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Contents9
  1. Consumer impact summary
  2. Incidents
  3. Ink DRM
  4. Printer-scanner combo units do not scan without ink
  5. Webcam Utility subscription (2022)
  6. Camera Connect forced account & permissions (2025)
  7. Lack of driver support for legacy scanners
  8. See also
  9. References


Canon
Basic information
Founded 1937
Legal Structure Public
Industry Electronics,Imaging
Also known as Canon Inc.,Canon U.S.A.
Official website https://global.canon/

Canon Inc. embeds DRM chips in ink cartridges to block third-party & refilled cartridges, disables scanning on all-in-one printers when ink runs low, & charges $4.99/month for 1080p webcam output from cameras that natively output higher resolutions.[1][2][3] Canon is a Japanese multinational founded in 1937 that manufactures cameras, printers, scanners, & optical equipment. Two class-action lawsuits over the scanning lockout were privately settled without Canon admitting fault.[4]

Consumer impact summary

  • Ink DRM: Canon embeds DRM chips in ink cartridges that block refilling & reject aftermarket replacements.[1] Canon has removed over 30,000 third-party toner listings from Amazon since 2018 through patent litigation.[5]
  • Scanning lockout: All-in-one printers enter an error state when ink is low & refuse to scan documents, despite scanning requiring zero ink. Two class actions were filed: Leacraft v. Canon U.S.A. (2021) & Bozyk v. Canon U.S.A. (2023). Both were privately settled.[2][6]
  • Webcam paywall: Canon released EOS Webcam Utility as a free tool in 2020, then locked 1080p resolution & 60fps behind a $4.99/month subscription in November 2022. The standalone free version was discontinued on August 20, 2025.[3][7]
  • Forced account: Since April 2025, the Camera Connect app requires a Canon ID to transfer photos from camera to phone, a function that previously worked offline via Bluetooth & WiFi.[8]
  • Driver abandonment: Canon stops developing drivers for legacy scanners when it "retires" a product, rendering functional hardware unusable on modern operating systems like Windows 10 & 11.[9]

Incidents

Ink DRM

Main article: Canon Ink DRM

Canon embeds semiconductor chips in ink cartridges that communicate with the printer firmware to verify cartridge authenticity. The chips block refilled cartridges & reject third-party alternatives.[1]

In January 2022, the global chip shortage left Canon unable to source the DRM chips for its own cartridges. Canon was forced to sell chipless cartridges & publish instructions telling customers how to bypass the DRM error messages on 19 affected printer models.[10][11] Tech Times noted the bypass was temporary: Canon would revert to blocking aftermarket cartridges once chip supply recovered.[11]

Canon also enforces cartridge exclusivity through patent litigation. Between 2018 & early 2023, Canon removed over 30,000 third-party toner listings from Amazon & filed lawsuits in the U.S. & Germany against third-party toner manufacturers.[5]

Printer-scanner combo units do not scan without ink

Main article: Canon printers disable scanning when ink is low

Many all-in-one printers made by Canon enter a hard error state when ink cartridges are depleted or low. In this error state, the scanner & fax functions are disabled even though scanning uses optical sensors & requires no ink.[2][12]

Canon's stated defense is that printing without ink could damage the printhead, but this explanation does not address why scanning is disabled; scanning does not use the printhead at all.[2]

In October 2021, David Leacraft filed a class-action lawsuit (Leacraft v. Canon U.S.A., Case No. 2:21-cv-05688, E.D.N.Y.) after purchasing a Canon PIXMA MG2522 for scanning & discovering it refused to scan when ink ran low. The complaint named 21+ affected Canon models & sought more than $5 million in damages, alleging violations of New York General Business Law Sections 349 & 350, breach of express warranty, & unjust enrichment.[2][4]

A second class action, Bozyk v. Canon U.S.A. (Case No. 2:23-cv-06554, E.D.N.Y.), was filed in August 2023.[6] The case was voluntarily dismissed in October 2023.[13] The terms of both settlements were not publicly disclosed.[13]

Webcam Utility subscription (2022)

Main article: Requirement for Canon EOS Webcam Utility subscription to enable webcam features on cameras

