Brother Printer Not Connecting to Mac – How to Fix It

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If your Brother printer is not connecting to a Mac, the issue could be due to missing drivers, network setup problems, outdated firmware, or incorrect system settings. The following steps will help identify and fix the issue.

Check Printer and Mac Connectivity

For USB Connection
  1. Ensure the USB cable is securely plugged into both the printer and Mac.
  2. Try a different USB port or cable if the printer is not recognized.

For Wi-Fi or Ethernet Connection
  1. Make sure the printer and Mac are on the same Wi-Fi network.
  2. Print a network configuration report from the printer to verify connection status and IP address.

Add the Printer Manually on macOS
  1. Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
  2. Click the plus (+) button to add a printer.
  3. Wait for your Brother printer to appear in the list.
  4. If it doesn’t appear, click the IP tab and enter the printer’s IP address.
  5. Choose Secure AirPrint or the appropriate Brother driver from the drop-down list.

Install or Reinstall the Brother Printer Driver
  1. Go to the Brother Support website.
  2. Download the Full Software Package for macOS specific to your printer model.
  3. Uninstall any existing Brother printer from System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
  4. Install the downloaded software and reboot your Mac.

Reset Printing System
  1. Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
  2. Right-click (or Control-click) in the printers list.
  3. Choose Reset printing system and confirm.
  4. Re-add the Brother printer using the plus (+) button.

Enable AirPrint (if applicable)
  1. Confirm your Brother printer supports AirPrint.
  2. If so, the Mac may use AirPrint instead of requiring a driver.
  3. In the Add Printer dialog, choose AirPrint under “Use”.

Check for macOS Software Updates
  1. Go to System Settings > General > Software Update.
  2. Install any available updates to ensure compatibility.
  3. Reboot your Mac after updates are complete.

Confirm Printer Status and Firmware
  1. On the printer’s control panel, check for any error messages or warnings.
  2. Visit Brother’s support site to download and run the Firmware Update Tool for your model.
  3. Follow the tool’s instructions to update the printer.

Disable Firewall or Security Software Temporarily
  1. Temporarily disable any third-party firewall or antivirus software that may be blocking printer communication.
  2. Re-enable the software after verifying the connection works.

Use Brother iPrint&Scan for Printing and Scanning
  1. Download Brother iPrint&Scan from the Mac App Store.
  2. Open the app and select your printer.
  3. Use the app to test print and scan functions.

Restart Devices
  1. Turn off and unplug the printer for 30 seconds, then restart it.
  2. Restart your Mac as well.
  3. Check if the printer connects successfully after reboot.

If the Brother printer still does not connect to your Mac, try using another Mac or printer to isolate whether the issue is hardware or software-related.