Close the Brother ControlCenter4 program if it is running. If the icon is in the system tray right-click on it and select CLOSE. The update cannot be performed if the Brother ControlCenter4 is running. Locate and double-click on the decompressed file labeled ControlCenter4 Updater.exe. Step # 1 – Download the Brother Control Center 4 Update Tool. If you’re using a Windows PC, download the Control Center 4 Update tool directly from Brother’s website here. If you’re using a Mac computer, it’s important to note that Control Center 4 is a Windows software. It means that the application isn’t suitable for Mac. Brother ControlCenter is the free software that comes with your Brother scanner. So why would you be looking for an alternative? There are two main reasons people look for an alternative: ControlCenter no longer works on their operating system (like on macOS Catalina). Brother controlcenter 3 mfc 240c free download - Brother MFC-240C USB, and many more programs.
macOS Big Sur has added a Control Center to the Mac. It is a handy way to have several controls like display brightness, keyboard backlight, AirDrop visibility, and more in one place. The idea behind it is the same as that on the iPhone and iPad. But it has been slightly modified to adapt better for desktop. Without further ado, let us get straight in and see how to use and customize the Control Center on Mac running macOS Big Sur.
How to Access More Controls in macOS Big Sur Control Center
The icon for Control Center sits in the top-right of the Menu Bar. To access it, simply click once on it.
From here, you can pause or skip a playing song. You can also drag the slider for display or sound to change its values. If you click on the display icon, it expands the menu, and you see more in-depth options like Dark Mode, Night Shift, True Tone.
To enable or disable Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirDrop, and Do Not Disturb, click on their small icons. If you click on their names, it enlarges and gives you deeper controls.
For example, except for the icon, if you click anywhere on Wi-Fi, it opens in a card and lets you switch networks or even open Network Preferences. The same goes for Bluetooth. To go back to the Control Center, click on the top row with option name (like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.)
Now, you may think I already could do these with icons on the Menu Bar in earlier macOS versions. And you would be correct. However, one fine addition is the ability to enable, disable, and change AirDrop settings.
If you own several Apple devices and rely a lot on wireless transfer, this is a handy option. Also, having everything neatly in one place is appreciable.
Now, let us see how to change the Mac Control Center according to our needs.
How to Customize Control Center in macOS Big Sur
- Open System Preferences. You can use the Dock or click on the Apple logo and select it.
- Click on Dock & Menu Bar.
- On the left side, there is a sidebar. Everything listed under the heading Control Center can not be removed from the Control Center. But you can choose to show or hide these from the Menu Bar. To do this, click on an option, like Wi-Fi and check or uncheck the box for Show in Menu Bar.
- Once you scroll down the left sidebar, there is a heading called Other Control Center Mod… Here you have the customization power. You can click on one, like Accessibility Shortcuts or Battery, and choose to Show in Control Center or not. For battery, you may also have it display the percentage in the Menu Bar.
- At last, the left sidebar has a heading called Menu Bar Only. It has Spotlight and Siri. True to its name, these options can not be added to the Control Center. You can, however, choose to enable or disable them from the Menu Bar.
Now that we are done with customizing let us see how to drag and pin options from the Control Center to the top Menu Bar.
How to Pin to Menu Bar from macOS Big Sur Control Center
- Launch the Control Center by clicking on its icon.
- Now, simply drag and drop an option like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Keyboard Brightness, etc. on to the Menu Bar.
- If you have trouble, hold the Command key and then try to drag and drop. If you still have difficulty, expand an option like Wi-Fi. Then place your mouse pointer on an empty area (like between the word Wi-Fi and its toggle). Next, it would be easy to drag it to the Menu Bar
- To change icon positions on the Menu Bar, hold the Command key and drag them left or right
- To remove an option from the top Menu Bar, hold the Command key and drag it down to the desktop. You will hear a woosh sound (if Mac is unmuted). You can repeat this for other icons. This lets you have a super clean top bar. All your frequently used utility options are there in the Control Center.
Signing off…
This is how you can use and customize the Control Center in macOS Big Sur. Chances are faint, but it would be interesting to see if Apple allows third-party apps to make use of the Mac Control Center.
Next, you may like to know how to add space between icons on Mac’s Dock. Also, one super interesting article that we recently wrote covers how to change the color of folder icons on Mac. Another one tells you how to have a website shortcut on Dock. Make sure you do not miss checking them.
