Today, faxing a document is pretty straightforward and easy, whether you’re using a traditional machine or a reliable faxing online service like FaxBurner to do it. But if you’ve never done it before, it might seem a bit intimidating.
Here’s a simple guide to help you get started.
How to Fax a Document from a Phone
Step 1: Sign Up for Faxburner
Download the FaxBurner app from the App Store (for iOS devices) and go ahead and sign up. You’ll need to fill in your full name, email address, and password.
Now, depending on the plan you choose, you’ll be able to send faxes for free or pay a small fee.
We have three plans, and they are as follows:
- Free – With this plan, you get a free fax number valid for 24 hours, and you get to send up to 5 pages total for the lifetime of the account and receive up to 25 pages per month. This plan is ideal for occasional users.
- Professional – $14.95 per month; includes 500 pages of outgoing and incoming faxes per month. Great for regular users.
- Premier – $24.95 per month; includes 2000 pages of outgoing and incoming faxes per month. Best for high volume business users.
The signup process only takes a few minutes.
Step 2: Compose Your Fax
Once you’ve signed up for a FaxBurner account, it’s time to compose the fax you want to send. You can either attach a document or use your phone’s camera to scan it.
If you’re going to attach a document, ensure that it’s in PDF format. You can choose to add a cover letter, which can include a subject and some notes, but this is optional.
Keep in mind that our app allows you to attach files from your computer, cloud storage (like Dropbox or Google Drive), or any other platform supported by the app.
Step 3: Preview and Send Fax
Before sending off your fax, take a moment to review your entry, making sure that the fax number is correct and you’ve attached the correct document. Once you are confident everything is correct, you can proceed to send the document.
You’ll receive an email confirmation with details of your fax as proof that it was transmitted successfully.
And that’s it – with just a few clicks, your fax is on its way. The recipient will receive your fax printed on their fax machine within a short time.
How to Send a Fax from a Computer
- Sign up for an account: Visit the FaxBurner website and sign up for an account, and get a fax number.
- Compose an Email: To send a fax, open your email client and create a new email. In the “To” field, enter send@faxburner.com.
- Fill in Subject and Body: The Subject line will be used as the fax subject, and the body of the email will be used as a cover letter.
- Attach a Document: Attach the document you want to fax as a PDF file.
- Send the Email: When you’re done, click on the “Send” button to send your email. FaxBurner will receive this email, convert it into a fax, and send it to the fax number you specified.
- Confirmation Email: Once the fax is sent successfully, you’ll get a confirmation email.
How to Fax from Fax Machine
To send a fax with a fax machine, first insert your document face down in the feeder tray or place it face down on the scanner glass. Enter the recipient’s fax number using the keypad or phonebook on the fax machine. Press “Start” when you are ready to begin faxing.
The fax machine will scan your document and convert it into audio frequencies that can be transmitted over telephone lines. Your fax machine then dials the recipient’s fax number and establishes communication with the receiving fax. It sends audio tones corresponding to the scanned document, which get printed out on the recipient’s end.
Once the fax is successfully transmitted, most fax machines will provide a confirmation by printing out a transmission report. Though faxing is slower than online services, it can be useful if you need to fax physical documents or have an older fax machine already set up.
Tips for Better Faxing
When sending a fax, either through an online fax service or a traditional fax machine, following some best practices can help ensure your fax is transmitted cleanly and clearly:
- Use clear handwriting or typing – If you are handwriting a fax cover sheet or other document, make sure your writing is legible. Use clear block or printed letters instead of cursive or scribbled writing, which can be hard to read when faxed. For typed documents, use a standard, easy-to-read font like Arial or Times New Roman in 12 point size or larger.
- Include a cover page – A fax cover page allows you to provide key details about the fax up front, like the number of pages being sent, your contact information, and instructions on handling the fax. This helps avoid confusion and ensures your fax gets to the right recipient.
- Check your margins – Leave adequate margins of at least half an inch on all sides of the page. Important content too close to the edges can get cut off during fax transmission.
- Avoid background images or dark shading – Using backgrounds can make text harder to read when faxed since fax machines scan documents into lower-resolution black-and-white images. Where possible, stick to plain white paper with black text or images.
- Consider paper quality – Standard printer or copy paper works best for faxing. Avoid thin tissue paper that can jam machines or glossy paper that can distort scans. The heavier weight of cardstock can also cause issues.
- Print clearly in black ink – For hard copy documents, print using high-contrast black ink on plain white paper. Colors like blue or red ink may not transmit well. Change printer cartridges if printouts look faded.
- Double check the fax number – One digit wrong can send your fax to the wrong recipient. Triple-check that the fax number you entered matches the intended recipient.
Ready to Fax with Ease? Try FaxBurner Today!
Whether you’re an occasional sender or a business user with high-volume needs, we’ve got you covered.
With FaxBurner, you can send and receive faxes effortlessly from your iOS device, ensuring you stay connected no matter where you are.
Download our fax app today and start faxing with ease.
