Best Free Fax Software For Mac

Best Free Fax Software For Mac Download
Best Fax App For Mac

Fax remains one of the most popular ways to send and receive documents in 2020, seeing as it’s far more secure than emails. It’s a mainstay of many organizations, including government institutions as well as businesses.

Of course, fax technology has come a long way since the 1980s, which was when fax machines became commonplace in organizations. In fact, these days you don’t even need a fax machine to be able to send or receive a fax!

In this guide, we explain everything you need to know about faxing from computers – including how to send a fax from a computer, how to receive faxes, and how to fax for free.

Part 1: Can I Send a Fax from My Computer?

Contents

Yes, you can indeed send a fax from your computer. And, in case you’re wondering, you don’t need any special technical skills or gear either. You can send and receive a fax from any computer just as easily as you do email.

Being a professional online fax service, you get a lot of features in the free trial of the premium version. For instance, you have a dedicated mobile app for sending and receiving fax messages, electronic signature options, secure faxing and large file sharing, for that matter.For the single-time usage, eFax.com free trial would be enough, but for long-term usage, you would have to think of.

How do you send a fax from a computer? There are three ways to do so:

1. Send a fax from a computer using an internet fax service (Easy and pocket-friendly)

This Hewlett-Packard inkjet printer is expensive but has many features that make it one of the great wireless printers for Mac. Features: Besides basic printing, the M477 can work as a scan, standalone copier, email sender, and fax machine. It can print from and scan to a USB drive, and it can be connected to smartphones, laptops, computers.
Other Fax Software for different platforms. While the number of fax software packages is enormous, there will be a lot of confusion at the end user side about the best choices and the best deals. As of fax software, the very best choice for Windows will be the Microsoft fax software.
Top Fax for For Mac Windows and PC – Free Download By appformac One of the powerful and strongest apps on the app store is Top Fax for Mac which is holding the average rating of 4.7.

The easiest way to send a fax from your computer is with an online fax service such as CocoFax. All you have to do is scan and upload any document you want into your computer. The online fax service will fax it for you.

2. Send fax with Windows Fax and Scan (Requires configuration)

If you own a Windows PC (Vista and above), then you can send a fax by using the free, in-built Windows Fax and Scan software. If you own a different operating system, you may be able to use another third-party app. Check Windows 10 fax guide here >>

3. Send a fax from your PC by using a connected fax machine (Can be a hassle)

You can connect compatible fax machines to your computer and then send and receive faxes from the PC via the machine. Some multifunction and commercial-grade printers also support fax from a computer. Either way, this method can be a hassle.

We’ll explain all the methods of faxing from your PC outlined above in the rest of the article:

Part 2: How to Send a Fax from a Computer

The most convenient way to send a fax from your computer – and often for free – is with an online fax service. You won’t need a landline, nor will you need a fax machine. Additionally, online fax services are massive upgrades over traditional fax machines.

How do these fax services work? They take any documents you upload onto your computer, translate them into fax format, and then fax them from their phone lines. If there is incoming fax to your number, they will forward it to your computer.

Which fax service should you use? There are several good ones out there, but we suggest you go with CocoFax.

1.1 Cocofax – The Most Reliable Way to Fax from Your Computer

CocoFax is a trusted internet fax service, used worldwide by several reputed small and big businesses. Online media channels such as BBC, TechCrunch, Mashable, and Forbes have good things to say about CocoFax.

Using CocoFax to send or receive faxes from your computer is simple. The service is free to try for 30 days, so you don’t have to commit to a purchase right off. You can send fax several hundred pages a month thereafter for a reasonable fee.

1.2 Fax from Computer via CocoFax

How do you fax from your computer without phone line via CocoFax? You need a CocoFax subscription. You can then use your web browser to send and receive faxes.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to fax with CocoFax by using your web browser:

Step 1: First, sign up for a CocoFax subscription on the official website. It’s free to try for a month, so you don’t have to pay.

During the first part of the sign-up, you need to choose a free fax number.

During the second part of the sign-up, you provide some personal details like your email address. You’ll get notifications on this email address.

Once you sign-up successfully, you’ll be taken to the CocoFax dashboard automatically.

Step 2: The CocoFax dashboard is essentially where you go to if you want to fax or read faxes. It tracks your faxing activity and also acts as an archive for old faxes.

When you’re ready to send your first fax, click on the “New Fax” option in the corner. This will load up the fax creation window.

Step 3: The “Send Fax” window is just like the window where you write an email. It’s where you write the fax. It should be a breeze if you’re used to writing emails.

Here is the breakdown of all the details you can fill in:

“To” field: The recipient’s fax number – local or international – goes here.
“Subject” (Optional): This part is optional. If you include the subject, it gets printed at the top of the fax document you’re sending out.
Cover page (Optional): The cover page is the first page of the fax you’re sending. It’s optional.
Attachments: The attachments are the most important part for most. They are the electronic scans or photos of the documents you want to fax. Supported formats include Pdf, Xls, Doc, and Png.

