There's a common misconception that you need to print a document and scan it to fax it. You don't — and you especially don't when the document is already a PDF. A PDF is the cleanest format you can send by fax. No degradation from printing, no shadows from a scanner lid.
Online fax services accept PDF uploads directly. What they do is render each PDF page into a high-contrast fax image (TIFF format, typically) and transmit it over the standard fax protocol. The recipient's machine or service gets the document — no paper involved on your end at all.
Step by step: fax a PDF from your computer
- Go to sendfaxfast.com in your browser.
- Click the upload area or drag your PDF into it. The file selector opens your Downloads or Documents folder.
- Enter the recipient's fax number with country code — for example, +1 (212) 555-0100 for New York, +61 2 9876 5432 for Sydney.
- Preview the pages to confirm the layout looks right.
- Complete payment ($2.89 for up to 5 pages) and send. You'll get a delivery confirmation to your email.
Step by step: fax a PDF from your phone
Same process — the site works on Android (Chrome) and iPhone (Safari) without installing anything.
- Open your browser and go to sendfaxfast.com.
- Tap the upload area. Your phone's file picker opens — navigate to the PDF in Files, Google Drive, Downloads, or iCloud Drive.
- Enter the fax number and send.
If you received the PDF by email, you can open it in your email app, tap Share, and open it in your browser — or just download it to Files first.
Does fax quality affect PDFs?
Yes, somewhat. Fax transmission converts everything to black and white at 200 dpi (standard) or 400 dpi (fine mode). A PDF with crisp black text on white background transmits with almost no quality loss. Colour documents, photographs, or PDFs with fine shading will arrive noticeably flatter — greys compress and colours disappear.
If your PDF has colour elements that matter (like a logo or coloured form fields), the recipient will still see the content — it just arrives in greyscale.
PDF vs. JPG vs. Word — which is best for faxing?
PDF, without question. Word documents may have layout differences depending on how they're rendered. JPG photos work but are single-page. PDF keeps your exact layout, supports multiple pages, and is the standard format for documents.
If you have a Word document or a photo of a document, the cleanest approach is to convert it to PDF first: in Word, use File → Save As → PDF. On Mac, any file can be PDF-exported from the Print dialog (bottom-left: PDF button).
How many pages can I fax at once?
At SendFaxFast, standard faxes cover up to 5 pages. If your PDF has 10 or 20 pages, larger plans are available. Check pricing at /plans.
Common questions
Can I fax a PDF without printing it first?
Yes. Online fax services accept PDF uploads directly. Upload your file to sendfaxfast.com, enter the fax number, and send. No printing, no scanning, no fax machine required.
What happens to the PDF quality when faxed?
Fax transmissions use a resolution of 200 dpi (standard) or 400 dpi (fine). Text and black-and-white graphics come through clearly. Colour photos and fine gradients may look faded or grey, because fax converts everything to black and white. Use high-contrast, text-heavy PDFs for best results.
Can I fax a multi-page PDF?
Yes. Multi-page PDFs are fully supported. Each page of the PDF becomes a page of the fax. At SendFaxFast, plans cover up to 5, 10, or 20 pages per send.
What if my PDF is too large to upload?
If your PDF is over 20 MB, try compressing it first. Most PDF viewers (Preview on Mac, Adobe Acrobat Reader) have an 'Export as Reduced Size PDF' or 'Save as Compressed PDF' option. Alternatively, print to PDF at a lower resolution.
Can I fax a password-protected PDF?
Usually not. Password-protected PDFs can't be processed by fax services. Remove the password protection first using Adobe Acrobat or a tool like PDF24, then upload the unlocked file.