver_V1.04.01.zip. I didn't find it on the HP site but found it here.
- Unzips the file.
- Install the drivers by double-clicking your (unzip folder)/PrinterDriver/MAC Installer/MAC_Printer/Printer Driver.pkg and following the installer.
- Ignore the two error messages with "Cancel", then the installation runs through.
- Now look again in the unzipped folder. Under (unzip folder)/PrinterDriver/MAC Installer/MAC Data/Printer Driver/10.6/PPD/gzipfile/ you will find a "Samsung M2070 Series.gz". Copies this to the desktop.
- Now go to "Printers & Scanners" and add your Samsung printer. Important: Do not select AirPrint under "Use", select "Other".
- In the following Finder window you can now select the "Samsung M2070 Series.gz". If it's grayed out, just copy it to another folder and repeat the steps from step 5.
- The printer will be installed. If further error messages occur, you can ignore them. The printer should then work again.
Update 2: Official Samsung drivers for macOS 10.15 Catalina are available
HP finally updated the driver packages for MacOS shortly before Christmas. The latest driver for the Samsung ML2070 mentioned in the article is available on the HP support site. Important: In order for the correct driver to be displayed, you must select "MacOS 10.15" as the operating system, otherwise the site only offers firmware updates or old drivers. After installation, at least this printer should work again, other models should now gradually receive updates.
Update 3: Give the printer a fixed IP
The printer problem dragged on for me as far as Big Sur. Both the iMac and the MacBook Air again didn't want to print correctly via WLAN, only cryptic characters came up again. No problem with iPhone and iPad. Ironically, there is no driver for the Samsung printer for Big Sur, installing the old driver was too delicate for me. So I came up with the solution which has already solved many WLAN problems for me: I deleted the printer from MacOS, gave the device a fixed IP address in the WLAN and then switched it off completely, i.e. unplug it. After switching it on, I then reconfigured the multifunction device in MacOS and lo and behold: So far everything has worked via AirPrint without a driver. TOI Toi Toi!
Samsung Xpress SL-M2675FN Laser Multifunction Printer
If someone has this and CANNOT SCAN – os 10.14 and up….
yes, that is broken and known.
But you can “at least” still scan black and white…..
Dear Christian
I have a MacBook Pro, operating system 11.7, BigSur and today I bought and successfully connected a brand new HP Laser Jet Enterprise M554dn. The cartridges are full and it prints sharp and fast. But: Individual colors are now printed 'wrongly'. This is especially the case with special colors such as violet (becomes blue), mint (becomes grass green), etc.
I installed the driver with AirPrint without any problems, as you described so well above (THANK YOU! ??).
Do you have a tip for me on how to get the colors 'real'?
Kind regards from Switzerland
jacqueline
Hello Christian,
Even if the topic is a bit older, it will probably still be relevant for this century. Thanks for your workaround tips. HP's printer theater has haunted me for the last 20 years, which is why I kicked this manufacturer out of the office. But unfortunately I have an HP(Samsung) M2022W at home. On the subject of printing on this device with !0.15 and 11.6 on the Mac: from the Apple programs such as Pages, Preview, TextEdit etc. not possible or only sometimes for no apparent reason. However, these documents print flawlessly from the iPad. Interestingly, printing from Libre Office is also printable from the Mac. All about AirPrint. The printer has a fixed IP on the router. The latest driver available for this printer is for MacOS 10.14. / 2018. Tragedy
Addition to below:
Operating system Big Sur 11.2
After initially printing but not scanning worked, I bought VueScan. This works for scanning, which is why I uninstalled the "Samsung Easy Document Creator". After that I had the printing problems... I reinstalled the "Samsung Easy Document Creator" and already reinstalled all printer drivers for Mac OS 10.15 several times, which are the latest for this printer.
Hello, since today I've been getting a whole series of error messages on my brand new MacBook Pro for my Samsung Xpress c1860 FW, although the device initially worked via Plug & Play! The following errors are displayed in sequence:
1. "BasicOptionPDE.bundle" cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified.