Step 4: After you’ve composed the fax and attached all the documents, you can click the “Send” button to send out the fax.

When the fax is delivered, you’ll get a confirmation notification in the dashboard. You should also get a notification in the email address you registered with.

If you accidentally enter the wrong number, however, the fax will fail. You’ll be notified of the error in the dashboard if that’s the case. Sometimes the fax may fail because the recipient’s fax machine is having problems or is busy.

Note that CocoFax can also be accessed from your computer in other ways. For example:

You can fax from your any email client like Gmail with CocoFax.
You can fax from within an Office 365 app like MS Word with the CocoFax add-on.
You can also fax from Google Drive with the CocoFax add-on.

We cover faxing from an email client in Part 3 and Google Drive in Part 4.

1.3 How to Receive a Fax on Your Computer

What if you want to receive a fax on your computer? You’ll need a fax number and a CocoFax subscription. CocoFax will then forward all incoming faxes to your CocoFax dashboard. You don’t need a fax machine or a printer to access incoming faxes.

If there are documents attached to the fax, they will be converted into PDF format. You can download and view these documents on your PC directly. Note that it’s not possible to receive a fax if you don’t have a fax number. You get one for free when you sign up for CocoFax.

Part 3: Send a Fax From Your Computer via Any Email Client

If you have a CocoFax subscription, you can send a fax from your computer via any email client. This includes Gmail, Outlook, and MSN, among others. Most online fax services also support faxing from email.

Sending a fax from your computer via email offers several advantages:

It’s as simple as writing an email and sending it to the recipient’s fax number, followed by “@cocofax.com”.
You get notifications when there are incoming faxes.
You can check for new faxes as easily as you do emails.
You don’t have to log into a separate dashboard to send a fax.

Note that you can log into your email account from your PC web browser or by using a desktop application. The process of sending a fax remains the same for both.

Here’s a quick step-by-step tutorial on how you can send a fax from an email client with CocoFax:

Step 1: First, sign up for a CocoFax account. It takes a couple of minutes. Choose your free fax number during the sign-up.

Next, fill in the form. Be sure to provide the email ID you wish to fax from in this step. CocoFax will register this email address. It’ll be from where you can send faxes as well as receive them.

Step 2: Next, log into the email ID you registered during the signup. You can do so from your web browser or via a desktop app, whatever is more convenient.

Step 3: You’re now going to write an email, which CocoFax will translate into fax format and forward for you.

Click on the “Compose New Email” option and provide the following details:

“To”: Instead of entering the email address of the recipient in the “To” field, enter the target fax number. This should be followed by “@cocofax.com”. For example, if their fax number is 123456, then enter “123456@cocofax.com”.
“Subject” (Optional): The subject becomes a note on the top of the fax document you’re sending.
Email Body (Optional): The email body is the cover page of the fax you’re sending. Cover pages, if you don’t know, are the first page of the fax document.
Fax files: You can fax multiple documents at once from your email ID, just like with a regular fax machine. Simply scan and attach any document you wish to send to the email. You can also upload a photo of the document.

Step 4: Click on the “Send” button when you’re ready. That’s it! You’ve successfully sent out the fax.

You’ll get a confirmation email if the fax is sent successfully. If there is a problem at the recipient’s end or if you entered an incorrect number, you’ll be notified of the same.

What about incoming faxes? All incoming faxes will be forwarded to your email address by CocoFax. If there were documents with the fax, they will be attached to the email as PDF documents.

Part 4: Directly Fax from Your Computer Using CocoFax’s Add-On

Do you use Google Drive? If you wish to fax any documents that are stored in Google Drive, you can do so directly from within Google Drive itself. How? By installing the CocoFax add-on – it’s free when you sign-up for CocoFax. Not all online fax services support this feature.

Why would you want to fax from Google Drive? It’s more convenient than download the document and then faxing it from your web browser or by email. It saves you time.

How do you fax from Google Drive with CocoFax? Here are the simple steps to follow:

Step 1: Sign up for a CocoFax subscription. During the sign-up, provide the Gmail address associated with the Google Drive account.

Step 2: Next, log in to the Gmail account associated with CocoFax. Then open Google Drive from your web browser.

Step 3: Find the document you want to fax. Open the document. Look for the “Add-ons” option in the menu bar at the top. Here, look for the CocoFax add-on. Select it and click on the “Install” option. Follow the instructions and grant the required permissions to install the add-on.

Step 4: Once the add-on is installed, it should appear in the menu bar at the top or in the add-ons sub-menu (Add-ons > CocoFax). Click on the “Send Fax” option. Alternatively, you can right-click on the document and click on the CocoFax option there.

Step 5: The fax creation window will open up. Fill it out. In the “To” field, you need to enter the recipient’s fax number. If necessary, enter some text as the cover page. Click on send when you’re done.

