{"id":77833,"date":"2026-04-14T01:08:51","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T22:08:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drivernew.com\/?p=77833"},"modified":"2026-04-14T22:38:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T19:38:12","slug":"canon-mf461dw-mf463dw-mf465dw-an-error-appears-when-scanning-a-large-number-of-pages-to-pdf-what-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drivernew.com\/?p=77833","title":{"rendered":"Canon MF461dw \/ MF463dw \/ MF465dw: An Error Appears When Scanning a Large Number of Pages to PDF \u2014 What to Do"},"content":{"rendered":"

Applies to models:<\/strong> Canon MF461dw, MF463dw, MF465dw.<\/p>\n

If several sheets scan normally, but an error like \u201cThere is a problem with the scan. Something went wrong. Please try again.\u201d<\/strong> appears when you try to scan a large batch of documents to PDF, this does not always mean the multifunction printer is faulty. In many cases, the problem does not occur during scanning itself, but at the stage where one large multi-page PDF file is created and saved.<\/p>\n

How the problem usually appears<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • 1 or 2 sheets scan without errors;<\/li>\n
  • a large batch of documents, for example 10 or more sheets, no longer scans successfully to PDF;<\/li>\n
  • the same documents may scan normally in PNG or JPEG;<\/li>\n
  • the error appears specifically when trying to create one PDF file from a large number of pages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    What this usually means<\/h2>\n

    If scanning to PNG or JPEG works, that is a good sign: the scanner itself, the feeder, and paper feeding are usually working correctly. In that situation, the problem is usually that the program needs not only to receive the image from the scanner, but also to process and save one large PDF file.<\/p>\n

    The more pages there are, the more data has to be processed. So the failure may be related to PDF settings, the temporary folder, the save destination, or the software-based scanning path in Windows.<\/p>\n

    Where to start<\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Close MF Scan Utility<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    2. Restart the multifunction printer.<\/li>\n
    3. Restart the computer.<\/li>\n
    4. Then try scanning the same document to PDF again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      If the error remains, continue to the settings below.<\/p>\n

      Step 1. Make sure the problem is really related specifically to PDF<\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. Open MF Scan Utility<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      2. Click [Settings]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      3. Select a normal document scanning profile.<\/li>\n
      4. First, try scanning 1 or 2 sheets to PDF<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      5. Then try scanning the same sheets to PNG<\/strong> or JPEG\/Exif<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        If the image files save normally but the error appears specifically with PDF, the next step is to check the PDF settings and save folders rather than looking for a problem in the feeder or paper.<\/p>\n

        Step 2. Reduce [Resolution]<\/h2>\n

        The higher the resolution, the larger the final file and the higher the processing load for a large document.<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. In MF Scan Utility<\/strong>, click [Settings]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
        2. Find [Resolution]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
        3. If a high value is currently selected, reduce it to 300 dpi<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
        4. For normal text documents, you can also try 200 dpi<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
        5. Scan the same large batch to PDF again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          For most normal contracts, statements, invoices, and other text documents, 300 dpi is usually enough.<\/p>\n

          Step 3. Check [Color Mode]<\/h2>\n

          If you are scanning normal text documents, full color is not always necessary.<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. In the scan settings, find [Color Mode]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
          2. For text documents, try [Grayscale]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
          3. If the document consists mostly of text without photographs, you can also test [Black and White]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
          4. After changing the setting, scan to PDF again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            This reduces the data volume and can sometimes allow a large multi-page PDF to be saved without errors.<\/p>\n

            Step 4. Check [Data Format]<\/h2>\n
              \n
            1. In MF Scan Utility<\/strong>, open [Settings]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
            2. Find [Data Format]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
            3. For one combined file, [PDF]<\/strong> should be selected.<\/li>\n
            4. If a different format is selected, change it and try again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              If you need one file from several sheets, this setting must be configured correctly.<\/p>\n

              Step 5. Change [PDF Compression]<\/h2>\n
                \n
              1. If [Data Format]<\/strong> is set to PDF, find [PDF Compression]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
              2. Try setting a stronger compression level if the program offers a choice.<\/li>\n
              3. Then test scanning the same large batch of documents again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                This step is especially useful if the error appears only with large documents, while short PDFs are created normally.<\/p>\n