2. "AdvancedOptionPDE.bundle" cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified.
3. "commandtosec" cannot be opened because Apple cannot scan for malware in it.
4. "prefilter" cannot be opened because Apple cannot scan for malware in it.
5. libscmssc.dylib cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified.
After assigning a fixed IP address to the printer, when I try to set it up using AirPrint, I get the following error message:
"The printer on your network could not be verified. Cannot connect to "192.168.002.150" [= printer's IP address assigned by me] due to an error. Do you still want to create a printer?”
When I select "Continue" after a while I get the message:
"The printer on your network could not be verified. Unable to connect to "Samsung C1860 Series (SEC30CDA79740E4).ipp._tcp.local." due to an error. Do you still want to create a printer?”
If you select "Continue" the whole thing goes back to the beginning.
The printer shows up in System Preferences with a green light but is not working to print or scan. By the way, scanning works via VueScan!
By the way, I have already taken into account the tip with the Bluetooth plist.
Does anyone have an idea or do I have to order a new printer?
Thanks in advance for an answer!
D Forberg
I have an HP printer that would print but would not scan. The only solution that works for me is "HP Smart". Neither Easy Scan (tried several versions) nor the home remedy “Digitale Bilder” find the scanner.
Hello, I am now on macOS Big Sur. Getting the printer to work with a USB cable is not a problem with the method and drivers described above. But how does the wireless setup work? Normally EasyWirelessSetup Mac Application would have to be downloaded. However, the program does not run on Big Sur. Do you have an idea to integrate the Samsung ML2070 as a wireless printer? For AirPrint, too, the printer must first be integrated into the WLAN...how do I do that without the tool (EasyWirelessSetup Mac Application)???
Greetings Rainer
The printer has a WPS function. You can then use the push button on the Fritzbox to establish the connection. Other Riuters can do this too.
That's right....I hadn't even thought of that. Since I have to set this up for my aunt, I can't try it out yet. Suppose the connection between the router and the printer is wireless, does the printer with the new driver (Samsung driver for MacOS10.15 Catalina) then appear in the list in the Add Printer window? So far it has always failed...
There is another solution. I had an issue with a Canon printer that is no longer supported. Very annoying. I have now installed the Gutenberg printer driver. With this my Canon printer works again, also under Catalina, even if the functioning and Catalina was not guaranteed. I guess I have to look for a program for the scanner. Possibly Does Vue Scan do it?
I'm in a similar situation with a Samsung printer (SCX-3405F),
but under MacOS 10.13.6 (High Sierra); the printer worked perfectly, also used it for photocopies and as a fax (for medical connections).
I had always dutifully carried out the apple updates, the printer only worked 'moody' over time, ie sometimes it was recognized, sometimes not; However, printouts are always OK, without incorrect characters.
Well, since the penultimate update, despite uninstalling and reinstalling the driver (downloaded the latest from hp) and despite claims to the contrary on the hp website that this model is still supported, there is no printer detection on the part of the macbook.
When I finally got the phone no. a hotline, the technician said – after he had gone through all the options with me: compost the printer and get a new one, but this time with the air print function.
Do you know where I can intervene against such senseless waste production?
The previous printer has scan, print and fax functions and runs perfectly, I'm not just going to throw it away!
(So switch back to windows after all?)
Thank you for your efforts/advice.
Best Regards
JZ.
Hallo,
yes, that's annoying. I think the only option is to switch to a printer manufacturer that is well supported by MacOS. Here I have had good experiences with Brother. In addition, you can of course try to rush consumer advocates to HP/Samsung ;) I recently had to dispose of a 15-year-old but technically still fully intact scanner and a Canon photo printer: Both are fine, both can only be used with special drivers, both are not more supported by current operating systems. The EU should put a stop to this artificial e-scrap, in relation to smartphones I have already admitted my two cents here: https://www.tutonaut.de/meinung-wir-brauchen-ein-zwangs-jailbreak-gesetz/
In the meantime I have installed the Gutenberg printer driver. With this my Canon printer works again, also under Catalina, even if the functioning and Catalina was not guaranteed. I guess I have to look for a program for the scanner. Possibly Does Vue Scan do it?
