October 15, 2022  |   

In the past, using a fax machine was the best way to ensure sensitive or important documents arrived to the intended recipient in a timely manner. A fax machine would produce a record and a confirmation that a fax was sent, which was a useful piece of information when you were conducting business. However, in the modern era, you may need to learn how to fax without a fax machine by understanding how to fax from email.

Test Drive Our #1 Recommended Choice!

How to Fax Without a Fax Machine: Faster, Easier, and More Secure

Although it may not seem like it, fax machines are still commonly used in 2022. A fax machine is often built into printers you may have in your home. However, to have a functioning fax machine, you will need to have a landline – and with most people favoring cell phones over landlines, this can make it difficult to send a fax.

Fortunately, you don't need to have a fax machine to send a fax. Thanks to new technology and software, there are ways you can send a fax online with your email account instead. To fax from your email, you will need to have an active email account, find an appropriate vendor, and learn about the files you can fax from email.

Active Email Account

An active email account is simply an email you regularly use. For most online fax vendors, a Gmail account is the preferred email, since the online fax software works best with Google. You can either use your main Gmail account or create a Gmail account specifically for your fax-related needs. Either way, this is the email account you will register with your vendor.

Register With Online Fax Service

There are dozens of online fax services that allow you to send a fax through your email account. These services work by using special software that helps the receiving fax machine interpret the data sent by email over a landline, which then intercepts the online fax and engages the fax machine to print your faxed documents.

When you register with an online fax service, your email account will be associated with a digital fax number that will be used to transmit data to fax machines. The digital fax number is essentially a “landline” for your email, which will then allow you to send a fax without a fax machine. Some online fax services offer free trials or allow you to send several pages for free.

Files You Can Fax From Email

One of the biggest benefits of using an online fax service is the fact that you can send virtually any type of digital document. This is because the online fax service will automatically convert your files into PDF documents, which can easily be printed by fax machines. The files you can send via online fax can include word documents from Google and Microsoft, plain text documents, and more.

When you send a fax via email, all you need to do is attach your desired file to the email. Some online fax services also give you the option of attaching a fax cover letter if you want to make your fax more professional. After you hit send, your fax will be transmitted to the receiving fax machine.

In the modern era, sending a fax is still a secure way of sending data. But if you don't have a fax machine or a landline, you will need to register with an online fax service to send a fax from your email account.

Test Drive Our #1 Recommended Choice!