Can I send a fax directly from Outlook?

Not natively. Outlook doesn't have built-in fax. However, you can send faxes from Outlook by emailing your document to a fax number through an online fax service like [mFax Business](https://mfax.to/business/). It works like sending a regular email.

Can I fax from Outlook for free?

Most fax services offer a free trial, but there's no completely free unlimited fax service for Outlook. Faxing straight from Outlook needs an [mFax Business](https://mfax.to/business/) plan (from about $9/mo). For a one-off fax, the [mFax app](https://app.mfax.to/landing?offer=trial_month) is free for 7 days, then $7.99/mo.

Is faxing from Outlook HIPAA compliant?

Standard Outlook email is not HIPAA compliant for fax. For healthcare faxing, use a HIPAA-compliant fax service like [mFax Business](https://mfax.to/business/) that provides encryption, BAA, and audit logging.

Is there a fax app for Windows instead of Outlook?

Yes. [mFax for Windows](https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9p78gx5h9prv) is a free native app on the Microsoft Store for Windows 10 and 11, on both x64 and ARM64. It sends over the internet, so no fax modem or phone line is needed. It is a standalone app rather than an Outlook add-in, and sending faxes requires a paid subscription.

What file formats can I fax from Outlook?

PDF gives the cleanest result. Most gateways also accept DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, JPG, PNG, and TIFF. Avoid password-protected files — the fax gateway cannot open them, so the fax fails.

Do I get a delivery confirmation when I fax from Outlook?

Yes. Once the fax is delivered — or fails — the fax service emails a status message to your Outlook inbox. With mFax Business the fax also appears in your organization's history in the app. If the number is wrong or the line is busy, you get a failure notice instead.

How to Fax from Outlook: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Q: Does Microsoft 365 have a built-in fax service?

No. Microsoft has confirmed that Microsoft 365 applications — including Outlook, Word, and Excel — do not include faxing capabilities. You need a third-party online fax service.

Q: Can I fax from the Outlook mobile app?

Yes — the email-to-fax method works from any Outlook app, including mobile. Compose a new email, address it to the fax number at your provider's domain, attach your document, and send.

Microsoft Outlook doesn't have built-in fax. Here's how to send and receive faxes from Outlook using email-to-fax — no fax machine, add-in, or phone line needed.

How to Fax from Outlook: Step-by-Step (2026)

By David Thompson · Published January 20, 2026 · Updated September 5, 2026 · 9 min read

Quick Answer: Outlook can't fax natively, but you can send a fax from Outlook in 3 steps using email-to-fax. Compose a new email, address it to [fax-number]@[fax-service-domain], attach your document, and hit Send. Try it with mFax Business.

Looking to fax from Outlook without a fax machine? You're not alone — it's one of the most common questions from Microsoft 365 users. While Outlook doesn't include faxing, there's a simple workaround: email-to-fax lets you send a fax the same way you send an email.

No add-ins to install, no phone line, and no hardware. This method works with Outlook 365, classic Outlook desktop, Outlook on the web, and even the Outlook mobile app. Here's how.

Fastest Method

Skip the setup — visit mFax.to — free for the first 7 days — upload your document, enter the fax number, and send in under 2 minutes. No Outlook workaround needed. On a Windows PC you can do the same thing without a browser: mFax for Windows is a free native app on the Microsoft Store.

Does Outlook Have Built-in Fax?

No. Microsoft has officially confirmed that Microsoft 365 applications — including Outlook, Word, and Excel — do not include built-in faxing capabilities. The suite is designed for email and cloud collaboration, not fax transmission.

Older versions of Outlook (2003–2010) had a limited "Internet Fax" feature that connected to third-party fax providers, but Microsoft deprecated this years ago. Windows Fax and Scan still exists as a legacy tool, but it requires a physical fax modem and only works with classic Outlook — not the new Outlook or Outlook 365.

The modern solution: use email-to-fax. It works with any version of Outlook and requires nothing to install.

How to Fax from Outlook (Email-to-Fax)

This is the most reliable method. You compose a regular email in Outlook, but instead of sending it to a person's email address, you send it to a fax number through your fax service's gateway.

Set Up mFax Business

Create your organization on mFax Business, signing in with the Outlook address you'll fax from. That address is authorized automatically — nothing to configure. Each member of the organization faxes from their own login address; to let a colleague fax from Outlook, invite them to the organization.