I have been an Apple user for over seven years now. At iGeeksBlog, I love creating how-tos and troubleshooting guides that help people do more with their iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and Apple Watch. In my free time, I like to watch stand up comedy videos, tech documentaries, news debates, and political speeches.
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When you buy a new PC hardware, you’ll instantly observe that it often comes with a CD bundle. This bundle contains the hardware’s essential drivers and software, together with a user manual and other extra items. These extras are generally called bloatware and are typically pre-selected once you install the drivers.
While we certainly have the freedom to exclude bloatware during installation, they typically wind up getting installed accidentally. We get too hasty and careless with the numerous choices available during setup that we forget to dismiss them altogether. Once they make their way into the system, your computer will become noticeably slower in running operations and loading files.
When it comes to purchasing a brand new Brother printer, there’s no need to worry about bloatware. The Brother Printer Control Center application included in its bundle has various helpful features that can improve your overall experience. It’s one of that rare bloatware which you should always install in your computer during the setup process.
Benefits of Installing the Brother Printer Control Software
So why install a Brother Printer Printer Control Center and use precious space on your computer’s hard drive for it? Because there are plenty of potential benefits that you can enjoy when you install the application. The two biggest ones are:
Clean and Simple interface
The Brother Control Center 4 comes with a convenient blue-themed interface window. It shows every available printer function arranged neatly in buttons and tabs for more seamless use and navigation. If you open the window, the Scan tab function is the default option.
Fast and Seamless access to every Printer function
The Brother Printer Control Center gives you quick and easy access to every printer function there is. It only excludes several particular document printing tasks for a productivity app that you currently use. Accessing the Brother Control Center involves clicking the CC4 icon found on the system tray. For several older models, it entails clicking on the CC3.
The application comes with a plethora of choices. Below are four of the frequently used functions that you will see in its upper left portion:
- Scan. The tab offers four settings based on the kind of task you need to complete. These tasks include Image, OCR, E-mail, or File
- PC-Copy. It allows you to copy pages and print copies of those scans as well. You have the option to go with four types of copied pages: color, monochrome, 2 in 1, or 4 in 1.
- Photo. The function lets you use PhotoCapture Center, another Brother application. It opens, prints, saves or copies files from your computer.
- PC-FAX. You can easily send images and scans or obtain a fax from your computer.
Brother Control Center 2 Download
There are six total tabs in the Brother Control Center software, and we’ve just discussed the four most frequently used. The two remaining options are Device Settings and Support. The former allows you to customize printer settings while the latter helps you navigate your way around the application. It can also teach you how to maximize your printer and deliver exceptional print work using high-quality ink and toner cartridges, whether it’s a Brother-HL-L2700DW, DCP 9020CDN, MFC 9130CW toner, or any other model.
How to Install the Brother Control Center Software
Now you know how beneficial having a Brother Control Center is to your overall user experience. Downloading the application with a Windows PC is pretty straightforward, although it’s a bit tricky when using a Mac computer. After downloading the program, you then have to install it on your computer. Follow the steps below to download and install the application successfully.
Step # 1 – Download the Brother Control Center 4 Update Tool
If you’re using a Windows PC, download the Control Center 4 Update tool directly from Brother’s website here.
If you’re using a Mac computer, it’s important to note that Control Center 4 is a Windows software. It means that the application isn’t suitable for Mac OS. You can still download it on your Mac computer though, by following these simple steps:
- First, click here to download the software to your Mac computer.
- Choose your printer model, followed by the version of your Mac OS.
- Next, select the Scanner driver.
If you want a more thorough guide on how to download the application using a Mac computer, click here.
Step # 2 – Install the Brother Control Center 4 Update
After downloading the file to your computer, follow the steps below for its installation.
- Find the downloaded file CC4 Updater on your computer and then double-click on it.
- When you encounter a security warning, click Yes or Run.
- Wait for the file decompression to finish and then click OK.
- The update won’t complete if the Brother Control Center 4 is currently running, so make sure it isn’t. If you can see its icon on the system tray, right-click on the image and click CLOSE.
- Find the decompressed file ControlCenter4 Updater and double-click on it.
- When you encounter a security warning, click Yes or Run.
- Click Next. Wait for the installation process to complete and then click Finish.
- The ControlCenter4 is now updated.
Brother Control Center 3 For Mac
Remember that to install the Brother Control Center 4, you need to download and install the Complete Driver and Software package on your computer. You can only install the Control Center as part of the entire Brother Printer driver and software package to work with your Brother ink and toner cartridge.
Control Center 2 Brother Mac
See Infographic below↓