Canon Printer and Scanner Setup on Ubuntu in 2026

Canon printers on Linux have a complicated reputation — some models work out of the box through IPP Everywhere or driverless printing, others require Canon’s official Linux drivers (which are distributed as binary-only .deb packages with minimal documentation), and a few remain stubbornly unsupported. On Ubuntu 24.04, the printing stack has improved enough that most Canon inkjets and laser printers from the last decade work with some effort, and we have tested the process across PIXMA, MAXIFY, and imageCLASS models. This guide covers driverless setup, Canon’s official driver packages, CUPS configuration, scanner support via SANE, and troubleshooting the most common failures. Expect sections on identifying your model, choosing the right driver path, and getting both printing and scanning to work reliably.

Step 1: Try Driverless Printing First

Modern printers (manufactured after ~2015) often support IPP Everywhere or AirPrint, which means they work without any manufacturer-specific drivers. Ubuntu 24.04 includes full support for driverless printing through CUPS and the ipp-usb package.

USB Connection

sudo apt install ipp-usb

Connect your Canon printer via USB. Open Settings → Printers — the printer may appear automatically. If it does, try printing a test page. If the output looks correct, you are done — no Canon-specific drivers needed.

Network Connection

For Canon printers connected via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, they should appear in Settings → Printers as a discovered device. If not, add manually:

1. Open a browser and go to http://localhost:631 (CUPS web interface)
2. Administration → Add Printer
3. Select your printer from the discovered devices list
4. Choose “IPP Everywhere” as the driver
5. Print a test page

If driverless printing works for your model, this is the preferred approach — it requires no third-party software and updates come through Ubuntu’s package system.

Step 2: Install Canon’s Official Linux Drivers

If driverless printing does not work (common with older PIXMA models and some imageCLASS laser printers), you need Canon’s official drivers.

Download the Driver Package

Canon distributes Linux drivers on their regional support websites. Search for your exact model number plus “Linux driver” on Canon’s support site. The download is typically a tarball containing .deb packages.

Extract and Install

tar xzf linux-UFRII-drv-v600-uken-*.tar.gz
cd linux-UFRII-drv-v600-uken/
sudo ./install.sh

Or, for the individual .deb packages:

cd 64-bit_Driver/Debian/
sudo dpkg -i cnrdrvcups-ufr2-uk_*_amd64.deb
sudo apt --fix-broken install

The apt --fix-broken install step resolves any missing dependencies.

For PIXMA Inkjet Printers

PIXMA printers use a different driver package (cnijfilter2):

sudo dpkg -i cnijfilter2_*_amd64.deb
sudo apt --fix-broken install

Verify the Driver Is Installed

lpinfo -m | grep canon

You should see your printer model listed. If the list is empty, the driver package did not install correctly — check dpkg -l | grep cnr to verify the package is installed.

Step 3: Add the Printer in CUPS

After installing drivers:

sudo systemctl restart cups

Then add the printer:

1. Go to http://localhost:631/admin
2. Click “Add Printer”
3. Select your Canon printer (USB or network)
4. Choose the Canon-specific PPD file from the driver list (not “IPP Everywhere”)
5. Set paper size, default quality, and duplex settings
6. Print a test page

Command-Line Alternative

lpinfo -v  # List detected printers
lpadmin -p CanonPrinter -v usb://Canon/... -m canonlbp623c.ppd -E
lpoptions -d CanonPrinter  # Set as default

Step 4: Scanner Setup with SANE

Canon scanners and multifunction printer scanners require the scangearmp2 or sane-airscan backend.

Try sane-airscan First (Driverless)

sudo apt install sane-airscan
scanimage -L

If your scanner appears in the list, you are done. Test with:

scanimage --format=png > test-scan.png

Install Canon’s ScanGear MP2

If sane-airscan does not detect your scanner:

Download scangearmp2 from Canon’s support site for your model, then:

sudo dpkg -i scangearmp2_*_amd64.deb
sudo apt --fix-broken install

Run the scanner GUI:

scangearmp2

Or use it through the SANE interface:

scanimage -L  # Should now show your Canon scanner
scanimage --device 'pixma:...' --format=png --resolution 300 > scan.png

Integration with Document Scanner

Ubuntu’s built-in “Document Scanner” app (simple-scan) uses the SANE backend. Once your scanner is detected by scanimage -L, it should also appear in Document Scanner for a friendlier scanning experience.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Printer Detected but Prints Blank Pages

This usually means the wrong driver is selected. Open http://localhost:631/printers/, click your printer, Modify Printer, and change the driver/PPD to the Canon-specific one rather than the generic option.

USB Printer Not Detected

Check USB connection:

lsusb | grep Canon

If it appears in lsusb but not in CUPS, the issue is usually permissions. Add your user to the lp group:

sudo usermod -aG lp $USER

Log out and back in.

Network Printer Not Found

Ensure the printer is on the same network subnet. Try adding it manually by IP:

lpadmin -p CanonPrinter -v ipp://192.168.1.100/ipp/print -m everywhere -E

Driver Installation Fails with Dependency Errors

Canon’s .deb packages sometimes depend on older library versions. The fix:

sudo apt --fix-broken install

If that does not resolve it, check which dependency is missing:

dpkg -I cnrdrvcups-*.deb | grep Depends

And install the missing package manually.

Duplex Printing Not Working

Some Canon drivers default to simplex even on duplex-capable printers. Set it manually:

lpoptions -p CanonPrinter -o sides=two-sided-long-edge

Tested Canon Models on Ubuntu 24.04

Related Reading

• Ubuntu 24.04 Post-Install Checklist — general setup steps including driver installation
• Fix Nvidia on Ubuntu 24.04 — another common driver challenge