Compose a New Email in Outlook

Open Outlook and click New Email. In the To field, enter the recipient's fax number followed by your provider's domain. For example: 15551234567@send.mfax.to — use the full number with country code.

Attach Your Document

Attach the file you want to fax. PDF is recommended for the best formatting; Word, Excel, PowerPoint and images (JPG, PNG, HEIC) are converted to fax pages automatically. Up to 60 pages per fax, 20 MB per file.

Send and Get Confirmation

Click Send. Your fax service converts the email into a fax and transmits it to the recipient's fax machine. You'll receive a status email in your Outlook inbox once the fax is delivered or fails, and the fax appears in your organization's history in the app.

What About the Email Body?

The Subject becomes the cover-sheet subject and the email body becomes the cover-sheet note. Leave both blank and only the attachment is faxed — no cover page. If you do write one, include the recipient's name and your name — just as you would on a standard fax cover sheet.

What the Recipient Sees

The recipient's fax machine prints your document exactly as attached. If you sent a PDF, it prints the PDF. If you included text in the email body, it prints as a cover page before the attachment. The recipient doesn't see an email — they get a normal fax.

How to Receive Faxes in Outlook

Receiving faxes in Outlook is even easier than sending. With a virtual fax number, incoming faxes arrive as PDF attachments in your Outlook inbox — no fax machine, no phone line.

Here's how it works:

Get a virtual fax number from a service like mFax Business
Share your fax number with anyone who needs to send you faxes
Receive faxes as email — each incoming fax appears as a new email with a PDF attachment in your Outlook inbox
View, download, or forward the fax like any other email attachment

This turns Outlook into a full send-and-receive fax solution. No hardware, no paper, and every fax is automatically archived in your email.

Outlook vs. Outlook: Which Version Works?

The email-to-fax method works with every version of Outlook. However, some legacy methods only work with specific versions:

Method	Outlook 365	Classic Desktop	New Outlook	Outlook Web	Outlook Mobile
Email-to-fax	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fax add-ins	Some	Yes	No	No	No
Windows Fax & Scan	No	Yes	No	No	No

Our recommendation: use email-to-fax. It's the only method that works everywhere — desktop, web, and mobile — with no compatibility issues.

Avoid Windows Fax & Scan

Windows Fax and Scan requires a physical fax modem, only works with classic Outlook (not New Outlook), and Microsoft has stopped investing in it — on ARM-based Windows 11 PCs it isn't there at all. Unless you already have a fax modem connected to your PC, skip this method entirely. If what you actually want is a desktop program rather than a browser tab, mFax for Windows is a free download from the Microsoft Store that sends over the internet — no modem, no phone line, and it runs on Windows 10 and 11 on x64 and ARM64 alike.

Supported File Formats

Whatever you attach in Outlook is what the gateway converts into fax pages. What works and what doesn't:

Format	Works?	Notes
PDF	Yes	Best choice — preserves formatting exactly
DOCX / DOC	Yes	Converted to a fax image; minor formatting shifts possible
XLSX / XLS	Yes	Wide spreadsheets may be cropped — export to PDF first
JPG / PNG / HEIC	Yes	Good for scanned documents and photos
PPTX / PPT	Yes	Converted to fax pages automatically
Password-protected files	No	The gateway cannot open encrypted files

Need to convert a file first? The free document converter turns Word, images, and other files into a fax-ready PDF.

Can I Fax from the Outlook Mobile App?

Yes. The email-to-fax method works from the Outlook mobile app on both iOS and Android. The process is identical:

Open the Outlook app
Tap Compose
Address the email to [fax-number]@[fax-service-domain]
Attach your file (you can attach from your phone's camera, Files app, or cloud storage)
Tap Send

That said, if you're already on your phone, a dedicated fax app like mFax may be faster — you can scan a paper document with your camera, add a fax number, and send without composing an email at all.

Outlook Fax Add-ins

For organizations that send many faxes, some services offer dedicated Outlook add-ins through the Microsoft AppSource marketplace. These add-ins place a Send Fax button directly in Outlook's compose window.

