How to Fax From a Computer

Can I Send a Fax From My Computer?

It's easy to send a fax from your computer — no matter what type of computer you have! As long as you have an internet connection, you can send and receive faxes online in minutes.

With eFax’s online fax service, you can turn your computer into a fully-functional fax machine — but without the extra hardware, toner, paper, and busy signals.

All you need is an eFax account. Set one up now in less than five minutes!

How to Send a Fax From a Mac

One of the major benefits of an online fax service is that you can fax from nearly any device that has an internet connection. That means your Macbook, iMac, or any other Apple computer is capable of sending faxes with the online portal in your web browser.

Here's how it works:

1

Log in to your eFax account online.

2

Click Send Faxes.

3

Choose a recipient from your pre-entered contacts, or type in the recipient’s name and company.

4

Click Select Fax-To Country and choose your recipient’s location.

5

If the recipient isn't in your contacts, enter their Fax Number.

6

Select Include Cover Page and enter a subject and body. This will auto-populate the cover page that arrives with the fax transmission.

7

Select the document you want to attach. Click Browse, choose up to 10 documents, and select OK.

8

Click Select Quality List and choose a resolution for your fax.

9

Select Send Faxes.

That's it! It couldn't be easier to send a fax from a Mac with eFax’s online fax service.

How to Send a Fax From a Windows Computer

With Windows, you have four primary options that allow you to fax from your computer. One method includes using some included Windows software. The rest require an online fax service.

Here's how they all work.

Use eFax Online

eFax can be accessed from the web browser on your Windows computer. Here's how it works:

1

Log in to your eFax account online.

2

Click on Send Faxes.

3

Choose a recipient from your contacts, or type in the recipient’s name and company.

4

Go to Select Fax-To Country and choose your recipient’s location.

5

If the recipient isn't in your contacts, enter their Fax Number.

6

Select Include Cover Page and enter a subject and body. This will be auto-filled into the cover page that arrives with the fax transmission.

7

To attach the document to fax, click Browse, choose a document, and select OK.

8

Navigate to Select Quality List and choose a resolution for your fax.

9

Select Send Faxes.

This simple method lets you fax from a computer in minutes, with no phone line or bulky fax machine required.

Windows Fax & Scan

Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and some versions of Windows Vista include an application called Windows Fax and Scan. This program allows users to send and receive faxes right from their computers.

What you'll need:

• A computer that operates Windows Fax and Scan
• A landline
• A fax modem (some computers include an internal fax modem, or you can purchase an external modem instead)
• A physical phone cord

As you can see, computers that use Windows Fax and Scan must be connected to an external phone line — just like a traditional fax machine.

You could connect your office phone to your computer to send faxes. The downside is that you'll tie up your phone line when sending faxes, and you won't receive faxes when the phone line isn't plugged in. You could also buy a dedicated phone line for faxing, adding a monthly expense.

Once the fax modem is installed based on the manufacturer's instructions, connect the fax modem to the landline with the phone cord.

Then, you can begin the setup process.

1

Open the Windows Fax and Scan application.

2

Click Tools and select Fax Accounts.

3

Click Add to install the fax modem.

4

Choose Automatic answering to receive faxes anytime.

Now you're able to send faxes from your Windows computer.

1

Open the Windows Fax and Scan application.

2

Click New Fax at the top of the window.

3

Add the recipient's fax number in the To field.

4

Add the cover page you'd like to include. Windows Fax and Scan includes four templates, or you can create your own cover page.

5

Attach the documents you'd like to fax.

6

Click Send.

While Windows Fax and Scan comes included with many versions of Windows, it still requires external hardware, like a modem and a phone line.

With an online fax service like eFax, you can start faxing from your Windows computer right now, with no extra hardware and no dedicated phone line.

Here are the three primary options for how to fax from a Windows computer with eFax.

Send Faxes with eFax Messenger

eFax Messenger is a desktop fax application for Windows 10. It lets you send faxes, sign documents, view received faxes, and add notes to your faxes in one simple app.

To get started, download eFax Messenger to your computer that operates Windows 10.

1

Open eFax Messenger.

2

Select New Fax. This will open the Create window.

3

Fill in recipient’s information in the To field, or choose a contact from your Address Book.

4

Check Send Copy to Me if you want to receive a copy of the transmission.

5

Enter the Subject of the fax and the Attention name.

6

Click the Add New Page (+) button in the sidebar to add pages and documents to your fax. You can add a blank page, cover page, or import a file from your computer.

7

Click Attach file and select the file to upload.

8

Once you're finished, click Send Fax.

Use Print to Fax

Print to Fax is another simple way to send faxes with Windows. This software works with eFax Messenger to make faxing from a computer even easier.

With this tool, you can fax from within Google Drive, Microsoft Word, or a PDF viewer, without manually opening a second application. Start your fax as soon as you finish writing it!

1

Open the document you want to fax. You can use Print to Fax in most programs that have a “Print” button, like Microsoft Word, a PDF viewer, Google Docs, or Google Drive.

2

Click “Print.”

3

Instead of selecting a printer, select “eFax Messenger,” and click “Print.”

4

The eFax Messenger application will open automatically and ask you to sign into your eFax account if it’s your first time opening it. But after that, you’ll remain logged in.

5

Your document will be attached to the new fax.

6

Fill out the cover sheet.

7

Choose a recipient from your address book or type in their fax number.

8

Hit Send!

With this tool, you can send a document in Google Docs or Microsoft Word the second you finish typing it, without opening the eFax portal or starting a new email.

How Can I Send a Fax Via Email?

Regardless of what type of computer you use, another way to send and receive faxes without a fax machine is to fax via email.

This method works not only with a computer, but with a smartphone or tablet too!

Here's how it works:

1

Open a new email, and address it to the recipient's fax number, followed by @efaxsend.com. If the fax number was 1-123-555-1234, you would address the email to [email protected].

2

Optional - Enter a subject line and message to the body of the email. This will be the cover letter when the recipient receives their fax. Or, you can select a pre-formatted cover page template instead.

3

Attach the document you want to send to your email. You can attach up to 10 files to a single fax transmission.

4

Click Send.

When you send a fax via email, your cover letter and fax will print on the recipient's fax machine, just like you sent it from a traditional fax machine yourself!

Why is Online Faxing Better than Using a Fax Machine?

When the traditional fax machine was invented, it was a revolution in quick document transmission. But with the invention and explosion of the internet, the mechanics of the traditional fax machine became outdated and inefficient — even though the function of faxing is still vital to many businesses.

To use a fax machine, you must:

Then the person who receives it has to scan it to return it to its original digital format!

With online faxing, your document stays digital the whole time, cutting steps and saving time for both you and the recipient.

Plus, online faxing is more private. This means no more confidential faxes sitting out on the fax machine, where anyone walking by could pick them up.

And when you send and receive faxes with eFax, you’ll also get:

Sending a fax from a computer with an online fax service is the best, most convenient way to get all the benefits of a fax — with none of the downsides! And with eFax, it’s never been easier or quicker to get started.