That’s it! You have now successfully sent a fax from Google Drive. Repeat as many times as necessary to fax multiple documents.

Part 5: Fax from PC via Windows Fax and Scan

You can use Windows Fax and Scan to send a fax from your computer. Fax and Scan is an in-built utility that comes for free with the Windows operating system. It should be preinstalled on your computer.

Note that we don’t recommend this method. It’s not as convenient as an online fax service, not to mention you need to own a landline to be able to use it. Here are some of the drawbacks of this method:

The computer must always be on and connected to the fax machine if you want to send or receive faxes.
You must own a fax modem and a landline phone line that supports fax. This costs a certain amount of money to maintain per month.
You will need a fax number.
You may have to sign up for international faxing separately.
You can’t fax over the internet using Windows Fax and Scan.
You can’t use a cellular connection with the service.
This only works with Windows – Mac users need to look elsewhere.

If you have all the prerequisites ready, then you can start sending faxes from your computer with the service. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Install the fax modem. You will have to purchase this separately from a store or online. You may be able to plug in the modem to install it. Some models, however, require a manual software install. Refer to the instructions accompanying the modem.

Step 2: Next, you have to connect the fax modem to your phone line. You’ll need a phone cord for this, which – again – you may need to purchase separately.

Note that the phone line needs to be a non-VOIP line. That means only a traditional phone line will work.

Step 3: Now you need to configure Windows Fax and Scan.

Open the start menu and search for Windows Fax and Scan. Open it.
Click on “Tools > Fax Accounts”. Click on Add to add the modem.
Go to “Tools > Fax Settings” if you want to configure additional options.

We recommend referring to Windows Help if you want additional information on Fax Settings.

Step 4: Read to send the fax? Open the Windows Fax and Scan app. Click on “New Fax”. The first time you send a fax, the new fax wizard program will run. Follow the instructions.

Once that’s done, write the fax. Attach any documents you wish to fax there. Click on “Send” to send your fax.

How do you receive faxes? They will appear in the app on the computer. Note that you will need to configure the settings first.

Look for the “Automatically Answer after _ Rings” option in “Fax > Tools > Fax Settings > General > Send/ Receive Options > Allow device to receive fax calls”. Fill in the number of rings, like, say, 5. The fax service will answer after 5 rings.

Part 6: Fax from a Computer Using a Connected Fax Machine or Printer

Finally, you can fax from a computer by connecting it to a fax machine or a printer with fax capabilities. The fax machine or printer manufacturer will include a setup manual in such cases. Refer to the setup instructions to configure the fax service.

Note that faxing with a computer from an attached fax machine or printer has significant drawbacks. You have to pay for the fax machine or printer, the stationery, and the phone line. It also needs to be on and operated 24×7 – otherwise, your risk missing incoming faxes.

Part 7: FAQs

1. Is it safe to send a fax from a computer?

Sending a fax from a computer is very safe. In fact, it’s much safer than sending a fax via a traditional fax machine. Electronic faxes are encrypted and sent over a secure connection. That means only you and the person on the other end can read your fax communication.

2. Are online fax services cheaper than fax machines?

That depends on the service you opt for. CocoFax happens to be significantly cheaper for most individual and business needs, yes. Many businesses spend thousands of dollars each month on fax-related expenses. CocoFax can cut these costs drastically.

3. Do I need a phone line or a fax machine to fax from my computer?

You don’t need a phone line or a fax machine to fax from your computer if you opt to use an internet fax service. If you don’t opt for an internet fax service, however, a phone line and a fax modem or fax machine are mandatory.

4. What kind of documents can I fax from my PC?

All the documents you can send via a regular fax machine you can send through your computer, as long as you can convert them into an electronic format. You can convert documents into electronic format by scanning them or simply taking a photo of the document with your phone.

5. Can I send a fax directly to a computer?

You can send a fax directly to a computer only if it’s configured to use a service such as Windows Fax and Scan. Note that the recipient will need a unique fax number as well. Fax is always linked to phone lines.

Finish

That concludes our guide on how to fax from your computer. To summarize, you can fax from your computer for free for 30 days by using an online fax service like CocoFax. These services are secure, reliable, and super-fast.

The other ways to fax from your computer include using Windows Fax and Scan and sending a fax from a connected fax machine or printer. We don’t recommend these alternatives because they’re expensive, inconvenient, and time-consuming.

If your Mac has a built-in, dial-up fax modem, you don’t need a dedicated fax machine. Just connect a telephone cord to the Mac’s modem jack, and you can fax without printing a document and sending it through a dedicated fax machine. Instead, you send faxes directly from any program with printing capabilities.

1Open the document you want to fax and choose the File command and then Print. Click the PDF button and choose Fax PDF from the pop-up menu.

A sheet, such as the one shown in the figure, appears.