May 8, 2021  |   

Usually, the only time you may see a fax machine is at a store like Staples or places of business. For at-home workers, a fax machine isn't usually necessary since most business can be completed over email correspondence. However, if you have documents that must be faxed, then you will need to know how to fax without a fax machine.

Test Drive Our #1 Recommended Choice!

What Can I Use Instead of a Fax Machine?

Not having a fax machine in your home office isn't a big deal, even if you're a small business owner. Instead of a fax machine, you have other options you can use to send documents over a secure channel. For example, you can use a digital fax vendor to turn your work email into a digital fax machine.

Third-party providers can assign you a digital fax number to make it easy to send faxes over email. Many online fax services allow you to send faxes directly from your email or the digital fax application. Using an online fax service allows you to send faxes from anywhere, to multiple people, and in only a few minutes.

How To Fax Without a Fax Machine

To send a successful fax without a traditional fax machine, you must first subscribe to a third-party online fax vendor. Many online fax services offer trial periods or a certain amount of free pages so you can test out how well the service will meet your needs. When you register with an online fax provider, you will need to have an active email account that you can use to send and receive email faxes. Other tools you will need include:

Compatible Documents

When you send a digital fax, you will only be able to send text documents. This means acceptable documents for your online fax service will include Word Documents, Google Docs, spreadsheets, and other text-based files. These documents can be scans of physical documents or even PDF files. The only files you will not be able to send are JPEG and PNG files.

Smart Devices and the Internet

You will also need to use a smart device, such as your phone, tablet, or laptop. Usually, online fax services use an application installed on your device to do the heavy lifting for your virtual fax needs. These applications are compatible with multiple operating systems, so it doesn't matter if you're an Apple or Samsung user.

You must also have an internet connection. Just like a traditional fax machine will only operate with a landline, your online fax services can only send a fax when you have a reliable internet connection. Connecting to the internet over Wi-Fi or a hotspot is ideal when you are trying to send a virtual fax.

Printer (Optional)

Finally, you may want to have a printer on hand, especially if you want a physical copy of your faxed documents. To be clear, when you use a virtual fax machine, any documents you send or receive will be stored locally on your device so you can view them at your leisure. However, there may be times when you will need a physical copy of a document, so having a printer may be a good idea.

If you're a remote worker, you don't have to go to your local Staples or public library to send a fax. Instead, you can fax without a traditional fax machine when you subscribe to an online fax service, which will allow you to send a fax in a few minutes.

Test Drive Our #1 Recommended Choice!