Image Capture Can't Find Scanner

I have an HP Officejet 5740 multifunction printer. Both printer and scanner worked fine prior to updating to macOS Tahoe. After the update Image Capture continued to work fine with the printer but failed to find the scanner built into the printer. It said:

DEVICES [0]

SHARED HP Officejet 5740 series

Error Message is: Failed to open a connection to the device (-21345)

I installed the latest available macOS HP drivers to no avail but downloaded the HP.app from the AppStore and found that it could see and use the scanner just fine. Rather clunky though so I'd prefer Image Capture.

My iMac communicates with the HP device via WiFi so neither printer nor scanner functions have ever been via a direct USB connection.

Has Tahoe hidden this scanner from me for some reason?

iMac 24″

Posted on Dec 8, 2025 12:59 PM

Top-ranking reply

MartinR

Level 7

24,564 points

Posted on Jan 18, 2026 7:10 AM

Vuescan works with your HP 5740 and it does not require any HP drivers. And it's a much better scanning app than Image Capture. You can try it out for free.

I also looked up available drivers. On the HP support website for the HP 5740 there are *NO* Mac drivers available. Only Linux & Windows. What HP drivers did you install?

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22 replies

Jan 18, 2026 8:38 AM in response to Barney-15E

I suppose that we will have to rely as best we can on the HP app until Apple addresses this serious defect in the macOS. The HP app works for me but is clunky and terribly inconvenient compared with recent past experience with scanning documents.

MrHoffman

Level 10

146,803 points

Jan 18, 2026 11:33 AM in response to Frank Lowney1

Frank Lowney1 wrote:

I suppose that we will have to rely as best we can on the HP app until Apple addresses this serious defect in the macOS. The HP app works for me but is clunky and terribly inconvenient compared with recent past experience with scanning documents.

The last old-line classic HP printer in use around here rolled out few years ago, replaced by a Brother printer.

Brother MFC multi-function models support a wide variety of common printing standards including AirPrint, TWAIN, and IPP/IPPS.

As printers go, the Brother printers in use around here have been hassle-free. Oldest is coming up on fifteen years, predating ubiquitous AirPrint support, and it just keeps going.

Dec 9, 2025 8:29 AM in response to Frank Lowney1

This is what I see today after resetting:

I also did a screen video of the relevant window but can't see how to upload it here. Do I have to go through YouTube?

Dec 9, 2025 7:22 PM in response to Frank Lowney1

Some previous posts suggested issues with port blocking or other security settings on the router. Though I feel like I'm grasping at straws a bit, here.

Dec 8, 2025 7:13 PM in response to Frank Lowney1

I believe that the HP Officejet 5740 supports AirPrint, so no drivers should be needed. First step in troubleshooting would be to delete the printer then re-add it.

Remove a printer from your printer list when you don’t use it on Mac - Apple Support

Add a printer to your printer list so you can use it on Mac - Apple Support

Else, you can reset the printing system (then re-add as above).

Reset the printing system on your Mac to solve a problem - Apple Support

Dec 9, 2025 7:06 PM in response to Frank Lowney1

No, my OfficeJet Pro 8740 has a touchscreen, I just navigated around on it until I found the manual firmware update request. The printer downloads firmware directly (presumably from HP), I get a prompt once in a while, press ok and an update is applied. I think most of the recent ones are more about locking out non-HP ink, but still...

hubf

Level 1

14 points

Dec 21, 2025 5:02 AM in response to neuroanatomist

This seems to be a general problem. My version is no better; HP Laserjet 400 MFP. Can't be recognised with Image Capture. HP Smart sees it but gets stuck when scanning on the glass-shield. Printer-Firmware is 2015-01-26. Printer offers no Firmware-Update.

Image Capture Can't Find Scanner