Are Brother Printers Compatible with Mac?

When planning to buy a printer, it’s important to make sure it’s compatible with your Apple computer. Whether you need it for home or office use, recent Mac OS versions will definitely support a wide variety of printers.

Along with many other printer manufacturers, Mac OS also works great with devices from Brother. Of course, you should always check if a particular printer model is compatible with the Mac OS version you’re using.

Compatibility Check

Latest Mac OS updates like Mojave or Catalina come with an integrated support for most of the newer Brother printers. Regardless, make sure you check the printer’s compatibility before buying it.

To see which Brother printers will work with Mojave (macOS 10.14), visit the dedicated compatibility list on Brother’s support website. For Catalina version (macOS 10.15), check this support page.

Of course, you can visit the main Brother OS Compatibility page at any time. Here you can get all the info regarding the latest OS updates, be it Mac OS or Windows.

Getting the Latest Drivers

Once you’re sure your Brother printer will work on the Mac OS version you’re using, it’s time to install the proper set of drivers. These are essential for establishing the communication link between the printer and your computer.

To look for the drivers, follow the steps below:

1. Open the web browser from your computer.
2. Go to the Brother Support page.
3. Click the “Downloads” button in the “Search by Category” section.
4. On the next page, enter the model of your printer in the “Search by Model Name” field and click “Search”. If you’re not sure which model you’re using, you can look for it in the “Search by Product Category” section.
5. Once you open the download page for your printer, select “Mac” for the operating system (Step 1).
6. Now select the exact version of your Mac OS (Step 2) and click “OK”.
7. The next page lists all the available software for your printer. Here you can also choose the language you’d like to have the drivers in.
8. In the “Drivers” section, click “Printer Driver”.
9. Now confirm the download by clicking “Agree to EULA and Download”.
10. The driver download should start now.

Once the driver downloads to your computer, it’s time to install it.

Installing the Drivers

If you’re using the default download settings on your Mac, you should see the driver installer icon appearing on your desktop. The file name should look like “xxxxxxxx.pkg.” Double-click it to install the drivers and follow the onscreen instructions.

If you can’t find the installer icon on the desktop, you’ll need to extract it manually. Open the “Disk Utility” on your Mac and browse to the driver download location. The file name is in the form of “xxxxxxxx.dmg”. Mount it and extract the .pkg file. Now you can install the drivers.

When you’ve installed the drivers, it’s time to connect the printer to your Mac. This process depends on the type of connection you want to use. You can connect it using a USB cable or your local network.

USB Connection

For anyone using a USB cable to connect their printer and Mac, follow the steps described below:

1. Plug one end of the USB cable into your Brother printer.
2. Plug the other end to a USB port on your Mac. Make sure you connect it directly to your computer, and not a USB hub or a port on your keyboard.
3. Connect your Brother printer to a power outlet and make sure it’s turned on.
4. Once the printer turns on, the system should automatically install the appropriate drivers.
5. Check if the installation is complete by opening “System Preferences”.
6. Click “Printers & Scanners”.
7. Look for your Brother printer in the device list in the “Printers” section. If it’s there, the installation is complete.

If you haven’t found the printer you wanted to install, unplug the USB cable from your Mac computer and plug it back in. Wait for a couple of moments, then check if it showed up in the “Printers” section.

Network Connection

Before you proceed with the installation, turn on your Brother printer. Also, make sure that both the printer and your computer are connected to the same network. If you’re not sure how to connect your printer to a network, consult the user manual for the exact model you’re using.

1. Once you turn on your printer and connect it to a network, open the “System Preferences” menu on your Mac.
2. Click “Printers & Scanners”.
3. Below the “Printers” section, you should see the “+” button. Click it.
4. Click “Default” in the upper part of the dialogue.
5. Select your Brother printer from the list.
6. The “Use” list should display a line looking like this “XXXXXXXX + CUPS”. The XXXXXX is the model name of your printer. Make sure you select this option.
7. Now click the “Add” button and the printer should appear in the “Printers & Scanners” list.
8. Once you do this, simply close the “System Preferences” menu and you’re all set.

Macintosh & Brother

Hopefully, your Brother printer is compatible with your Mac computer. Once you install the drivers, setting up the printer is easy. In case you run into any issues, remember to check the Brother Support page for advice.

Have you found the right Brother printer for your computer? Have you managed to install it on your own? Please share your experiences in the comments section below.