How to Fax Without a Fax Machine: 5 Ways That Work in 2026
Last Updated:Published September 28, 2026. Written by William Elward, founder of Castle Ink.
Quick answer
The easiest way to fax without a fax machine is an online fax service. You upload a PDF or photo from your computer or phone, type the recipient's fax number, and the service sends it over the phone network for you. Free options handle a few pages at a time. Paid plans give you your own fax number for receiving. If you only fax once in a while, a shipping or office-supply store will send it for a per-page fee.
Option 1: Use an online fax service (best for most people)
Online fax services turn a digital file into a real fax. The person you're sending to receives it on their normal fax machine.
- Get your document into a file. PDF works best; Word files and photos usually work too. If it's on paper, scan it first (see Option 4).
- Open an online fax site or app (for example FaxZero, eFax, Fax.Plus, iFax or similar).
- Enter the recipient's fax number with 1 + area code, plus your name and a cover-page note if you want one.
- Upload the file and send.
- Wait for the email or in-app confirmation that the fax was delivered.
Free vs. paid: free services usually limit pages per fax and faxes per day, and may add their branding to the cover page. Paid plans remove the limits, let you receive faxes at your own number, and keep a record of what you sent. For medical, legal or financial documents, choose a service that says it's HIPAA-compliant or encrypted.
Option 2: Fax from your phone with an app
iPhone and Android phones can't fax on their own, but fax apps can. Most can also use the camera to scan a paper document into a clean PDF before sending.
- Install a fax app from the App Store or Google Play.
- Scan the page with the app's camera tool, or pick a PDF from Files or Google Drive.
- Enter the fax number and send.
Tip: good lighting and a flat, dark background make a phone scan much more readable at the other end. Faxes are black-and-white and fairly low resolution, so small or faint text can become hard to read.
Option 3: Send a fax from your email
Many paid fax services support email-to-fax. You email the document as an attachment to an address like 15551234567@yourfaxservice.com, and the service faxes it. Received faxes arrive as PDF attachments in your inbox. It's handy if you fax often from a work computer.
Option 4: Scan on your printer, then fax online
If you have a paper document and an all-in-one printer without fax (or without a landline), scan it to PDF first, then send the PDF through an online fax service.
- Place the document on the scanner glass or in the document feeder.
- Scan to PDF with the HP Smart, Canon PRINT, Epson Smart Panel or Brother iPrint&Scan app, or with Windows Scan / Mac Image Capture.
- Upload the PDF to your fax service.
Step-by-step: How to scan from your printer to a computer, PDF, email or phone. If your scanner isn't cooperating, see Scanner not working but printer still prints.
If your printer does have fax and you have a phone line, you can fax directly. See How to fax from a printer.
Option 5: Use a store that faxes for you
Shipping and office-supply stores such as The UPS Store, FedEx Office, Staples and Office Depot offer fax sending (and often receiving) for a per-page fee. Some public libraries do too. It's a good choice when you fax once or twice a year and don't want to sign up for anything. Call ahead, because not every location offers it.
Which option should you choose?
| Situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| One-time fax, a few pages | Free online fax service |
| Paper document, no scanner | Phone fax app (camera scan) |
| You need to receive faxes | Paid online fax plan with its own number |
| Frequent faxing from work email | Email-to-fax service |
| Sensitive medical or legal records | HIPAA-compliant paid service |
| Rare fax, don't want an account | Store or library |
Common questions
Can I fax from Gmail or Outlook without a service?
No. Gmail and Outlook can't reach a fax number by themselves. Email-to-fax only works through a fax service that gives you the special address format.
Can I fax with Google Voice?
No. Google Voice doesn't support sending or receiving faxes. Use an online fax service instead.
Can I fax from my iPhone for free?
Yes, for short documents. Use a free online fax website in Safari and upload a PDF from the Files app, or use a fax app's free trial. The iPhone has no built-in fax feature.
Is online faxing secure?
Reputable services encrypt files in transit and at rest. For health or legal documents, pick one that states HIPAA compliance and offers a signed business associate agreement.
Can a regular printer send a fax?
Only if it has a fax modem and a phone line. Most home all-in-ones don't. You can still scan with them and fax online (Option 4).
Related guides
- How to fax from a printer (HP, Canon, Epson, Brother)
- How to scan from your printer
- How to print from your phone
- Microsoft Print to PDF: how to use it
- 10 best all-in-one printers
About the author: William Elward is the founder of Castle Ink and has written about printers, ink cartridges, and printing technology for more than 20 years.
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