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Start by connecting the scanner to your laptop’s USB port. (See your scanner manual for information about how it connects to your laptop.)
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Turn the scanner on. Some scanners use Plug and Play, a technology that Windows uses to recognize equipment, install it automatically, and set it up.
If your scanner is Plug and Play–enabled, Windows 8.1 shows a Found New Hardware message on the taskbar notification area (in the lower-right corner of the Desktop) or near the top of the Start screen. Most Plug and Play devices will install automatically; then the message changes to indicate that the installation is complete, and that’s all you have to do.
If that doesn’t happen, either you’re not using a Plug and Play device or Windows doesn’t have the driver for that device. Click the Found New Hardware message to proceed.
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In the resulting Found New Hardware Wizard (this starts only if you don’t permit Windows 8.1 to connect automatically to Windows Update), click Yes, This Time Only and then click Next.
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If you have a DVD for the scanner, insert it in your CD/DVD drive and click Next. Windows 8.1 searches for your scanner driver software and installs it.
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Display the Control Panel. In the Search box, type scanners. Windows returns a set of links. Click the View Scanners and Cameras link. In the resulting Scanners and Cameras window, click the Add Device button.
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In the resulting Scanner and Camera Installation Wizard window, click Next. In the next screen of the wizard, click your scanner's manufacturer in the list on the left and then click the model in the list on the right.
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Follow the wizard directions for the model of scanner you chose in Step 6.
Note whether you have a manufacturer’s disc (a CD- or DVD-ROM) for your scanner; if you don’t have a disc, Windows will help you download software from the Internet. When you reach the end of the wizard, click Finish to complete the installation.
