Updating Printer Drivers Canon

For PIXMA and MAXIFY, the full package is usually the right answer when you need scanning, fax or colour controls. For imageCLASS and imageRUNNER, the packaging depends on the model: UFR II is Canon’s own rendering language, PCL is common in Windows fleets and PostScript is often required for Macs and publishing workflows. Installing the wrong language can produce garbled output even though the printer is technically online. Large imageRUNNER devices may also have a controller or optional finisher that needs its own configuration.

Canon’s installer sometimes separates the printer driver from the scanner driver. If the print queue works but the scan button does not, do not reinstall the whole suite blindly. Check whether the IJ Scan Utility or the network scan driver is installed, confirm the scanner is enabled on the device, and verify that the firewall allows discovery. On macOS, Image Capture can reveal whether the scanner is visible to the system before you touch the driver again.

Use the full package for consumer PIXMA and MAXIFY models, or the specific UFR II, PCL or PostScript driver for an imageCLASS or imageRUNNER. Check the port after installation; a WSD port created by discovery can behave differently from a standard TCP/IP port.

1. 01

   Record the baseline and clear the old queue

   Note the exact model code, port, current driver version and any custom defaults. Remove the affected queue and, where relevant, its dedicated port. Restart before installing. This prevents Windows from silently reusing the stale driver.

2. 02

   Download the matching package from Canon

   Select the exact model, Windows version and architecture. Verify the digital signature and release notes. If you need scan, fax, finishing or accounting features, confirm that the package includes those components rather than assuming they are bundled.

3. 03

   Install deliberately, not by automatic discovery

   Run the signed installer and add the printer on the intended port. For a network device, use a fixed address or DHCP reservation. If a generic queue already exists, remove it before adding the new one so the driver choice is unambiguous.

4. 04

   Reapply options and test real output

   Reselect installed trays, finishers, colour profiles and authentication settings. Print from two applications, test duplex and colour, then reboot and print again. If scanning is part of the workflow, test it separately.

Install the current Canon macOS package for scan and colour utilities. If the queue was added as AirPrint and a feature is missing, remove it and re-add with the Canon driver. Apple silicon users should confirm native support rather than relying on Rosetta for an old installer.

1. 01

   Remove the existing queue before downloading

   Open System Settings → Printers & Scanners and remove the device. This clears stale driver references and prevents macOS from quietly reusing a generic PostScript queue. Note any presets or custom paper sizes first.

2. 02

   Choose AirPrint or the vendor package on purpose

   If basic printing is enough, readding the device as an AirPrint queue is the most maintainable path. If you need scanning, specialty media, colour profiles or finishing, install the current Canon package and select the vendor driver explicitly.

3. 03

   Verify scan support outside the print dialog

   Open Image Capture or the manufacturer’s scan utility and confirm the scanner is visible. A print queue can be healthy while scanning is absent. If the scanner is missing, fix discovery or the scan component before changing the print driver again.

4. 04

   Test, then record the working configuration

   Print a real document, a colour page and a duplex job where supported. Note the queue protocol, driver version and macOS release. macOS updates occasionally replace a vendor queue with a generic one, so the record is your baseline.

Canon offers Linux drivers for selected imageRUNNER, imageCLASS and PIXMA models, often as separate DEB and RPM packages. Install the common package first, then the model package, and use the vendor’s documented CUPS queue names. Community Gutenprint drivers can work for older inkjets but may lack scan support.

Linux support is model-dependent. Where the manufacturer does not publish a current package, a driverless queue or a validated generic PCL/PostScript driver may be the only supported option. Treat unsupported features as unavailable rather than “almost working.”

The three patterns below account for a disproportionate share of Canon driver support cases. They are worth checking before you download another package.

This guide applies to the Canon families below. Model suffixes and regional variants matter, so use the label on the device or the configuration page before choosing a package.

The list is illustrative, not exhaustive. A driver page may cover additional models or exclude older regional variants. Always compare the exact model and release notes before installing.