How to Send a Fax From Gmail (Free Options Available)

There are two main methods: email-to-fax services convert your email and attachments into fax transmissions, while Gmail add-ons integrate directly into your Gmail interface for one-click sending. Both work through your existing Gmail account—no separate fax machine or phone line required.

This guide covers step-by-step instructions for both methods, including several free options that let you send faxes without paying upfront.

How to Send a Fax From Gmail

The email-to-fax method works by sending a regular Gmail message to a special email address that a third-party service converts into a fax transmission.

Here’s how to send a fax from Gmail using email-to-fax:

1. Choose an email-to-fax service (5 minutes): Popular options include FAX.PLUS, HelloFax, and iFax. Most offer free trial pages—typically 5-10 pages to test the service.
2. Sign up and get your sending address: After creating an account, the service gives you the email format for sending faxes. It’s usually [faxnumber]@[servicedomain].com.
3. Open Gmail and compose a new message: Click “Compose” like you’re sending a regular email.
4. Enter the recipient’s fax number in the “To” field: Format it according to your service’s rules. For example, to fax 555-123-4567 using FAX.PLUS, you’d send to 15551234567@fax.plus.
5. Write your cover page in the email body: Most services use your email’s subject line as the cover page title and the body text as your cover message.
6. Attach your document: Click the attachment icon and upload your file. PDF works best because it preserves formatting. Keep it under 25 MB—Gmail’s attachment limit.
7. Send the email: Click “Send” and wait for a confirmation email from the fax service (usually arrives within 1-5 minutes).
8. Check your confirmation: The service emails you a delivery report showing whether the fax went through successfully.

Key formatting rule: Most email-to-fax services use the format [faxnumber]@[servicedomain].com. Always include the country code (1 for US/Canada) and remove dashes or spaces. So 555-123-4567 becomes 15551234567@fax.plus.

How to Send a Fax From Gmail for Free

Yes, you can send faxes from Gmail for free—several services offer limited free pages per month or trial periods before requiring payment.

Here are the main free options:

The easiest free option for Gmail users is FAX.PLUS because it offers 10 free pages and integrates directly with Google Workspace:

1. Install FAX.PLUS from Google Workspace Marketplace: Go to the Marketplace and search for FAX.PLUS.
2. Authorize the add-on: Allow FAX.PLUS to access your Gmail and Google Drive.
3. Open Gmail and compose a message: Use the same email-to-fax format described above.
4. Send to the fax number: Format it as [faxnumber]@fax.plus with your document attached.
5. Get confirmation: FAX.PLUS emails you a delivery report within minutes.

Free options come with real limitations. Most cap you at 5-10 pages total or per month. FaxZero adds visible branding to your cover page. And once you hit the limit, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan—typically $9-25/month depending on volume.

How to Fax a PDF From Gmail

PDF is the ideal format for faxing through Gmail because it preserves formatting perfectly and every fax service accepts it without conversion issues.

Here’s how to fax a PDF from Gmail:

1. Make sure your PDF is ready: Check that it displays correctly and all pages are included.
2. Keep file size under 25 MB: Gmail converts larger files into Google Drive links, which most fax services can’t process. If your PDF is too large, compress it first.
3. Compose your Gmail message: Follow the email-to-fax steps above—recipient format is [faxnumber]@[servicedomain].com.
4. Attach your PDF: Click the attachment icon and select your file. Gmail shows an upload progress bar.
5. Send and confirm: Hit send and wait for the fax service’s delivery report.

Best practices for PDF faxing:

• Name your file clearly - “Contract_JohnSmith_April2026.pdf” is better than “scan001.pdf”
• Use standard page sizes - Letter (8.5×11") or A4 work best; unusual sizes may get cropped
• Stick to black and white - Fax machines are monochrome; color PDFs convert to grayscale anyway
• Check resolution - 200 DPI is standard for fax; higher resolution just increases file size without improving transmission quality
• Test multi-page documents - Send a short test fax first if you’re transmitting 20+ pages

File size limits: Most email-to-fax services accept up to 20 MB per transmission, but Gmail cuts you off at 25 MB. To be safe, keep PDFs under 15 MB—that’s roughly 50-75 pages of scanned documents at standard fax resolution.

How to Fax an Email From Gmail

“Faxing an email” means converting your email content into a fax transmission. You have two approaches: use the email body as your cover page with attachments, or print the entire email to PDF first.

Method 1: Email body as cover page + attachments

1. Compose a new Gmail message: Address it to [faxnumber]@[servicedomain].com as usual.
2. Write your message in the body: The fax service converts your email’s subject into the cover page title and the body text into the cover message.
3. Attach your documents: Add any PDFs or files you want to send along with the message.
4. Send and confirm: The fax goes out with your message on the cover page and your attachments as the document pages.

Method 2: Convert email to PDF first, then fax

1. Open the email you want to fax: This works best when you need to preserve exact formatting, timestamps, or an entire email thread.
2. Print the email to PDF: Click the three-dot menu in Gmail and select “Print”. Choose “Save as PDF” as your printer destination.
3. Save the PDF: Gmail generates a PDF with the full email—headers, body, formatting, and all.
4. Compose a new message: Send to your fax service’s email-to-fax address.
5. Attach the email PDF: Add the PDF you just created as your attachment.
6. Send: The entire email—exactly as it appeared—transmits as a fax.

Which method to choose: Use Method 1 for quick messages where you’re adding a simple note to a formal document. Use Method 2 when you need to preserve exact formatting—like faxing proof of an email exchange for legal or administrative purposes, or when timestamps and signatures must be visible.

How to Fax Through Gmail Using Add-ons

Gmail add-ons integrate fax functionality directly into your Gmail interface—you can send faxes with one click without leaving your inbox or formatting special email addresses.

Here’s how to install and use a Gmail fax add-on:

1. Open Google Workspace Marketplace: Go to Google Workspace Marketplace and search for fax add-ons.
2. Choose an add-on: Popular options include FAX.PLUS, HelloFax, and iFax. Check the ratings and install count.
3. Click “Install”: Review the permissions the add-on requests—most need access to Gmail and Google Drive to send attachments.
4. Authorize the add-on: Sign in with your Google account and allow the requested permissions.
5. Access the add-on in Gmail: Open Gmail and look for the add-on icon in the right sidebar (it appears below the Google Calendar and Tasks icons).
6. Click the add-on icon: The fax interface opens in the sidebar.
7. Enter fax details: Type the recipient’s fax number, add a cover message, and select files from Gmail attachments or Google Drive.
8. Send the fax: Click “Send” and the add-on handles transmission and confirmation—all without leaving Gmail.

Advantages of add-ons vs email-to-fax:

• No special formatting required - Just type a normal fax number
• Built-in tracking - See delivery status right in Gmail’s sidebar
• Instant confirmation - Real-time updates instead of waiting for confirmation emails
• Address book integration - Save frequent fax contacts for one-click sending
• Access to Google Drive - Attach files directly from Drive without downloading first

Here are the top Gmail fax add-ons:

Important note: Installing add-ons requires authorization to access your Google account data. If you’re using a workplace or school account, your admin may restrict add-on installations for security reasons.

Written by

Bernard Bado

I created ThirtyFax after needing to send a single fax and refusing to pay for a monthly subscription to do it. I write here about faxing, document workflows, and the surprisingly stubborn role fax still plays in modern business.

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