Like many users, I was shocked to discover that upgrading to macOS Big Sur has essentially crippled my Brother MFC4800W printer/scanner. For someone who relies heavily on scanning documents daily, this issue with my Brother Printer Scan Tool has thrown a major wrench into my workflow. Before the upgrade, I routinely scanned between 5 and 25 pages a day using the built-in scanner functionality of my Mac. Now, after being compelled to upgrade to Big Sur due to needing a new machine, I’m facing a frustrating reality.
The initial research into this problem was not encouraging. The Brother support website explicitly states the absence of a CUPS driver for Big Sur for my model. Their official compatibility page (https://help.brother-usa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/171591/~/macintosh-macos-11-big-sur—compatibility) confirms this lack of support, which is a significant blow for users who depend on a reliable brother printer scan tool.
Brother’s primary suggestion to circumvent this driver issue is to utilize AirPrint. However, my past experiences with AirPrint have been far from ideal. Years ago, I found it to be painfully slow and avoided it entirely. While it’s possible AirPrint performance has improved since then, the initial prospect wasn’t appealing, especially when needing a fast and efficient brother printer scan tool solution.
Attempting to use the Brother iPrint & Scan software, which previously served as a functional brother printer scan tool interface, now yields a discouraging error message. Upon trying to initiate a scan, the software prompts the download of yet another tool – the Brother Push Scan Tool.
Error message prompting download of Brother Push Scan Tool
Eventually, after navigating through these software suggestions, I managed to get the scanning function working again by using the Brother iPrint & Scan tool in conjunction with the Brother Push Scan Tool. While technically a solution to get the basic brother printer scan tool operational, it comes with a significant drawback: the absence of the “Combine into single document” feature. This feature was crucial for my high-volume document scanning workflow, allowing me to efficiently digitize multiple pages into a single, manageable file using my brother printer scan tool. Its disappearance represents a major loss of functionality.
This entire ordeal raises the question: What exactly happened? My primary need is simple – to perform my work, which includes scanning, printing, and staying productive online. Instead, I’m forced to dedicate considerable time and energy to troubleshooting what feels like a complete disregard for user needs from both Apple and Brother. The seamless functionality I relied upon for my brother printer scan tool has been disrupted by this OS upgrade.
The current situation has me contemplating whether it’s necessary to invest in a new printer/scanner altogether. If so, my criteria are clear:
- Native compatibility with Big Sur, ideally utilizing CUPS and a USB cable connection. I need a reliable connection without resorting to unstable or convoluted wireless setups for my brother printer scan tool.
- A built-in sheet-feeding scanner is essential for my document scanning needs.
- Long-term support and future compatibility are paramount. I need assurance that future OS upgrades won’t cripple my essential daily workflow and the functionality of my brother printer scan tool.
Frankly, this entire experience is quite shocking. As a long-time Mac user of over 40 years, I’ve come to expect occasional upgrade hiccups. However, the current trend feels different. It seems like core functionalities and features that users depend on are simply being dropped or overlooked, leaving us to grapple with the resulting chaos and productivity losses. The amount of time wasted dealing with these compatibility issues is substantial and deeply frustrating.
This situation unfortunately reinforces concerns about declining quality standards within Apple, a sentiment echoed by many long-term users. The disruption to essential tools like my brother printer scan tool due to OS upgrades highlights a worrying trend of functionality being sacrificed in the name of “progress.” If anyone has recommendations for a new printer/scanner that meets the criteria outlined above and offers a truly Big Sur compatible brother printer scan tool experience, your advice would be greatly appreciated.
