Why you might want to remove the software but keep drivers
Brother printers come with two separate pieces: the driver, which tells your computer how to talk to the printer, and the software suite, which includes utilities like the control center, web-based management tools, and scanning programs. You need the driver to print at all. The software suite is optional — it adds features you may never use, takes up disk space, and can slow down your computer with background processes.
Removing the software while keeping the driver means your printer will still work normally for printing and scanning, but you'll lose access to the Brother control panel and any advanced utilities. This is a clean approach if the software causes problems, uses too much memory, or you straightforward prefer a minimal setup.
The process differs slightly between Windows and Mac, and the exact steps depend on which version of Brother software you have installed. Both operating systems let you remove the software cleanly without breaking the driver underneath.
Key Takeaways
- The driver and software are separate — you can remove one without removing the other, and your printer will still print and scan normally.
- On Windows, use the Control Panel's Programs and Features to uninstall the Brother software, then verify the driver remains in Device Manager.
- On Mac, drag the Brother folder out of Applications and check System Preferences to confirm the printer is still listed.
- After removing software, restart your computer so the system fully registers that the driver is still present.
- If printing stops working after removal, you may have accidentally removed the driver too — reinstalling just the driver will fix it.
Removing Brother software on Windows
Open the Control Panel by typing "Control Panel" into the Windows search box and clicking the result. Select "Programs and Features" (or "Uninstall a Program" on older Windows versions). Scroll down the list until you find entries that start with "Brother" — you may see several, such as "Brother HL-L8360CDW" or "Brother Utilities" or "Brother Status Monitor".
Click on the first Brother entry and select "Uninstall". A window will appear asking you to confirm. Click through the prompts — most Brother uninstallers are straightforward and do not ask many questions. Repeat this for each Brother software entry until none remain. Do not uninstall anything labeled "Brother Printer Driver" or just "Driver" — that is what you need to keep.
Once all the software is gone, restart your computer. Then open Device Manager by typing "Device Manager" into the search box. Look for "Printers" or "Print queues" in the list. Click the arrow to expand it. Your Brother printer should appear there with a normal icon (not a warning symbol). If it does, the driver is still working and you are done.
Removing Brother software on Mac
Open Finder and navigate to the Applications folder. Scroll down and look for a folder named "Brother" or individual Brother applications. Select the Brother folder (or each Brother app if they are separate) and drag it to the Trash. Empty the Trash afterward.
Next, check that the printer itself is still recognized. Open System Preferences (or System Settings on newer Macs) and go to Printers & Scanners. Your Brother printer should still appear in the list on the left side. If it does, the driver is intact. If your printer is gone from this list, you removed the driver by mistake — reinstall the full Brother software package and then remove only the utilities folder inside it.
Restart your Mac to clear any cached software references. After restart, try printing a test page to confirm everything works.
What happens after you remove the software
Your printer will function normally for basic tasks: printing documents, copying, and scanning to your computer. You will not see the Brother control center icon in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac). Any advanced features that required the software — such as custom scanning profiles, remote printer management, or firmware updates through the Brother utility — will no longer be available through a desktop process.
If you need to scan documents, your computer's built-in scanning tools (Windows Fax and Scan on Windows, or Image Capture on Mac) will still detect the scanner and work fine. You straightforward will not have the Brother-specific scanning interface anymore.
If printing stops working after removal
The most common cause is accidentally removing the driver along with the software. The fix is straightforward: reinstall the driver only. Visit the Brother support website, find your printer model, and read the "Driver" or "Printer Driver" file — not the full software suite. Install it and restart your computer.
If printing still does not work after reinstalling the driver, check that your printer is turned on and connected to your network or USB cable. On Windows, open Device Manager again and look for any printer entries with a yellow warning triangle — if you see one, right-click it and select "Update driver". On Mac, go back to Printers & Scanners and try removing and re-adding the printer by clicking the minus button and then the plus button.
Keeping your printer updated without the software
Brother occasionally releases driver updates to fix bugs or improve compatibility. Without the software suite, you will not get automatic notifications of these updates. Instead, visit the Brother support website every few months, search for your printer model, and check whether a newer driver version is available than what you have installed.
To find your current driver version on Windows, open Device Manager, right-click your printer, select "Properties", and look at the "Driver" tab. On Mac, open System Preferences, go to Printers & Scanners, select your printer, and click "Options & Supplies" — the driver version may appear there, though Mac does not always display it prominently.
Reinstalling the software if you change your mind
If you later decide you want the software back, read the full Brother software package from the Brother website for your printer model and operating system. Install it normally — it will recognize that your driver is already present and will add the software utilities on top of it. You do not need to reinstall the driver separately.
If something goes wrong during reinstallation and your printer stops working, uninstall everything (both software and driver this time), restart your computer, and then read and install the complete package fresh from Brother's website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my printer still scan if I remove the software?
Yes. Your computer's built-in scanning tool (Windows Fax and Scan or Mac Image Capture) will detect the scanner through the driver. You will lose the Brother-specific scanning interface, but basic scanning will work fine.
Can I remove just part of the Brother software and keep other parts?
Not cleanly. The Brother uninstaller removes the entire software suite at once. If you want to keep a specific utility, you will need to keep the whole software package. The alternative is to remove everything and then reinstall only the driver.
What if I see multiple Brother entries in Programs and Features?
Brother often installs several components separately: the main software, utilities, a status monitor, and sometimes language packs. Uninstall all of them except anything labeled "Driver". If you are unsure whether something is the driver, leave it alone and uninstall the others first — you can always uninstall more later.
Do I need to uninstall the software before updating my printer's firmware?
Firmware updates (the printer's internal software) are usually done through the printer's web interface or a button on the printer itself, not through the desktop software. You do not need the Brother software installed to update firmware. Check your printer's manual or the Brother website for the specific method for your model.
Will removing the software free up a lot of disk space?
The Brother software suite typically uses 200 to 500 megabytes of disk space, depending on the model and what components are installed. This is noticeable on older computers or those with limited storage, but not significant on modern machines with large drives. The bigger benefit is usually the reduction in background processes and memory use.