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Canon released the EOS Webcam Utility as a free tool that allowed owners of Canon DSLR & mirrorless cameras to use them as USB webcams on PCs & Macs.[3] In November 2022, Canon introduced EOS Webcam Utility Pro, a $4.99/month ($49.99/year) subscription that locked the following features behind the paywall: 1080p resolution, 60fps framerate, multi-camera support, & wireless connectivity.[3][14]

The free tier was restricted to 720p at 30fps with a single camera & manual settings only.[7] Canon discontinued the standalone free version on August 20, 2025, merging it into EOS Webcam Utility Pro; the basic functions remain available without a subscription.[15]

Camera Connect forced account & permissions (2025)

Main article: Canon Camera Connect

Canon Camera Connect is a mobile app that transfers photos from Canon cameras to smartphones via Bluetooth & WiFi. The app previously worked entirely offline with no account requirement.[8]

On April 1, 2025, version 3.4.0 introduced a mandatory Canon ID login. Without signing in, the app refuses to connect to the camera at all.[16][17] The Canon ID registration requires users to accept Terms of Use & a Privacy Policy that authorize data collection & sharing with third parties.[8]

The iOS version demands "Full Access" to the device's entire photo library, rejecting iOS's built-in "Limited Access" & "Add Photos Only" privacy modes. The app also requires precise location data to establish a WiFi connection.[16] Technology commentators have raised concerns that these permissions conflict with the GDPR's data minimization principle, as the app functions locally between camera & phone with no technical need for cloud connectivity or photo library access.[8]

Lack of driver support for legacy scanners

Main article: Canon legacy scanner driver abandonment

Canon stops developing scanner drivers when it classifies a product as "retired," leaving owners with no official means to use functional hardware on current operating systems. Canon Community support staff have confirmed that once a product is retired, "new drivers and software development stops."[9] Users with retired models like the PIXMA MP240 are directed to Canon's "Upgrade Program" to purchase a new printer at a discount rather than receiving driver support for their existing hardware.[18]

The CanoScan LiDE 100 has no drivers for Windows 10 or 11.[9] This forces users to either discard working hardware or purchase third-party scanning software. VueScan by Hamrick Software supports 1,684 Canon scanner models by reverse-engineering Canon's proprietary scanner protocols, demonstrating that the hardware itself remains fully capable.[19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bode, Karl (2022-01-11). "Chip Shortage Forces Canon To Issue Workarounds For Its Own Obnoxious DRM". Techdirt. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Cimpanu, Catalin (2021-10-16). "Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink". BleepingComputer. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lancaster, Matt (2022-11-09). "Canon Adds 'Pro' Version of Webcam Software that Costs $5 Per Month". PetaPixel. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Canon Concealed that 'All-in-One' Printers Can't Scan, Fax When Ink Is Low or Empty, Class Action Claims". ClassAction.org. 2021-10-15. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Schneider, Jaron (2023-02-07). "Canon Aggressively Suing Printer Toner Makers and Removing Their Amazon Listings". PetaPixel. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Canon class action alleges company falsely advertises all-in-one printers". Top Class Actions. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "EOS Webcam Utility Pro - FAQ". Canon U.S.A. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Turner, Neil (2024-11-26). "The coming enshittification of Canon Camera Connect". Neil Turner's Blog. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Can't use LiDE 100 scanner with Windows 11". Canon Community. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  10. ↑ "Printer Cartridge Debacle Forces Canon to Tell Customers How to Break DRM". Gizmodo. 2022-01-10. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Global Chip Shortage Forces Canon to Sell Printer Cartridges Without DRM Chip". Tech Times. 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  12. ↑ "Canon printers refuse to scan when out of ink". The Register. 2021-10-19. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Bozyk v. Canon U.S.A., Inc., 2:23-cv-06554". CourtListener. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  14. ↑ "Canon introduces new era for its EOS Webcam Utility software". PR Newswire. 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  15. ↑ "EOS Webcam Utility Pro Is Replacing EOS Webcam Utility". Canon Addict. 2025-08-20. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Canon Camera Connect on the App Store". App Store. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  17. ↑ "What is the reason that new version of "Camera connect" Android app now requires login?". Canon Community. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  18. ↑ "no driver anymore for MP240 on windows 11 ??!!!". Canon Community. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  19. ↑ "Canon Scanner Software". VueScan. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
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