The simplest ways to fax without a fax machine

You can send a fax from your computer using free online services, email-to-fax gateways, or software built into your operating system. Most free services work by uploading a document (PDF, Word, image) to a website, entering the recipient's fax number, and clicking send. The fax arrives at the other end as if it came from a traditional fax machine, but you never need to own one or pay a monthly line fee.

The catch with free services is usually a limit on how many pages you can send per month—often 3 to 5 pages—and you may see an advertisement on the cover page. If you fax regularly, a paid plan removes those limits, but for occasional use, free is genuinely free.

Key Takeaways

  • Free online fax services like Fax.plus, eFax Free, and HelloFax let you upload a document and send it to any fax number without owning a fax machine.
  • Most free plans allow 3 to 5 pages per month and may add a cover page with an advertisement.
  • Email-to-fax services let you send a fax by attaching a document to an email and sending it to a special address provided by the service.
  • If you have a printer connected to your computer, you can also print to PDF and then upload that PDF to a free fax service.
  • Some services require you to create an account and verify your email; others let you send one fax without signing up.

Using a free online fax service

Fax.plus, eFax Free, and HelloFax are three widely used free services. To send a fax, you create a free account, upload your document (PDF, JPG, PNG, or Word file), enter the recipient's fax number, and send. The fax is transmitted over the internet and arrives at a standard fax machine on the other end. The recipient sees it as a normal incoming fax—they do not need any special software or account.

Fax.plus gives you 2 free faxes per month. eFax Free allows 3 pages per month. HelloFax offers 1 free fax per month but does not require a credit card to sign up. All three add a small cover page with your name and the service's branding. If you need to send more than your monthly allowance, you can upgrade to a paid plan, but the free tier is real and does not expire.

The process is the same on all of them: sign up with an email address, verify your email, log in, click "Send Fax," upload your file, type the fax number, and send. Most services show you a preview before you send, so you can check that the document looks right.

Sending a fax by email

Some services let you send a fax by email instead of using their website. You attach a document to an email and send it to an address like 5551234567@fax.com (the fax number becomes part of the email address). The service converts the email attachment to a fax and sends it to that number.

Google Fi (Google's phone service) includes free fax-by-email for subscribers. Fax.plus also offers this feature on paid plans. The advantage is speed—you do not have to log into a website—but most free services do not include email-to-fax, so check before you sign up.

Preparing your document before you send

Fax services accept PDFs, Word documents, images (JPG, PNG), and sometimes Excel files. If you have a paper document, scan it with your phone camera or a scanner and save it as a PDF or image file. Most phone cameras produce good enough quality for faxing.

If your document is in Word or another format, save it as a PDF before uploading. This ensures the formatting stays the same and the file size stays small. On Windows, open the document, click File > Print, choose "Print to PDF" or "Microsoft Print to PDF," and save. On Mac, open the document, click File > Print, click the PDF dropdown in the bottom left, and choose "Save as PDF."

Keep file size under 10 MB. If your PDF is larger, compress it using an online tool like ilovepdf.com or smallpdf.com, both of which have free compression. Smaller files upload faster and are less likely to hit service limits.

What information you need before you send

You need the recipient's fax number—the full number including area code and country code if it is outside the United States. If you are faxing to a business, the fax number is usually on their website or business card. If you are unsure, call and ask.

You also need to know what you are sending. Some services ask for a cover page with your name, phone number, and a short message. This is optional on most services, but it is a good idea to include it so the recipient knows who sent the fax and why.

When free fax services hit their limits

If you send more than your monthly free allowance, the service will tell you and ask if you want to upgrade to a paid plan. You are not charged automatically. Paid plans usually cost $5 to $15 per month and include 50 to 500 pages per month, depending on the service.

If you only fax a few times a year, stick with free. If you fax more than once a week, a paid plan is cheaper than paying per-page fees. Some services also let you buy a fax number (so people can fax you), which costs extra and is not needed for sending only.

Troubleshooting a fax that does not go through

If your fax fails, the most common reason is a wrong fax number. Double-check the number with the recipient before you try again. Some fax machines are turned off or out of paper, so ask the recipient to confirm their machine is on and ready.

If the number is correct and the machine is on, try again in a few minutes. Fax networks sometimes have temporary delays. If it fails three times, contact the service's support—most free services have email support, though response time can be slow. Paid plans usually have faster support.

If you are sending a very large file (over 20 pages), split it into two faxes. Some older fax machines have trouble with very long documents. Also check that your document does not have blank pages at the end—remove them before you upload.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send a fax to a fax machine that is not connected to the internet?

Yes. Fax services send over the internet to a gateway that converts the data back to a standard fax signal and delivers it to any fax machine, whether it is old or new. The recipient does not need internet or any special equipment.

Do I need to create an account to send a free fax?

Most services require you to sign up with an email address and verify your email before you send. A few services like Fax.plus let you send one fax without an account, but you will need an account for a second fax. Signing up takes about two minutes.

Will the recipient see that the fax came from an online service?

Yes, usually. Most free services add a small cover page or header with the service name and your email address. Some recipients do not care; others may ask you to use a different method. If this is a problem, ask the service whether you can remove the branding (some paid plans allow this).

What if I need to fax something that is not a document, like a photo or a handwritten note?

Take a photo of it with your phone, save it as a JPG or PNG file, and upload it to the fax service the same way you would a PDF. The quality is usually good enough for faxing, especially if you take the photo in good light and hold the phone steady.

Can I receive faxes on my computer for free?

Some services offer a free fax number that receives faxes and emails them to you, but this usually requires a paid plan. For receiving only, Google Fi subscribers can receive faxes free. If you only need to send, receiving is not necessary.