To set up scan to email, you give your copier the details of an outgoing mail server (SMTP): the server address, the port, the encryption type and a sign-in method your email provider still accepts. Then you send a test scan to an inside and an outside address to prove it works. When scan to email breaks later, it is almost always because one of those details changed somewhere else, usually a password reset or a new email security policy.
A front desk that scans insurance cards, a bookkeeper who emails signed invoices, a superintendent sending a marked-up change order from the jobsite trailer: they all notice within minutes when scans stop showing up. The good news is that the setup follows the same logic on almost every copier and multifunction printer, even though the menu labels differ by manufacturer. This guide walks through each setting in plain terms, so you know what to enter, who needs to approve it, and where to look first when something goes wrong.
What Do You Need Before You Start?
Most failed setups stall because someone starts typing settings into the copier before they have everything ready. Gather these first:
- A working network connection. The copier needs a valid IP address, a gateway and working DNS so it can look up the mail server by name. If you are not sure the device is set up correctly, our guide to office network setup for printers covers the basics.
- The copier’s administrator password. Email settings are normally locked behind an admin login on the device’s web settings page, which you reach by typing the copier’s IP address into a browser.
- A dedicated sender mailbox. Create something like scanner@yourcompany.com rather than borrowing a staff member’s account. When that person changes their password, goes on leave or moves on, a personal mailbox takes scanning down with it.
- Sign-off from whoever runs your email. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace both let administrators block devices from sending. Ask before you begin, because the fix for most “it won’t send” problems lives on their side.
Which SMTP Settings Does the Copier Need?
The copier sends mail the same way an email app on a laptop does, so it needs the same outgoing server details. You will usually find them under a heading such as Email, SMTP or Network Settings in the web settings page.
| Setting | Typical value | What it does |
| SMTP server | From your email provider (for Microsoft 365, smtp.office365.com; for Google, smtp.gmail.com) | Tells the copier where to hand off each message |
| Port | 587 | The standard port for sending after signing in |
| Encryption | STARTTLS (sometimes labeled TLS) | Upgrades the connection to an encrypted one before any sign-in details are sent |
| Alternative | Port 465 with SSL/TLS | Encrypted from the first moment; some older devices only offer this |
| Sender address | Your dedicated scanner mailbox | The “From” address recipients see |
The port and the encryption type have to match. Port 587 goes with STARTTLS, and port 465 goes with SSL/TLS. A mismatch is one of the most common reasons a brand new setup fails on the first test.
How Will the Copier Sign In to Your Email?
This is the decision that causes the most trouble, because email providers have been tightening the rules for years. Microsoft’s own guide to sending email from multifunction devices lays out three routes, and Google Workspace offers close equivalents.
Signed-in sending (SMTP AUTH)
The copier signs in as the scanner mailbox and can send to anyone, inside or outside your company. On Microsoft 365, SMTP AUTH must be turned on for that mailbox, and many tenants have it switched off by default. Microsoft has also announced that it is retiring basic username-and-password sign-in for this kind of sending, so a copier that has worked for years can suddenly stop.
The better option is modern sign-in (often listed as OAuth). You approve the copier once through a Microsoft or Google sign-in screen, and the device stores a token instead of a password. If your copier’s firmware offers it, use it. Older devices may need a firmware update before the option appears. On Google accounts, devices that cannot do modern sign-in can often use an app password, a separate generated password that only the copier uses, which requires 2-Step Verification on the account.
SMTP relay
With relay, the copier does not sign in at all. Your email administrator creates a connector that trusts mail coming from your office’s static public IP address, and the copier sends on port 25. Relay suits older copiers that cannot handle modern sign-in, and it lets the device send to outside recipients. It does need careful admin setup, and the IP restriction has to stay tight so nobody else can send through it.
Direct send
Direct send is the simplest route, but it only delivers to mailboxes inside your own organization. Microsoft rejects direct send messages addressed to outside recipients. It can be a sensible fit for a clinic that only routes intake paperwork to staff inboxes, and a poor fit for a title company that emails closing documents to clients.
| Method | Sends outside your company? | Best for |
| SMTP AUTH with modern sign-in | Yes | Newer copiers with current firmware |
| SMTP relay | Yes | Older devices, offices with a static IP |
| Direct send | No, internal only | Scanning to coworkers only |
Not sure which route your copier and email account support? Our technicians can connect to many devices through a secure remote support session and check the settings with you, or you can call 719.630.8600 and talk it through with a real person.
