How to send and receive faxes by email
Prefer to keep faxes in your inbox? OnlyFaxes offers two ways to receive faxes by email. The free option uses a personal QR code that forwards incoming faxes to your address. The dedicated-number option delivers every fax sent to your number as a PDF attachment, no QR code needed.
How to send and receive faxes by email: step by step
Send a free fax from the web tool
To send a fax, use the free fax tool on the home page. Enter the recipient's number, upload your document, and provide your email for delivery confirmation. The confirmation email includes a link to the fax status page and a copy of the sent document.
Generate your free receive QR code
To receive faxes for free, scroll down on the home page to the 'Can I receive a fax?' section and enter your email. A personal QR code is generated instantly. Print it, attach it to a fax cover sheet, and give the sender your fax number plus the code. When their fax arrives with your QR code, it is forwarded straight to your inbox as a PDF.
Or get full fax-to-email with a dedicated number
With a dedicated fax number, every fax sent to your number is delivered to your email as a PDF automatically. No QR code, no cover-sheet attachment, and no extra steps for the sender. Dedicated numbers start at a low monthly rate with no setup fee.
Troubleshooting
- QR code fax didn't arrive in my inbox
- Check your spam or junk folder first. Make sure the sender attached the QR code page visibly. The QR code must be clearly scannable on at least one page of the fax for the system to route it correctly.
- Dedicated number faxes are going to the wrong email
- Log into your OnlyFaxes account and check the email address tied to your dedicated number on the account page. Update it if it is incorrect.
- Received fax PDF is empty or corrupted
- This usually means the sender's fax machine transmitted a blank page or an incompatible encoding. Ask the sender to resend. If the problem persists, the sender's machine may need servicing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I receive faxes in my email for free?
- Yes. Generate a free QR code with your email on the home page. Any fax sent with that code attached is forwarded to your inbox, and the code never expires.
How do I get a real fax-to-email number?
- A dedicated fax number delivers every incoming fax to your email automatically as a PDF. Dedicated numbers start at a low monthly rate with no setup fee.
What format do faxes arrive in?
- Incoming faxes are delivered as PDF attachments to the email address associated with your QR code or dedicated number.