You can fax a PDF without printing it. Upload the file to an online fax service, enter the recipient’s fax number, and send. The service converts your document for transmission to the receiving fax system.
With DearFax, you can prepare the pages in your browser before signing up. You’ll need an account to send them.
Start with the finished PDF
Open the file before uploading it. Check that it’s the right version, that every required field is filled in, and that any required signature is present. A saved form can look different from the one you just finished editing, so review the saved copy.
Use the original PDF when you have it. Taking screenshots adds work and can make small text harder to read. If someone emailed the document, download the attachment rather than capturing the email on your screen.
For a paper document, make a scan first. Keep all four corners of each page in view and check faint handwriting. Our iPhone guide and Android guide explain how to prepare paper documents on your phone.
If the PDF needs a password
Open it in your PDF app and, if you’re authorized to do so, save an unlocked copy for faxing. Don’t put the password in the cover message and expect the fax service to unlock the attachment.
If you can’t create an accessible copy, ask the sender for one. Check the new file before continuing.
Upload the PDF to DearFax
Open DearFax, choose Send a fax, then Upload file. Select your PDF and wait for its pages to appear.
Review the fax preview, not just the filename. Look for missing pages, cut-off edges, blank pages, and text that’s too small to read. If something is wrong in the original, fix it there and upload the corrected file.
You can add more than one file to the same fax. For example, a completed form and a supporting statement can stay as separate files until you add them to the draft. Check their order in the final preview so the recipient can follow the document.
Enter the recipient and add a cover page
Use the recipient’s fax number, including the correct country and area code. Compare it with the instructions you were given. A voice number may have the same format, but it isn’t necessarily able to receive faxes.
DearFax includes an editable cover page. Use it to identify the person or department the fax is for, who it’s from, and what you’ve attached. Include a reference number if the recipient requested one.
If the recipient supplied a cover sheet, upload it with your PDF and remove any extra cover you don’t need. There’s no reason to send two covers for the same document.
Review and send
Sign up or sign in when prompted. If you started as a guest, your draft carries into your workspace; creating an account doesn’t send it.
Check the number, page order, and page allowance, then follow the composer’s send confirmation. A cover page counts toward the page total.
Check delivery in Sent
Open Sent in your workspace to follow the fax. Uploading the PDF and submitting it are separate from delivery; give the transmission time to finish before sending another copy.
Delivered means the receiving fax system confirmed delivery. It doesn’t mean someone has read the pages or accepted the contents. For a time-sensitive document, follow the recipient’s instructions for confirming receipt.
If a fax fails, review its status and the destination number before retrying. If you’re unsure whether it went through, check the existing fax first rather than starting a duplicate.
Can you fax the PDF from email instead?
Yes. DearFax supports email to fax on Pro and Business after setup. You attach the PDF to a message addressed to the fax number at DearFax’s domain. The email body becomes the cover message.
Follow the Gmail and email-to-fax guide for the exact address format and setup steps. Sending that email submits the fax without a separate browser confirmation.