Scanning and Faxing from a MAC using Communicator

How to Scan a Document from a Brother Scanner to a Mac

Overview

This article explains how to scan documents from a Brother scanner or Brother multifunction printer to a Mac computer. These instructions apply to most modern Brother devices connected by USB, Ethernet, or Wi-Fi.

Prerequisites

Before scanning, verify:

  • The Brother scanner/printer is powered on.
  • The scanner and Mac are connected to the same network (for network scanning).
  • The Brother device appears in System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
  • Brother scanning software and drivers are installed, if required for your model.

Method 1: Scan Using macOS Image Capture

Most Brother scanners work with the built-in macOS Image Capture application.

Step 1: Open Image Capture

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Select Applications.
  3. Open Image Capture.

Step 2: Select Your Scanner

  1. In the left panel, locate your Brother device under Devices or Shared.
  2. Click the scanner name.

Step 3: Configure Scan Settings

Choose the desired settings:

  • Scan Mode: Black & White
  • Resolution: 300 DPI is recommended for most documents
  • Size: Letter
  • Format: PDF
  • Save To: Select where the scanned file will be stored
Tip: To scan multiple pages into a single file, load all pages into the Automatic Document Feeder (ADF). Ensure Combine into Single Document or Multi-Page PDF is enabled before starting the scan. This will create one PDF containing all scanned pages rather than separate files for each page.

Step 4: Scan

  1. Place your document in the automatic document feeder (ADF).
  2. Click Scan.
  3. Open the selected folder to view the scanned document.

Once your scan has reached the destination folder see Communicator-Sending a Fax From Your Desktop under Sending a fax Directly from your computer.

Last Updated on November 1, 2026