How to Fax From Google

Do you use Gmail and other Google services? If so, then you may have wondered how to fax something from Google’s suite of software programs.

Whether you’re faxing from Google Drive, Google Docs, Gmail, or any other Google service, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about faxing from Google.

Two Main Faxing Methods

There are two main ways to fax from Google’s services, including:

• Faxing from directly within Google programs
• Sending Google file formats via other forms of faxing

Today, we’re going to teach you how to do both.

Online Faxing and Google

Online faxing is the best way to send a fax from Google quickly without wasting time. Online faxing only requires an internet connection. You don’t need an active phone line. You don’t need a fax machine. And you don’t need any type of internal or external modem.

If you have an internet connection and you’re using a device that can send an email, then online faxing is your best option.

Online faxing involves using a virtual fax machine (provided by the online faxing company) to send and receive faxes over any internet-connected device.

Basically, you email an attached document to your electronic fax company, and then the attachment attached to that email gets magically turned into a fax by the online fax company’s servers. That data is then sent through the phone lines to your recipient’s fax machine. Just like that, you’ve sent a fax without ever touching a fax machine.

Most Online Fax Services Can Fax Through Gmail

Gmail is one of the world’s most popular email platforms. It’s no surprise to discover that most online fax services can fax through email.

Online fax services don’t typically restrict you based on your email platform: as long as you can send an email from that account, you’ll be able to send a virtual fax.

To send an online fax in Gmail, just follow these steps:

Step 1) Sign up for an online faxing company

Step 2) Compose a new email in Gmail

Step 3) Attach the document(s) to that email that you wish to fax. Most online faxing services accept common file formats like PDF, DOC, and DOCX. If your faxed document is outside of those major file formats, then you should take a quick look at the compatible file formats for your chosen online fax service. Otherwise, you fax might not go through.

Step 4) Type a message into the body of the email. That message will be faxed as a cover letter (the front page of your fax).

Step 5) Enter your recipient’s fax number in the following format: [Number]@[YourFaxProvider’s Website].com. If you were faxing through RingCentral, for example, then you might enter your recipient’s information as 7654321@RingCentral.com, assuming your recipient’s fax number is 765-4321.

Step 6) Click Send

That’s it! That’s how easy it is to send an online fax through Gmail.

Alternatively, many major online fax services sync directly with Google Drive. You can use services like HelloFax at HelloFax.com/GoogleDrive, where you sign into Google directly on the main page, then access your Google Drive documents through that platform.

Faxing your documents in this method takes only a few clicks.

Connect a Fax Machine to your Computer

Connecting a fax machine to your computer is an easy way to fax from Google – but you’ll need a fax machine and an active phone line to do it.

If you have both of those things, then faxing from Google via a connected fax machine is as easy as connecting your fax machine to your computer, connecting that fax machine to a landline, and then using the print driver or fax machine’s built-in software to send and receive faxes.

You can typically connect a fax machine to your PC using Bluetooth, a wireless connection, or a wired connection like a USB cord.

The specific way in which you fax varies between fax machine manufacturers. However, you can almost always use this method to fax from your Google services in the following method:

Step 1) Download your document from Google Drive (ideally, it will be in a format like PDF, DOC, or DOCX)

Step 2) Open that document and go to File > Print (or press Ctrl + P)

Step 3) From the printing window, select your fax machine from the dropdown list of connected devices

Step 4) Enter your fax information, then send your fax

In some cases, you can use your fax machine’s native faxing software. Your fax machine might come bundled with proprietary software that lets you fax Google documents more easily. Or, the fax machine might just install the drivers you need automatically when it’s connected to the PC.

Fax Software on your Computer

Windows PCs have built-in faxing software that lets you transform your PC into a faxing platform quite easily.

If you’re using a version of Windows that isn’t XP, then you can simply type “Fax” into your Windows search bar to open up the Windows Fax and Scan utility.

That program lets you send and receive faxes in a similar way to Microsoft Outlook’s UI.

If you’re using Windows XP, then there’s also faxing software available – it’s just called Fax Console instead of Windows Fax and Scan. you also need to specially install it from your Windows XP disc.

Meanwhile, other faxing software is available for Linux and Mac operating systems. Here’s what you need to fax from your computer without using a fax machine:

• Windows XP, Vista, 7, or 8 or Linux (there’s no faxing available for Apple operating systems)
• Fax modem (internal or external) attached to your computer
• Active phone line
• Fax software (like the built-in Windows Fax and Scan available on all major Windows operating systems)

If you have those four things, then you don’t need a fax machine to send a real fax. Basically, this method involves using Windows as a fax platform and bypassing the need for a fax machine.

The software used for faxing from the computer is all basically the same. They all look similar to email platforms you’ve used before – like Outlook.

Once you’ve setup your computer for use as a fax machine, you can also fax from more traditional menus: like the printing menu in Microsoft Office programs.

With Google platforms, just download the Google file you want to fax and make sure it’s a popular format. Open that file in windows, then press Ctrl + P or File > Print to fax that file via your onboard fax machine.

How to Download a Faxable File Format from Google

Getting a faxable file from Google in the first place can be a bit of a challenge. Here are some ways to download data from Google services in faxable formats:

• If you’re trying to fax an email attachment from Gmail, just click the “Download” button or “Save to Drive” button to save it in the attachment’s format
• Look up your online fax service provider’s list of acceptable file formats. Some providers just accept a handful of file formats, while others accept literally hundreds
• Understand that Google Drive is actually one of the best services when it comes to faxable file formats. The most common formats on Google Drive are JPEG, XLS, XLSX, DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX, PDF, PSD, JPEG, PNG, TXT, and other formats that are often faxable. This reduces your chances of having to convert a file and risk suffering losses or quality issues. Instead, you can just download directly from Google Drive.

Ultimately, online faxing is the easiest way to fax from Google’s services for two reasons:

• You only need an internet connection for online faxing (no fax machine or modem required)
• Many online fax service providers connect directly with Google Drive, which means you can send a fax from Google Drive with very few steps