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Cannot scan to PDF (Error: The file could not be opened)

Since Apple released macOS Catalina I have problems with my Samsung M2070 printer & scanner. I updated the newest firmware for the printer, but I still can't scan documents to PDF format in color. The Preview app show me the following error message when I try to open the file:


"The file could not be opened. It may be damaged or use a file format that Preview doesn't recognize."


After contacting the HP support team for Samsung printers they told me that this is a Mac problem and Catalina doesn't support the generation for colored PDF scan. However b/w scans sometimes work and scanning as jpg in color also works.


For scanning I'm using Apple's Image Capture app.


Does anybody have similar issues with the scanning under Catalina and knows what to do? I also wonder if the statement from the HP support is it's a Mac and not a device problem?





Posted on Jul 20, 2020 1:02 AM

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Posted on Jul 20, 2020 5:09 PM

I'm sorry to hear you're having this problem with your scanner. These types of problems often come up with scanners after installing an OS upgrade. It always annoys me when the vendor says that it is Apple's problem when it is their software that doesn't work correctly. That is simply a lie. To be very clear, it is, and has always been, the vendor's responsibility to ensure that their software is compatible with an operating system. Apple doesn't own their software or manage it. Using Image Capture does scan, but it is not a full featured scanning software. Never has been. I suggest that you revisit the Samsung web site to confirm there are no recent updates which are compatible. If not, then you can download and try (for free) a full featured scanning app called VueScan. It most likely will do everything you need. They are constantly updating it. It does have a one time cost. (I have no association with them.) I bought it and am very satisfied. I hope this is helpful. Good luck.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 20, 2020 5:09 PM in response to nilitsch

I'm sorry to hear you're having this problem with your scanner. These types of problems often come up with scanners after installing an OS upgrade. It always annoys me when the vendor says that it is Apple's problem when it is their software that doesn't work correctly. That is simply a lie. To be very clear, it is, and has always been, the vendor's responsibility to ensure that their software is compatible with an operating system. Apple doesn't own their software or manage it. Using Image Capture does scan, but it is not a full featured scanning software. Never has been. I suggest that you revisit the Samsung web site to confirm there are no recent updates which are compatible. If not, then you can download and try (for free) a full featured scanning app called VueScan. It most likely will do everything you need. They are constantly updating it. It does have a one time cost. (I have no association with them.) I bought it and am very satisfied. I hope this is helpful. Good luck.

Cannot scan to PDF (Error: The file could not be opened)

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