I have the same problem with a Canon IP100 and a Canon MX870. Both good printers that still work perfectly under Windows. But I suspect that my / our problems are due to Apple's "impudence" in deactivating all 32-bit programs with Catalina. In my case, an expensive Adobe Lightroom6 license is no longer usable. Simply deactivated as no longer compatible after the OS update. Cheeky and with the consequence back to LINUX or Windows.
Now to my work-around: I have an old Windows computer (slow but with Win10) in the network and then let it print and scan. Connected via Anydesk remote control and now with a new script that immediately brings all PDFs from a directory to the printer. The PDF generated on the Apple is then copied or saved there. Unfortunately I can't think of anything better.
Unfortunately I can no longer use my fully working Canon MP610 printer and scanner. Not even the Preview app can access the built-in scanner, which worked with other older stand-alone scanners. It's a mess from Canon that these devices are no longer supported. But unfortunately I haven't come up with a solution to continue using my printer and scanner in any other way. Is there really no solution to continue using these widespread printers?
In the meantime I have installed the Gutenberg printer driver. With this my Canon printer works again, also under Catalina, even if the functioning and Catalina was not guaranteed. I guess I have to look for a program for the scanner. Possibly Does Vue Scan do it?
I too have problems getting my Samsung M2070W to run properly under macOS 10.15.
I have already tried to install the latest available driver ("Samsung Universal Print and Scan Driver" in version V3.92.00) and also made sure to select the driver "Samsung M2070 series" and not the AirPrint connection.
However, the following problems still occur:
Scan to PDF has stopped working. The generated PDFs are all damaged and cannot be opened. (The only temporary solution: switch from color to black and white before the scan - then at least it works without color)
Sometimes when printing documents, the printer just feeds all the paper one at a time and prints a line of cryptic characters at the top.
The support from HP/Samsung couldn't or didn't want to help me either. Apparently there is no known problem.
I'm now ready to discard the thing at the next opportunity and swap it for a solid Brother machine. I think this driver practice for MacOS is a disaster. It usually works for me now, but I haven't actually tried it with the PDF. I think it's a shame that e-waste is being produced in this way, but that should teach me a lesson...
Hello, it's not that easy if you want to use a new HP printer. Hp no longer provides a way to install a driver on an Apple Mac. Had to completely "free" my app from Catalina, installed an operating system from 2014 to use the printer. Anything but funny.
Have a nice evening.
That's not entirely true, it works for me anyway ;) As described in the article, a driver can be downloaded from HP. For me eg Samsung_Mac_10.15_Driver_V3.91.00.dmg for the Samsung XPress M2875. The image is muted, then the driver is installed. In the MAC_Printer directory there is Printer Driver.pkg, which we run. Important, during the installation the MAC printer window opens or can be opened, here the printer in the network is selected, but what is decisive is that in the "Use" field, do not leave AirPrint selected but select the printer. And the new driver is already being used. However, this must be changed manually, otherwise the whole thing runs with AirPrint driver v2. If it is changed, version 3.91 is also displayed as driver. Unfortunately, that's not entirely obvious.
Just read, the author of the article has already explained this in detail above :). It was helpful for me and I can confirm that it works, you may have another problem @Gerhard.
Hello
Unfortunately, my Brother DCP-9020 CDW (4 years old) laser printer is completely different. The drivers offered do not really work or at least my original function of the printer is limited. Very annoying because I need the printer for business.
Last but not least, I would have to state that the printer no longer runs under HighSierra.
