How to Add Brother Printer to Mac: The Ultimate Guide for 2024

Connecting your Brother printer to your Mac is a breeze, allowing you to effortlessly print documents, photos, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned Mac user or a newcomer, this guide will walk you through the simple steps to get your Brother printer up and running in no time.

1. Connect Your Brother Printer

The first step is to physically connect your Brother printer to your Mac. You have two primary options:
a) Wired Connection:

• Use a USB cable to connect your printer directly to your Mac. This is a reliable option, especially for older printers.

b) Wireless Connection:

• Ensure your printer and Mac are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Most modern Brother printers support wireless connectivity, making it a convenient choice.

2. Install the Brother Printer Driver

The printer driver is essential software that allows your Mac to communicate with your Brother printer. You can obtain the driver from Brother’s website:

• Go to the Brother website: Visit the official Brother website and navigate to their “Support” or “Downloads” section.
• Enter your printer model: Search for your specific Brother printer model by entering its name or model number.
• Download the driver: Locate and download the appropriate driver for your Mac operating system (macOS).

3. Install the Brother Printer Driver

Once you’ve downloaded the driver, follow these steps to install it:

• Open the downloaded file: Double-click the downloaded file to launch the installation process.
• Follow the on-screen instructions: The installer will guide you through the installation steps. Simply follow the prompts and click “Next” or “Continue” to complete the process.

4. Add Your Brother Printer in System Preferences

Once the driver is installed, you need to add your Brother printer to your Mac’s system settings:

• Open System Preferences: Go to the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select “System Preferences.”
• Select “Printers & Scanners”: Click on the “Printers & Scanners” icon.
• Add your printer: Click the “+” button at the bottom of the window to add a new printer.
• Choose your Brother printer: Select your Brother printer from the list of available devices.
• Choose the appropriate driver: If necessary, select the appropriate printer driver from the “Use” dropdown menu.
• Click “Add”: Click the “Add” button to finalize the process.

5. Test Your Brother Printer

After adding your printer, it’s time to test its functionality:

• Open a document: Launch your preferred word processing program or application.
• Print a test page: Select “Print” from the File menu and choose “Print Test Page” or “Print Document” to send a test print job to your Brother printer.

6. Troubleshooting Tips

If you encounter any issues adding your Brother printer to your Mac, here are some troubleshooting tips:

• Check your printer’s power: Ensure your printer is turned on and connected to a power source.
• Verify the connection: Double-check the physical connection between your printer and Mac, whether it’s a USB cable or Wi-Fi connection.
• Restart your Mac and printer: Sometimes a simple restart can resolve connection issues.
• Update your Mac’s software: Ensure your Mac is running the latest macOS version to avoid compatibility issues.
• Reinstall the driver: If you suspect a problem with the driver, uninstall it and reinstall the latest version from Brother’s website.

7. Enjoy Seamless Printing

Congratulations! You have successfully added your Brother printer to your Mac. Now you can easily print documents, photos, and other files without any hassle.

Beyond the Basics: Enhancing Your Printing Experience

• Customize Your Printer Settings: Access the “Print” dialog box in your applications to customize settings like paper size, orientation, and print quality.
• Manage Print Queues: The “Printers & Scanners” settings allow you to monitor print jobs, pause or cancel tasks, and manage print queues.
• Utilize AirPrint: For wireless Brother printers that support AirPrint, you can print directly from your Mac’s apps without installing drivers.

Questions We Hear a Lot

1. What if my Brother printer isn’t showing up in the “Printers & Scanners” list?

• Ensure your printer is turned on and connected to your Mac. If you’re using a wireless connection, verify that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

2. How do I update my Brother printer driver?

• Visit the Brother website, locate your printer model, and download the latest driver for your Mac operating system. You can then install the new driver, which will typically replace the existing one.

3. My Brother printer prints blurry or faded documents. What can I do?

• Check the printer settings for paper type and print quality. Adjust these settings to match the paper you’re using and the desired print quality. You can also try cleaning the printer’s print heads.

4. Can I use my Brother printer with multiple Macs?

• Yes, you can connect your Brother printer to multiple Macs. However, ensure that each Mac has the appropriate driver installed and that the printer is connected to the same network (if using wireless).

5. My Brother printer is printing multiple copies of the same document. How do I fix this?

• Check the “Copies” setting in the “Print” dialog box. Ensure it’s set to “1” for single-page printing. You can also check the printer’s settings for any duplicate printing options.