Your Canon printer was working fine, you updated macOS, and now it won't print. This is happening to Canon PIXMA, imageCLASS, and MAXIFY owners across the board. The good news: your printer isn't broken. macOS just lost the ability to talk to it properly.
Why Canon Printers Stop Working After macOS Updates
Apple has been removing third-party printer drivers from macOS since Ventura. Canon had a large collection of model-specific drivers for their PIXMA inkjets, imageCLASS lasers, and MAXIFY business printers. Many of those drivers have been removed.
Without the Canon driver, your Mac either:
- Falls back to a generic driver that prints but loses features
- Uses Secure AirPrint which only works if your Canon supports it natively
- Can't detect the printer at all
Which Canon Printers Are Affected?
PIXMA Series (Inkjets)
The most widely affected. PIXMA models released before 2019 are likely to lose driver support. Common affected models include:
- PIXMA MG series (MG2520, MG3620, MG5720, MG7720)
- PIXMA MX series (MX490, MX532, MX922)
- PIXMA TR series (TR4500, TR4520, TR7520)
- PIXMA TS series (older TS models)
imageCLASS Series (Lasers)
Canon's laser printers are partially affected:
- imageCLASS LBP series (LBP6030, LBP612, LBP654)
- imageCLASS MF series (MF236n, MF244dw, MF445dw)
- Older models are more likely to be affected
MAXIFY Series (Business Inkjets)
- MAXIFY MB series (MB2020, MB2320, MB5120)
- MAXIFY iB series (iB4120)
- Newer MAXIFY models with AirPrint tend to work
Quick Check
- Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners
- Click your Canon printer
- If the driver shows "Generic PostScript" or "Generic PCL" instead of your Canon model name, you're affected. If it shows "Secure AirPrint," the printer already prints through AirPrint, and PrintCast Driver lists it as already working with macOS. On a generic driver, a printer that supports AirPrint only needs to be re-added with the AirPrint option: PrintCast Driver is for a printer without AirPrint.
Fix 1: PrintCast Driver (Recommended)
PrintCast Driver replaces the Canon drivers that Apple removed. It works with imageCLASS and MAXIFY models that use PCL5 or PostScript.
Setup
- Download PrintCast Driver from printcast.app
- Open the downloaded installer and follow the steps
- PrintCast Driver launches automatically in your menu bar
- PrintCast marks the printers it can drive and restores printing on the ones you install
What Gets Restored
- PIXMA: not covered. PIXMA inkjets print through AirPrint or Canon's own software
- imageCLASS: Duplex printing, paper size and quality settings
- MAXIFY (models with PCL or PostScript): Duplex printing, paper size options
PrintCast Driver restores printing itself, with the options your printer reports. Canon-specific extras — borderless photo modes, ink level monitoring, Canon PRINT utility features — are part of Canon's own software and are not restored by a replacement driver.
PrintCast is independent software and is not affiliated with any printer manufacturer — results vary by model, and the free trial lets you confirm your printer.
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PrintCast Driver gets your printer printing again in minutes.
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Fix 2: Canon Print Drivers from Canon's Website
Canon provides driver downloads for some models on recent macOS versions.
Steps
- Visit usa.canon.com/support (or your regional Canon site)
- Enter your printer model
- Select your macOS version
- Download the driver package if available
- Run the installer and restart
What to Expect
- Canon has updated drivers for many newer models
- Older PIXMA and imageCLASS models may not have updated drivers
- The Canon website can be slow and difficult to navigate
- You may need to try both "Printer Driver" and "ICA Driver" downloads
Fix 3: Canon PRINT App
Canon offers the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app for some models.
Setup
- Download Canon PRINT from the Mac App Store
- Open the app and search for your printer
- Follow the setup wizard
Limitations
- Only works with select Canon inkjet models
- Doesn't support most imageCLASS laser printers
- Requires the app to be running for some features
- Limited compared to the original system driver
Fix 4: Re-add the Printer
Removing and re-adding your Canon printer may allow macOS to find a better driver.
- Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners
- Right-click your Canon printer, select Remove Printer
- For USB printers, disconnect and reconnect the cable
- For network printers, wait 30 seconds
- Click + to add the printer again
- Check the "Use" dropdown for Canon-specific options
If macOS only offers generic options, the Canon driver has been permanently removed from your system.
Fix 5: Reset the Print System
A full reset clears all printer configurations and forces macOS to start fresh.
- Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners
- Right-click in the printer list
- Select Reset printing system
- Re-add your Canon printer
Note: This removes all printers, not just your Canon.
Canon Model Compatibility by Series
| Canon Series | Typical macOS Status | Recommended Fix |
|---|---|---|
| PIXMA MG (pre-2018) | Driver removed | Canon download |
| PIXMA TR/TS (2018+) | May work via AirPrint | Canon PRINT |
| PIXMA PRO (photo) | Often affected | Canon download |
| imageCLASS LBP (pre-2019) | Driver removed | PrintCast Driver |
| imageCLASS MF (2019+) | Mixed support | Canon download or PrintCast Driver |
| MAXIFY MB (pre-2019) | Driver removed | PrintCast Driver for models with PCL or PostScript |
| MAXIFY (2019+) | Usually works via AirPrint | Canon PRINT |
Common Canon-Specific Issues
"Printer is Offline" But It's On
This often means the driver can't communicate with the printer properly. The printer is physically connected but macOS doesn't know how to talk to it without the Canon driver.
Fix: If the printer offers an AirPrint option, re-add it with that option: it then prints through AirPrint, and PrintCast Driver lists it as already working with macOS. Otherwise, install PrintCast Driver.
Prints Are Wrong Colors or Black and White Only
The generic driver doesn't understand Canon's color management. Your printer can print in color, but the generic driver doesn't know how to request it properly.
Fix: Canon's own driver (from Canon's website) restores proper color support. PrintCast Driver is a replacement driver, not Canon's own, and offers color where your printer reports it.
Can't Access Paper Tray or Duplex Settings
These features require the printer-specific driver. Generic drivers don't expose them because they don't know your printer has them.
Fix: PrintCast Driver offers duplex printing where your printer reports it or you turn it on. It has no paper tray selection.
The Bottom Line
Canon printers are some of the most popular consumer printers, which means a lot of people are hitting this issue. The PIXMA series in particular is heavily affected because many models were sold before driverless printing became standard.
Your Canon hardware is perfectly fine. PrintCast Driver gives it the software support that macOS took away, and it works across Canon lines that use PCL5 or PostScript without needing to track down model-specific downloads from Canon's website.