You can send a fax from your iPhone through an online fax service. You upload a document in your browser, enter the recipient’s fax number, and the service handles the transmission. There’s no fax machine to find or phone line to connect.
This guide uses DearFax in Safari. You can prepare the document before creating an account; you’ll need to sign up or sign in before sending it.
Before you start
Have the recipient’s fax number, including the area code, and the document you want to send. A fax number can look just like a voice number, so check the instructions or ask the recipient which one to use.
If your document is already a PDF, you’re ready to upload it. If it’s a paper form, scan it first. Finish filling it out before uploading, and check whether the recipient requires a signature.
You’ll also need an internet connection. Wi-Fi or mobile data works; your iPhone’s own phone number isn’t the number the fax is sent from.
Get your document ready
The best starting point is the original PDF. A screenshot of a PDF can cut off a page or make small text harder to read. If someone emailed you the file, save the attachment to Files so you can find it when uploading.
For a Word document or another editable file, export a PDF from the app you used to create it. Open the exported copy once to check the page breaks and make sure nothing is missing.
If your document is on paper
You can scan a paper document with the iPhone’s Files app:
- Open Files and go to the folder where you want to save the scan.
- Tap the More button, then Scan Documents.
- Hold the phone over the page. Adjust the corners if the scan includes the desk or cuts off an edge.
- Capture any remaining pages, finish the scan, and save it.
The wording of the final buttons can vary with your iOS version. Apple’s scanning instructions cover Files and Notes.
Lay the pages flat somewhere well lit. Before putting the paper away, zoom in on the scan: can you read the smallest text, see the full signature, and count every page? Fixing a faint scan now is easier than asking the recipient to decipher it later.
Open DearFax and add your file
Open DearFax in your browser and tap Send a fax. Choose Upload file, then select the document from your phone. If it’s stored in iCloud Drive, give it time to download and upload before continuing.
After the pages appear, check them in the preview. Make sure the document is the version you meant to send, the text is readable, and every required page is there. Remove any blank or unrelated pages.
You can add more than one file. That’s useful when a form and its supporting documents are saved separately. Check the complete set before sending rather than assuming that uploading a file means every page is ready.
Check the number and cover page
Enter the destination fax number and check the country selection. Compare the full number with the recipient’s instructions, one digit at a time. An old number saved in an email may no longer be the right destination.
A cover page helps a shared office route the fax to the right person. If you use one, include the recipient’s name or department, your name, and a short note explaining what you’re sending. Add a reference number if the recipient asked for it.
DearFax has an editable cover page. You don’t need to choose a template or make a separate document. If the recipient supplied a particular cover sheet, upload that instead and remove any extra cover page you don’t need.
Keep the cover note brief. The documents can carry the detail; the cover is there to help someone identify and route them.
Sign in and send
If you started as a guest, continue through signup or sign in when prompted. Your draft carries into your workspace. Creating the account does not send the fax.
Once you’re back in the draft, check the recipient and pages again. Review the available page allowance and any plan requirements before you send. Follow the confirmation shown in the composer to submit the fax.
Check that it was delivered
Open Sent in your workspace to check the status. A fax can take time to transmit, particularly if the recipient’s line is busy or the document has several pages. Don’t send another copy just because the first one hasn’t finished yet.
Delivered means the receiving fax system confirmed delivery. It doesn’t tell you that a person has read the document, processed a form, or accepted an application. If you have a deadline, follow the recipient’s instructions for checking that they have what they need.
If the fax fails, read the available error information and recheck the number before retrying. If the status is unresolved, check again or contact support before submitting another copy.
If you need a fax back
Sending a fax doesn’t give your iPhone a number that can receive replies. If the recipient needs to fax you something back, arrange a receiving number before sending and include it where requested.
With a paid DearFax plan that includes receiving, incoming faxes appear in your workspace’s Inbox. You can open them from your phone. Read about receiving faxes online if your task needs both directions.