If you need to sign and send a document but the people you're dealing with only accept fax, don't worry. You don't have to buy a fax machine. Instead, you can use your computer to send a document with an online service that'll deliver it as a fax to any number you like. Here's how to send a fax online in seven straightforward steps.

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How to Send a Fax Online in 7 Simple Steps

Choose a Virtual Faxing Service

You no longer need to own a fax machine or even a landline to send a fax. Instead, you can use the landlines of a virtual faxing service, such as aFax. They will turn your PDF document into an analog fax file and deliver it over the telephone lines to the recipient's fax machine for you.

So the first step is to sign up with one of these services. You can often start with a free trial while you learn the online-faxing ropes. Once you have an account, you're ready to start faxing.

Download the Faxing App 

To interface with your virtual fax service, you usually have a few options. You can use their website or you can download their app to your computer, tablet, or phone.

You can even connect an email address. This allows you to send and receive faxes directly in your email account, just like sending and receiving emails. Today, let's use the app method. So you'll need to download the app to your computer.

Select “Send New Fax”

In the app, select the option to compose and send a new fax. This is always very easy to do. A priority of these services is user-friendliness.

Enter the Recipient's Fax Number

You'll see a page open that's similar to when you compose an email. Enter your recipient's fax number in the correct box.

One advantage of virtual faxing services is that you can save your faxing contacts. You don't have to dial the fax number every time you send a fax, which greatly reduces the chance of misdialing and sending your fax to the wrong number.

Add a Cover Letter 

If you like, you can attach a cover letter to your fax. This cover letter will print out as the first page at the other end.

Cover letters are optional. But they're often a good way to present a professional image. A cover page also helps to conceal potentially sensitive data while the printed fax is sitting on the machine at the other end.

Attach Your Document

Now you need to attach the document you wish to deliver. This should usually be in PDF format. Attaching a document is just as easy as attaching a file to an email.

Hit “Send”

Finally, hit “send.” Your virtual fax service will instantly turn your PDF into a proper fax and deliver it over the telephone network. Your recipient's fax machine will receive the data and start printing.

Which Organizations Still Use Fax

In our digital age, it's interesting that so many organizations still use fax for important correspondence. These are usually extremely security-conscious businesses in the health, legal, and financial industries.

Government organizations also often use fax for contracts and other data they deem sensitive or private. Likewise, businesses in a few countries like Germany and Japan are still big fans of fax machines.

You Might Be Forced to Fax

Anyone dealing with one of these fax-friendly organizations will be forced to deliver documents via fax, rather than email. Perhaps you're in this very situation.

In decades past, this meant you needed to rent a telephone landline and invest in a bulky fax machine or find someone who would send the fax for you at a premium rate if it was a one-off. But now you can happily agree to their requirements and send the document from your computer with a few clicks of your mouse.

Online Fax Is Becoming the Norm

Virtual faxing has become a two-billion-dollar industry that's forecast to reach three billion dollars by 2027. As with most digitized processes, online faxing is so much more convenient for users. You can fax from your computer or phone, wherever you might be.

There's no more need to print and store your faxes in bulky filing cabinets. All your faxed documents can be stored digitally in secure cloud services like Google Docs. Best of all, you never need to pay for a fax machine again. The relatively small cost of using a virtual faxing service is almost always far less than the old costs of fax machines, landline rental, paper, ink, and physical storage space.

Send your first online fax today for free. Test Drive Our #1 Recommended Choice!

Matt Gerchow

Matt Gerchow is an author, marketer, inventor, husband, father and yoga enthusiast. He enjoys travel to distant lands , fine wine, time with his family and dinner with friends.