Can I use an HP 8600 Printer to scan documents into my 2025 iMac M4 running Sequoia 15.6.1?

Really frustrating: fully working HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 with an automatic document feeder (ADF), but since upgrading to macOS Sequoia 15.6.1, scanning has become impossible. HP Easy Scan crashes immediately every time you try to scan (especially from the ADF). macOS Preview and Image Capture only detect the printer, not the scanner. The “ICA driver package” from Apple is too old and not compatible with Sequoia. The only software that seems to work is VueScan, but it’s paid.

This is absurd: printing works fine, but scanning simply doesn’t on a modern Mac. HP doesn’t provide updated drivers, and Apple doesn’t support these older scanners anymore. Please, Apple — is there any plan to restore native ICA support for older HP scanners under macOS Sequoia?

And if anyone has found a real free workaround (especially for duplex ADF scanning), I’d love to hear it.

Thanks.

Another possibility might be to purchase a copy of VueScan . It has support for a lot of old scanners, including the one in the HP OfficeJet Pro 8600.

Hamrick (VueScan)

Hamrick (VueScan) – HP OfficeJet Pro 8600

Kowipan wrote:

It works, but it’s a paid app… That’s unfair, especially since the issue comes from a lack of coordination between Apple and HP.

It's "unfair" that the developers of VueScan want to be paid for their work?

As for HP not supplying updated drivers that are compatible with Sequoia, that's on HP. The only drivers of any sort that I see on their support page for that printer are for Windows.

HP Support – HP OfficeJet 8600 Series Printer

HP Support – HP Officejet Pro 8600 Plus e-All-in-One Printer series - N911

On the Technical Specifications at the second link, HP lists the "Minimum System Requirements for Macintosh" as "Mac OS X v10.5 or v10.6: PowerPC G4, G5 or Intel® Core™ Processor." On the first link, it lists them as "macOS X 10.7 Lion; macOS X 10.8 Mountain Lion; macOS X 10.9 Mavericks." Any Mac that could run any of these came out a very long time ago. Any drivers from back then would be Intel-only, possibly 32-bit as well, and would not run on an Apple-Silicon-based Mac.

Given HP's refusal to supply updated drivers, it seems likely that built-in AirPrint support is the only thing that lets you print to this printer.

Kowipan wrote:

The only software that seems to work is VueScan, but it’s paid.

The HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 was released in 2011. So it's obsolete, but it's great if you have one that's in good condition and still working well. I have Canon and Epson printer/scanners dating from 2010 and 2015 and both still work with Sequoia, we'll see how they do with Tahoe. But if I have to I will happily upgrade to a more modern device that is more efficient with ink (which is harder to find for such older devices now).

VueScan is a remarkable product, they have reverse engineered drivers for hundreds of older printers and scanners. Why would you expect them to provide it for free, it takes many work hours to develop and maintain such a product, do you work for free? Also, even the "Professional" version of their product costs much less than the annual cost for just one color of ink for a printer like the HP 8600. I would be grateful that a product like VueScan exists.

From the HP website:

“…Mobile printing capability 

HP ePrint, Wireless direct printing, Apple AirPrint™…”

The printer’s technical specifications say AirPrint support.

Configure the printer as an AirPrint device, and Scanning should be available.

I had an HP multi-function laser printer from around that time, and it was one of the first to get AirPrint support. That printer worked flawlessly printing & scanning without ANY HP drivers. Just AirPrint.

The only reason I do not still have that printer is because a lightning storm got it.

I currently have a Brother multi-function laser printer, also connected via AirPrint.

NEVER buy a printer without AirPrint support.

I have owned VueScan Professional since 2010. I know the drill. It cost half of what it does now, but I have never paid an update/upgrade fee in all these years.

If the OP cannot arrive at a supported scanning solution from HP owing to no driver support, and it cannot work with Image Capture out of the box, then the OP either replaces their device with an AirPrint supported solution, or pays for a one-time VueScan Professional purchase.

Apple's current AirPrint information lists six screens of HP OfficeJet Pro devices but excludes the three models of the OfficeJet Pro 8600. This contrasts with HP's support page for this device that suggests using the HP app or configuring the networked device for AirPrint. Whether the device is or is not supported by AirPrint may be an omission by Apple on their supported listing, and one can only try to configure it as AirPrint and measure their luck.

It works, but it’s a paid app… That’s unfair, especially since the issue comes from a lack of coordination between Apple and HP.

There is no coordination between HP and Apple for discontinued HP devices. Apple has no control over whether HP supports the device in the HP app, [dis]continues driver support for newer versions of macOS, or even makes it AirPrint compatible. If HP chooses to charge for their application, that is not Apple's fault, and the issue of fairness doesn't enter the picture. Complain to HP.

I don't own an HP device, so whether HP Smart or HP Easy Start are the current Mac App Store tools, you may find OfficeJet Pro 8600 driver support from one of these. I do not believe these are paid apps. If you search for either of those names, you will encounter HP: Print and Support, or HP Easy Scan.

Try using Image Capture.

Scan images or documents using a scanner and your Mac - Apple Support

While you're at it, you may as well go ahead and update to 26.0.1 since it's available and will include certain bug fixes and other enhancements to your current OS.

VikingOSX wrote:

If HP chooses to charge for their application, that is not Apple's fault, and the issue of fairness doesn't enter the picture. Complain to HP.

I believe the OP was complaining that VueScan costs money. VueScan is a third-party app, not written by Apple or HP.

It should since it is a Airprint printer.

On the App Store, download the HP.app to use with your printer. These are the options that you have with the app.

It works, but it’s a paid app… That’s unfair, especially since the issue comes from a lack of coordination between Apple and HP.

no but also yes

This HP app works and is free!