How to send a Fax via Gmail - sounds out of place but is reality

[george]

 

A fax machine in 2022 sounds out of place. But in reality, a good chunk of people still use them to send faxes to one another.

You’re likely to see a fax machine in old organizations such as government-established departments that are hellbent on sticking with their traditional ways of working.

 

But the truth is, you don’t necessarily need an age-old fax machine to send a fax. Thanks to the power of the internet, you can now send a fax from Gmail and that’s exactly what we’re going to tell you. So, how do you send a fax from Gmail? Let’s find out!

 

Full story: https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-send-fax-from-gmail/

 

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Alternative Gmail Fax services: https://googleonlinefax.com/send-fax-from-gmail/

[Halfaboy]

Nice idea, but my attempt failed already directly after start as I could not find any '+' button.

Anyhow, thanks....

[ozfarang]

First you have to unhide the left hand 'side bar'

 

Then you can see the '+'

 

Very easy

[steven100]

why would you bother when you can just attach a file and send it by LINE, email or what's app ....?

 

takes around 1 minute to do ...

[gamb00ler]

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

why would you bother when you can just attach a file and send it by LINE, email or what's app ....?

 

takes around 1 minute to do ...

I don't understand why.... but some of my intended recipients cannot receive PDF files sent through LINE.  It's probably some arcane setting somewhere... faster for me to just use email instead of researching and resolving the issue.

[steven100]

4 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

I don't understand why.... but some of my intended recipients cannot receive PDF files sent through LINE.  It's probably some arcane setting somewhere... faster for me to just use email instead of researching and resolving the issue.

when you say ' cannot receive PDF files '    do you mean they get but cannot open ....  or simply don't receive them when you hit the enter key   ?

[RedBackman]

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

why would you bother when you can just attach a file and send it by LINE, email or what's app ....?

 

takes around 1 minute to do ...

Some organizations require fax is the reason. Some just because they are resistant to change, others because of a few advantages it has - mainly regulatory or legal reasons and the established case law around fax technology.

[robsamui]

Unfortunately you have overlooked one important element - the recipient of the fax can only receive it via a computer running Gmail . . . and if they are running the same fax software.

 

Seeing that faxes are required for mainly legal work, I doubt very much if this "not-a-fax" alternative will be acceptable, as it is essentially email in disguise.

 

Have you tried it by sending legal documents?

[Fore Man]

2 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

I don't understand why.... but some of my intended recipients cannot receive PDF files sent through LINE.  It's probably some arcane setting somewhere... faster for me to just use email instead of researching and resolving the issue.

Agree, but there are many instances where the intended recipient, such as certain businesses, medical offices and so forth have not offered their email address.  And both parties must be signed up with Line in order to exchange files.  Line is popular in Thailand but hardly anybody recognizes it in the U.S.  

[edwardflory]

There are "stand alone" apks for web services that let you send a real fax to a FAX MACHINE

[ifmu]

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

when you say ' cannot receive PDF files '    do you mean they get but cannot open ....  or simply don't receive them when you hit the enter key   ?

as for me  while i was in usa  trying to get visa from usa thai consulate the procedure required upload of docs .... they would not accept pdf files    i had to scan the docs into jpeg or bmp or ? then send them  ...  

[scorecard]

"You’re likely to see a fax machine in old organizations such as government-established departments that are hellbent on sticking with their traditional ways of working."

 

Is it that simple, just old fashioned? NO.

 

Many organizations use fax becuse it's very secure that a basic attachment to a basic e.mail including gmail. 

 

A fax sends the the data which makes up a message/photo/drawings etc., direct to a nominated tel. no, not through countless processes.

 

E.mail is basically quite insecure.  If I type a name into the Google Chrome search box it will quite possibly respond with e.mails sent in the past linked in some way to the name I inserted. And If e.mails do come up on that seach that could well include any attachments including attachments that the sender/receiver of the e.mail were hoping would be kept confidential. They aren't.

 

But perhaps of recent times Google has reworked the confidentiality of g.mail, I haven't noticed if they have.