How to Send a Fax from Gmail

How to Send a Fax from Gmail – A fax machine is a machine to send a copy of files or documents identical to the original one. This machine was booming in the early 2000s, and most of the companies used it. However, as the process of sending data becomes more accessible, we now rarely find fax machines.

The inventor of the fax machine was Alexander Bain in 1843. The Scottish physicist initially developed a communication tool called telegraph. This machine continues to be developed by scientists, becoming a fax machine that we now find in offices.

To send documents this way, the sender and the recipient must have a fax machine. First, you need to place the files on the machine. After that, press the recipient’s telephone number. The recipient’s machine will print the documents on a special paper called thermal paper.

The need for information exchange between agencies is increasingly high, making a great presence of fax machine at that time. Technology researchers keep developing its data transmission speeds to exchange information faster. In this case, the latest fax machine can send files within 10 seconds.

Nowadays, the use of fax machines is indeed not as vibrant as before. Some people think that sending data using email is more practical, easier, and faster. However, it turns out companies in some countries still rely on fax machines to send documents; one of them is Japan.

For the Japanese, several fax roles cannot be replaced by e-mail. They prefer to use traditional fax machines for several reasons. Some of these reasons include:

1. The Japanese have a habit of seeing the handwriting. They believe that a person’s signature or handwriting can describe his/her mood.
2. The process of scanning documents to sending an e-mail is quite time-consuming. The Japanese think that this method is less efficient.
3. Sending data using e-mail has a risk of data leakage. Unlike faxes, e-mails must pass through many internet servers before reaching the recipient. Therefore, it is better to use a fax to send valuable and confidential data.

To survive, the fax machine manufacturer must innovate their products. The printer and scanner are added to the most modern fax machine. This way, the buyer will get a fax machine that can simultaneously become a printer, scanner, and photocopier.

If you need to send a fax, but don’t have a fax machine, you can also send it via a computer. Try the following ways to send a fax using a computer.

1. For Windows User

• First, click the “Start” menu. Then, go to the “All Programs”, find “Windows Fax and Scan”, and click it.
• After that, click the “New Fax” option located in the upper left corner.
• You can follow the guidelines for connecting a computer to the telephone network.
• Fill the box with the recipient’s phone number, message, and attachment of the documents you want to send.
• Lastly, you can click “Send” to send your fax.

2. For Macintosh User

• First, open the document that you want to send.
• After that, click the “File” option and look for the “Print” option.
• Click the “PDF” button, then select “Fax PDF” from the menu.
• In the “To” column, enter 0, area code, and access code if needed.
• Meanwhile, in the “Modem” column, you can select the “Internet Modem” option.
• If you want to include a cover, you can select the “Use Cover Page” option and fill it as needed.
• Before sending it, click the “Preview” option to make sure that you send the right file.
• Once ready, you can click “Send” to send your document.
• However, take note that not all versions of Mac OS X include fax functions.

That is a glimpse of the fax function and how it works. In essence, the reason some companies or organizations still use fax is to maintain the security and confidentiality of documents. Besides using the two steps above, you can also send faxes via Gmail. To find out how the steps are, you can see the explanation below.

Can you send a fax from gmail?

Before sending a fax from gmail, register with an online service that supports faxing by email. If you have already registered, you can easily compose and send a fax. Some services let you use for free, but some will ask you to pay using credit. Besides, the Gmail address you faxing must match the email address on the file on your fax provider. Here some steps you must follow how to send a fax through gmail.

1. First, create a new e-mail message by clicking the “Compose” button.
2. Second, insert the recipient’s fax number and area code in the “To” column. Also, put the domain of your fax provider behind the number. Make sure you and the recipient use the same domain.
3. Next, you can attach the file you want to send. You can send a variety of file formats, from DOC, JPG, PDF, to TXT. The way to attach it is the same as if you attached a file when sending an email.
4. Moreover, just like traditional fax, you can also add a cover letter. Write the contents of the cover letter on the body of the email as to when you send a regular email.
5. After all the documents are complete, you can click the “Send” button. The speed of delivery depends on the provider you are using. If the transmission is successful, you will get confirmation from the fax service provider.

Those are some steps how to send a fax via gmail. Although the process is longer than using a traditional fax machine, this method is quite helpful for you who do not have the machine at home. To send a fax through Gmail, make sure that the provider you use is the same as the recipient’s, so there are no document rejections.