Good morning. I, too, am very annoyed with Catalina. My MacBook Pro Retina Mid 2012 and my Canon MX920 always got along well, to scan simply go to “Scan” in the printer settings and then open Scanner. Now "Scanning" is no longer displayed! Downloading the Canon driver for Catalina and setting up the printer again didn't bring the "Scan" field back either. Anyone know advice? Kind regards
Hello, I had the same problem with my Canon MX925 and Catalina scanner support via WLAN and was annoyed for 2 hours yesterday. But I just "somehow" found a solution and my Canon MX925 (= Canon MX920 series) can scan via WLAN again! (Printing worked all the time, scanning only via USB after the update to Catalina)
How: I've updated all the software and drivers available from Canon (so I don't know exactly what's important in the end). Then:
1. Open "CANON IJ Network Tool.app".
2. Connect the MX925 via USB (even if WLAN is already used for printing!!)
(Possibly step 2 before 1.)
3. In the SW then under Setup (top left dropdown), search for the printer and let it be found via USB.
Then follow the instructions and transfer the WLAN access data from the keychain to the printer. (Even if it is or was already accessible via WLAN!! This is important!!)
Continue to follow the instructions (I can't remember exactly), but switch off the printer, remove the USB cable, switch it on again and the printer should then be found. Then:
4. Add the printer in the system settings. I added it once via Bonjour and once via Canon IJ xxx. Only via Bonjour (later displayed as AirPrint) does the scan work via the utility and then click "Open scanner". If you only see the printer as a function, you are in the "Canon IJ something" connection type.
Hope that's reasonably understandable. And if it doesn't work. Get a good night's sleep and relax again. Or just connect it briefly via USB, it worked for me the whole time...
Currently have 10.15.7 btw. and today is 30.9.20/XNUMX/XNUMX.
I'm still freaking out. Unfortunately, the driver does not work with my Samsung Express 480w! AirPrint doesn't work either.
Only one page is ever printed, then hieroglyphs page by page. Turn off the printer - wait - turn on the printer - then I might be able to print a document again. And then the game starts over.
Terrible!!!!!
The #Samsung Xpress SL-M2885FW, in connection with macOS Catalina 10.15.2 looks similarly modest. No current driver from Samsung aka HP in sight. Printing is currently only possible via AirDrop on the iPhone. You have nothing better to do otherwise. ? If anyone finds a solution for the #Samsung Xpress SL-M2885FW, please let us know. Thanks in advance.
I have the same printer and the same problem. Have tried, as described above, to select the gzip file, unfortunately without success. Even after I moved the file to another folder, the file was still greyed out. Have you found a solution in the meantime?
Haven't found a working solution yet and just bought a Brother laser printer. Annoying, but I had no other choice. The solution of sending all documents from the Mac to the iPhone via AirDrop and printing them from there (which works perfectly, by the way) is not particularly practical for ongoing office work in the long term, hence the new purchase.
Have you seen it yet? There is FINALLY an updated printer driver from Samsung/HP for macOS 10.15, version V3.91.00 from March 02nd, 2020. With this, everything works perfectly again, i.e. printing and scanning. At least here with our Samsung Xpress SL-M2885 laser multifunction printers. ?
Thanks for the hint! Unfortunately, when I print, it gives me an error message, but it prints.
Another workaround, albeit cumbersome: printing from a Windows VM running Parallels Desktop on the Mac.
Set up: Disable printer sharing with the Mac in the VM. Install the printer in Windows.
Benefit: Place the file in the VM via the exchange folder. Call there, print.
Note: Wanted to be "paperless" anyway, i.e. only intended for emergencies.
Doesn't it then make more sense to just print the files directly from the VM via file sharing? So just set up the printer in the VM and then call the file from there? If necessary, this can even be done using drag & drop.
Yes, absolutely correct.
This is better, except for the files the windows side doesn't eat. I'm MSOffice-free on the Mac and largely use the Mac's on-board tools (for emergencies, LibreOffice with vanilla flavor).
Next step: I also installed Mojave in the VM. Before upgrading to Catalina, the printer worked - let's see if it works the same via the VM as it does with Windows.
There is also a thread in the Dell forum about using the driver from another Dell printer and printing directly to Catalina again. That's option 3, it just doesn't work yet.
The alternative for Mac-specific files such as Pages, Numbers and Co. would still be printing via an iOS device. This works as long as the printer supports AirPrint. I have an exchange folder for such things in the iCloud.