                Step 6. Temporarily disable [Create a PDF file that supports keyword search]<\/h2>\n

                This function makes the PDF easier to search because the program tries to recognize text in the image. But it also adds extra processing.<\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. In the [Settings]<\/strong> window, find [Create a PDF file that supports keyword search]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                2. Temporarily disable this setting.<\/li>\n
                3. Scan the same batch of documents to PDF again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  If the error disappears after that, the cause was not the scanner itself, but the extra processing during PDF creation.<\/p>\n

                  Step 7. Check [Save in]<\/h2>\n

                  Sometimes the document is scanned successfully, but the error appears when the finished file is being saved.<\/p>\n

                    \n
                  1. In MF Scan Utility<\/strong>, open [Settings]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                  2. Find [Save in]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                  3. For testing, choose a simple local folder on the computer, for example a folder inside Documents<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                  4. For the first test, do not use a network folder, external drive, cloud sync folder, or a long path with many nested folders.<\/li>\n
                  5. Try creating the PDF again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                    Step 8. Check [Folder for Temporary Files]<\/h2>\n

                    When creating a large PDF, the program needs access to temporary files. If the temporary folder is poorly chosen or has restrictions, scanning may end with an error.<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    1. In MF Scan Utility<\/strong>, open [Settings]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                    2. Go to the [General Settings]<\/strong> section.<\/li>\n
                    3. Find [Folder for Temporary Files]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                    4. Click [Browse]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                    5. Select a normal local folder on the computer drive.<\/li>\n
                    6. Save the changes and scan again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                      Step 9. Check whether the folder has the [Read-only] attribute<\/h2>\n
                        \n
                      1. Open the folder where the scanned files are saved.<\/li>\n
                      2. Right-click it and select [Properties]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                      3. On the [General]<\/strong> tab, check [Attributes]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                      4. Make sure the [Read-only]<\/strong> check box is not selected.<\/li>\n
                      5. If it is selected, clear it and apply the changes.<\/li>\n
                      6. Then try scanning to PDF again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                        Step 10. Split the large document into parts<\/h2>\n

                        If the error appears only with large batches, but everything works with 2 to 5 sheets, try temporarily scanning the document in parts.<\/p>\n

                          \n
                        1. Do not scan all 10 to 20 sheets at once. Try scanning 5 to 7 sheets at a time.<\/li>\n
                        2. Check whether the error disappears.<\/li>\n
                        3. If the error disappears when the batch is smaller, then the problem is clearly related to the size of the PDF being created, not to scanning itself.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                          This is not always the final solution, but it is a very useful test. It immediately shows which direction to investigate.<\/p>\n

                          Step 11. If you scan over the network, check whether the issue is related to the Windows application<\/h2>\n

                          Sometimes the problem is not with the Canon multifunction printer itself, but with the way network scanning is handled in Windows.<\/p>\n

                            \n
                          1. If you normally scan through a standard Windows app, test the same document through MF Scan Utility<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                          2. If you normally scan through MF Scan Utility<\/strong> and the error appears only on one computer, test it on another computer in the same network.<\/li>\n
                          3. If everything works on another computer, the problem is most likely not in the multifunction printer, but in Windows or the installed software on one specific PC.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                            This step is especially important for network scanning, because Windows has historically had issues with multi-page documents in some WSD scanning scenarios.<\/p>\n

                            Step 12. Reinstall the Canon driver and MF Scan Utility<\/h2>\n

                            If the settings have already been checked but the error remains, the cause may be in the installed software.<\/p>\n

                              \n
                            1. Remove MF Scan Utility<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                            2. Remove the Canon drivers for this multifunction printer.<\/li>\n
                            3. Restart the computer.<\/li>\n
                            4. Download the current driver package and MF Scan Utility<\/strong> again from the official Canon website for your model.<\/li>\n
                            5. Install the software again.<\/li>\n
                            6. After installation, test scanning to PDF again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                              When the problem is probably no longer in the PDF settings<\/h2>\n

                              There are signs that mean you need to look more broadly, not only at the PDF settings:<\/p>\n