You can send a fax directly from your computer using online fax services, your printer's built-in fax software, or your email
Sending a fax from a computer no longer requires a fax machine or phone line. The three main routes are online fax services (websites or apps where you upload a document), printer fax software (if your printer has a fax modem built in), or email-to-fax gateways (services that convert emails to faxes). Which one works depends on what equipment you own, whether you have a phone line connected to your printer, and how often you need to send faxes.
Most people today use an online fax service because it requires no special hardware and works from any computer. If you own a multifunction printer with a fax modem and a phone line, you can often send faxes through your printer's software without paying a service. Email-to-fax works if you already subscribe to a fax service but want to send from your inbox instead of logging into a website.
Key Takeaways
- Online fax services let you upload a document and send it to any fax number without owning a fax machine or printer with fax capability.
- If your multifunction printer has a fax modem and is connected to a phone line, you can send faxes through the printer's software at no extra cost.
- Email-to-fax services convert emails you send to a special address into faxes, useful if you send faxes regularly from your inbox.
- Most online fax services charge per fax or per month; some offer a small number of free faxes before charging.
- The recipient needs only a working fax machine or fax number — they do not need special software or a computer.
Sending a fax through an online fax service
Online fax services are the fastest route if you do not own a fax-capable printer. Services like FaxZero, HelloFax, eFax, and Fax.Plus let you log in on their website, upload a document (PDF, Word, image, or scanned page), enter the recipient's fax number, and send. Most services accept documents you already have on your computer; you do not need to print and scan anything.
The process takes about five minutes. Open the service's website, create a free or paid account (some offer a few free faxes per month), upload your document, type in the fax number with the country code if sending internationally, add a cover page if the service offers one, and click send. The service routes your document through its fax servers to the recipient's fax machine. You will usually get a confirmation email within minutes saying whether the fax went through.
Costs vary. FaxZero sends one fax per day for free but charges for additional faxes. eFax and Fax.Plus charge monthly subscriptions (usually $10 to $20 per month) that include a set number of outgoing faxes. If you send faxes rarely, a pay-per-fax service is cheaper. If you send several per week, a monthly plan saves money.
Sending a fax from a printer with built-in fax capability
Many multifunction printers (also called all-in-one printers) have a fax modem built in. If your printer is connected to a phone line and has fax software installed on your computer, you can send faxes through the printer without paying a service. Check your printer's manual or the manufacturer's website to confirm it has fax capability and to read the fax software if you do not have it.
Once the software is installed, open it on your computer. The interface varies by manufacturer — HP calls it HP Fax, Canon calls it Canon Fax Utility, and Brother calls it Brother ControlCenter — but the steps are similar. Select "Send Fax," choose your document or scan a page using the printer's scanner, enter the recipient's fax number, and click send. The software dials the number through the phone line connected to your printer and transmits the document.
This method has one requirement: your printer must be plugged into an active phone line. If your printer is connected only to your computer via USB or Wi-Fi and has no phone line, it cannot send faxes even if it has a fax modem. Also, if you are using the phone line while the fax sends, the call will be interrupted. For this reason, many people keep a separate phone line for their printer, though that is less common now that online fax services are widespread.
Using email-to-fax to send from your inbox
If you already subscribe to an online fax service, most of them offer an email-to-fax feature. Instead of logging into the website each time, you compose an email to a special address provided by the service, and the service converts your email into a fax and sends it to the recipient's fax number.
The special address usually looks like 5551234567@fax.yourservice.com, where the number is the fax number you want to reach. You attach your document to the email, add a subject line if you want it to appear on the cover page, and send. The service receives the email, extracts the attachment, and faxes it. This is faster than logging in if you send faxes frequently from your email client.
Not all services offer this feature, and some charge extra for it. Check your service's settings or help page to see if email-to-fax is included in your plan. If you use Outlook, Gmail, or another email client on your computer, this method lets you stay in your inbox instead of switching to a website.
Preparing your document before sending
Fax machines read documents as images, not as formatted text. Before you send, make sure your document is clear and readable. If you are sending a PDF or image file, open it on your screen and check that text is dark enough to read and that nothing is cut off at the edges. If you are scanning a paper document using your printer's scanner, place it flat on the glass, close the lid, and preview the scan before sending to catch any smudges or tilted pages.
Most online fax services accept PDF, Word (.docx), image files (JPG, PNG), and scanned documents. If you have a Word document, convert it to PDF first — this ensures the formatting stays the same when the fax service processes it. You can do this in Word by clicking File, then "Save As," then choosing PDF as the file type.
Keep file sizes reasonable. Most services accept files up to 10 to 25 MB, which is plenty for a few pages of text or images. If you are sending a very long document (more than 20 pages), split it into smaller files and send them as separate faxes to avoid delays.
What happens after you send
Once you send a fax, the service or printer transmits it to the recipient's fax machine. Transmission usually takes 30 seconds to a few minutes depending on the document length and the quality of the phone connection. You will receive a confirmation — either an email or a status message in the software — saying the fax was sent successfully or if it failed.
If the fax fails, the most common reasons are a wrong fax number, the recipient's fax machine being offline or out of paper, or a poor phone connection. Online fax services will usually retry automatically a few times before giving up. If you get a failure notice, double-check the fax number and try again. If the number is correct, contact the recipient to confirm their fax machine is working.
The recipient sees the fax on their fax machine as a printed page. They do not need a computer, email address, or special software — a standard fax machine is all they need. If they want a digital copy, they can scan the printed fax themselves.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most frequent error is typing the fax number wrong. Fax numbers look like phone numbers and use the same format, including country codes for international faxes. In the United States, a fax number is 10 digits: a 3-digit area code plus a 7-digit number. Double-check the number before you send, especially if the recipient gave it to you verbally.
Another mistake is sending a document that is too light or blurry to read. If you scanned a paper document, check the preview before sending. If the text looks faint on your screen, it will be even fainter on the recipient's fax machine. Increase the brightness or contrast in your scanner settings and scan again.
A third mistake is forgetting that fax machines print everything you send. If you send a cover page, it will print. If you send multiple pages, all of them will print. The recipient's fax machine does not have a "preview" option — it prints as soon as it receives the fax. Be mindful of how many pages you are sending, especially if the recipient is paying for fax paper and ink.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send a fax to an email address instead of a fax number?
No. Fax numbers and email addresses are separate systems. A fax number connects to a fax machine; an email address connects to an email inbox. If someone gives you an email address, send them an email, not a fax. If they give you a fax number, use a fax service or fax-capable printer.
What if I do not know the recipient's fax number?
Ask them directly — by phone, email, or text. Fax numbers are not always listed online the way phone numbers sometimes are. If the recipient is a business, try calling their main number and asking for the fax number. Do not guess or try random numbers, as faxes sent to the wrong number will print on someone else's machine.
Do I need to buy a fax machine to send a fax from my computer?
No. Online fax services let you send without owning any fax hardware. If you own a multifunction printer with a fax modem and a phone line, you can send through that. A dedicated fax machine is not necessary for sending faxes from a computer.
How long does it take for a fax to arrive?
Usually 30 seconds to a few minutes, depending on the document length and phone connection quality. You will receive a confirmation email or message from your service or printer software saying the fax was sent. The recipient's fax machine prints it as soon as it arrives.
Can I send a fax to an international fax number?
Yes, but most online fax services charge extra for international faxes. When entering an international fax number, use the full format: a plus sign, the country code, and the number. For example, a fax in the United Kingdom would be +44 followed by the number. Check your service's pricing page to see the cost for the country you are sending to.