How Do You Finish Setup and Test It?
- Save the SMTP settings and use the copier’s built-in test or connection check if it has one.
- Build the address book. Add the people your team scans to most, so staff can tap a name instead of typing an address on a small touchscreen. A “scan to me” button that sends to the signed-in user cuts down on wrong-address mistakes.
- Send two test scans, one to an inside address and one to an outside address such as a personal account. Check inboxes and junk folders for both.
- Set sensible defaults. PDF at 200 to 300 dpi in black and white keeps ordinary paperwork small and readable. Save color and higher resolution for photos and color charts.
- Write down what you did: server, port, encryption, sender address, sign-in method and where any credentials are stored. Keep it in your password manager or IT notes, not on a sticky note on the copier.
Why Did My Copier Stop Emailing Scans?
Start with the job log or error code on the copier. It usually points to one of three areas.
Sign-in errors
Messages such as “authentication failed,” “login error” or a 535 code mean the mail server turned the copier away. Ask what changed recently. Someone may have reset the scanner mailbox password, switched on multi-factor sign-in, disabled SMTP AUTH or removed an app password. The fix is to update the stored credentials, move to modern sign-in or set up relay. Please don’t switch security features back off just to get scanning moving again; that trades a short-term fix for a long-term risk.
Connection and encryption errors
“Cannot connect to server” or “connection timed out” usually points at the network. Confirm the copier still has a valid IP address and can resolve the server name, and check whether a new firewall or router is blocking outbound port 587. Certificate or TLS errors mean the copier and the mail server could not agree on encryption. Providers retire older encryption versions over time, and copiers that have missed several firmware updates fall behind, so updating firmware is often the cure.
Scans that “send” but never arrive
A “completed” status only means the copier handed the message to the mail server. If it never shows up, check the recipient’s junk folder, then ask your email administrator to look at the message trace or quarantine. Outside recipients may filter scans if your domain’s SPF, DKIM and DMARC records are missing or do not include the route your copier uses. Very large scans are the other usual suspect: a long color job at 600 dpi can exceed the attachment limits many mail systems enforce, so lower the resolution, switch to grayscale or split the job.
Keep Scan to Email Safe and Dependable
Lock the copier’s admin settings with a strong password so nobody can change the sender account or redirect scans. For offices that handle medical, legal or financial files, turn on user sign-in at the device and limit manual address entry to the staff who need it. When a document is too sensitive for email at all, scanning to a permission-controlled network folder or a document management system is the safer path.
A few jobs are best left to whoever manages your email and network: switching SMTP AUTH on or off, building relay connectors, changing SPF, DKIM and DMARC records, and opening firewall ports. These settings affect every mailbox in the company. If you do not have an IT person, our managed IT services team can look after the email side and the copier side together, or work alongside your in-house staff.
Axis has been the locally owned office technology partner for Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Southern Colorado since 1978. Because we look after both copiers and IT, we can trace a scan from the glass to the inbox without pointing fingers at another vendor, and our own employee technicians deliver same-day service on 95% of calls.
Want scan to email working reliably again? Call 719.630.8600 in Colorado Springs or 719.543.8600 in Pueblo, or request a quote for a setup review and we will help you choose the right sign-in method for your devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a free Gmail or Outlook.com address for the scanner?
It can work, but it is not a good long-term choice for an office. Personal accounts have tighter sending limits, fewer admin controls and no relay option. A business mailbox on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace is easier to manage and secure.
Why does the scanner mailbox fill up?
With signed-in sending, a copy of every scan can land in the mailbox’s Sent Items folder. Set a retention rule to clear old sent items, or the mailbox may hit its storage limit and stop sending.
Can each person’s scan come from their own email address?
Often, yes. Many copiers can use the signed-in user’s address as the sender when user login is turned on at the device. It depends on your email setup, since relay or a shared mailbox may limit which addresses can appear in the “From” line.
How do I test scan to email without bothering a client?
Send the test to an outside address you control, such as a staff member’s personal email. It proves the outside route works without sending blank pages to a customer.
Do I have to redo the setup after a firmware update?
Usually not, since settings are kept through updates. It is still worth sending one quick test scan after any firmware update, password change or email policy change.