Unfortunately no AirPrint on my Dell Laser from 2012.
In fact, I've always printed the other way around from my iDevices, via readdle's PrinterPro app. That works fine. But now I would have to start up my Win10 computer, which usually collects dust.
This is my main motive for trying the other driver. You can't do that through the VM.
Last option: New printer. But it turns a working printer into scrap... Printer shame?
Great idea!
I've tried everything and thought about deleting all data and booting High Sierra again, but that's a little less complicated!
Printing with the ML2070 is great... but a scanner would be even better ;-)
Unfortunately I have so far for this under 10.15. no solution found...
Maybe Vuescan will do it? Otherwise virtual machine and Windows or Linux. By the way, scanning works fine for me. Maybe uninstall the driver.
Hello!
Try Udhy's solution with Bluetooth (see my post above from November 8.11th). Everything is working fine for me now - strange!
Did the update to 10.15.1 possibly solve the problem?
Thank you for this article, it helped me a lot. However, I had to do the opposite on mine:
If I choose the Airprint option, only a jumble of characters comes out of my Samsung M2070. If, on the other hand, I select the “Samsung M2070 Series” option, then printing works smoothly again.
Hallo,
I have exactly the problem described above with a Samsung printer. But my printer ran and still runs via AirPrint and still mostly only produces characters at the top edge...page by page.
Unfortunately the solution doesn't work. I'm really desperate.
I also unplugged my printer completely for a while. Maybe this helps?
Hello!
My SAMSUNG M2070 only delivered letter salad under 10.15.1. Airprint tip doesn't work regularly, unfortunately, but intermittently.
Out of desperation I tried this:
Re-create Bluetooth plist file on Mac
Open Finder on Mac. Next, Go > Go to Folder > type “/Library/Preferences/” and Open.
Find, com.apple.Bluetooth.plist file and Delete it.
Tip from Udhy in
https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/372020/samsung-easy-document-scanner-wont-communicate-with-scanner-on-os-x-catalina-10
Yes: Bluetooth!!!! Although the printer is connected to the WLAN - and it works
What nonsense have “they” programmed there?
Good luck and thanks to Udhy
Bluetooth??? Well, someone should come up with it. But hey, you can try it!
It only works for me as long as I don't reboot :-(
Great, thanks for your lines.
I have the same problem with my Epson XP-800 when it comes to scanning.
The problem was only limited before that, because (!) I had it on the iMac, but on the MBP from 12.18, the scanning worked (attention worked!)
Tried to reach Epson's hotline today, to no avail. Then chatted, forget it, there was a really "very competent employee" there, I got answers "extremely quickly" (just before I fell asleep...) and finally got the advice, I have to contact Apple (about Image Capture, the internal scanner function).
When I asked several times why it didn't work with the iMac and with the MBP, the same note "Apple..."
I no longer need the software that is still installed there, it no longer runs (among other things, the Scanner.app was also included), I can uninstall it.
Stupid of me, I did it! Success across the board. Now the scanner doesn't work anymore either!
I also used the link sent with the driver update, downloaded and installed it. Without success
Both devices remain silent when it comes to scanning. Possibly with a lot of luck, a lot of spit and umpteen attempts, the scanner can be activated once. But that's it.
Your tip with the AirPrint setting doesn't work on either device.
What are we supposed to do?
New printer? Which one and what do you do with the old one, especially if you still have a few cartridges?
I hope some of you can help, because Epson helped me...
Have you tried "Image Capture" in the Applications folder? Otherwise I would wait for MacOS updates and hope that Epson might react. The last time I had printer problems on the Mac was in 2003 because there was no MacOSX driver for a laser printer. Apple is here actually Well. Otherwise look here again: https://support.apple.com/de-de/HT201465
Otherwise there are workarounds: If you have a Windows or Linux computer, use the printer there and share it over the network. Alternatively, I would connect a Raspberry Pi that does that. Or Windows or Linux in a virtual machine with the free Virtualbox ). Unfortunately, we do not (yet) have any instructions for the specific case of Raspberry Pi printer servers or VMs.