Popular options include Retarus Fax for Outlook and eFax for Outlook. However, most add-ins:

Only work with classic Outlook desktop — not New Outlook, web, or mobile
Require admin installation in corporate environments
Cost extra on top of the fax service subscription

For most users, the standard email-to-fax method is simpler, works everywhere, and doesn't require IT approval.

Two Other Ways to Fax from an Outlook PC

Email-to-fax is the method we recommend, but two alternatives exist for people who would rather not type a fax-format address into the To field.

Upload the attachment to mFax (web or Windows)

Save the attachment out of Outlook and send it through mFax directly:

Open mFax.to in any browser, or install the free native mFax for Windows app from the Microsoft Store
Upload the PDF — the Windows app also takes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, RTF, TXT, CSV, HTML, and image files and converts them to fax pages itself
Enter the recipient's fax number
Click Send and watch the delivery status

This is the better option when you're in Outlook on the web and want a visual upload screen instead of an email address format. The Windows app is a standalone program, not an Outlook add-in, and sending requires a paid mFax subscription.

Windows Fax and Scan (legacy, modem required)

Windows still ships a fax utility. It's free, but it only works with a fax modem or phone line connected to your PC — something most modern computers don't have.

Search for Windows Fax and Scan in the Start menu
Click New Fax
Enter the recipient's fax number
Attach your document or type directly into the body
Click Send

In Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, File > Share > Send as Internet Fax uses the same Windows fax driver. It does not work on Mac, Outlook.com, mobile, or ARM-based Windows 11 PCs. Unless you already own a fax modem, stick with email-to-fax.

Tips for Better Faxes from Outlook

Use PDF attachments. PDFs preserve formatting exactly. Word and Excel files may reflow when converted, causing layout issues on the recipient's end.
Include a cover page. Type a short message in the email body — it becomes the cover page. Include your name, phone number, and page count. Or generate one with our free fax cover sheet generator.
Double-check the fax number. Typos in the number mean your document goes to the wrong machine — or nowhere at all. Include the country code and area code.
Keep file sizes reasonable. Most fax services accept up to 20 MB per email. If your file is larger, use our free PDF optimizer to compress it.
Check your inbox. After sending, look for the status email. If the fax fails (wrong number, busy line), that email tells you so — and the fax's status is also in the app.

Troubleshooting: Fax from Outlook Not Working

Fax not delivered?

Double-check the fax number — include the country code (1 for the US) and drop every dash, space, and parenthesis
Send from the address you sign in to mFax with — mail from any other address is not faxed. A colleague needs their own login: invite them to the organization
The recipient's line may be busy — wait a few minutes and resend

Attachment not converting?

Switch to PDF. If the file is in Word format, save it as PDF first (File > Save As > PDF)
Remove password protection — encrypted files can't be processed
Check the size limit — most services accept up to 20 MB per fax

No status email?

Check your Spam or Junk folder in Outlook
Confirm your fax service account is active
The recipient's machine may be off or out of paper — you get a status email whether the fax is delivered or fails, and the fax's status is also in the app

To rule out your own setup, send a test fax to any fax number first.

For HIPAA and Business Compliance

If you're faxing patient records, legal documents, or other sensitive information from Outlook, standard email-to-fax may not meet compliance requirements. Healthcare providers need:

TLS 1.2+ encryption on fax transmissions
A signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA)
Audit logging with timestamps and recipient details
Access controls with MFA

Standard Outlook email is not encrypted end-to-end by default. For HIPAA-compliant faxing, use a service built for compliance. mFax Business includes encryption, BAA, and audit logging starting at about $9/mo (billed annually).

Fax from Outlook vs. Other Methods

Method	Best For	Needs Hardware	Works on Mobile
Email-to-fax (Outlook)	Office workers already in Outlook	No	Yes
mFax app	Quick one-time faxes from phone	No	Yes
mFax for Windows	Faxing from a Windows PC without a browser	No	No — Windows 10/11 desktop
Fax from computer	Users without email preference	No	Desktop only
Physical fax machine	High-volume paper faxing	Yes (machine + phone line)	No
Store faxing (UPS, FedEx)	Rare one-off faxes	No (in-store)	No

For a detailed comparison, see our guide on how to fax from a computer or our review of the best online fax services.

Send Your Fax Now

Outlook wasn't built for faxing — but with email-to-fax, it doesn't need to be. Compose an email, address it to a fax number, attach your document, and send. Done.

For personal faxing, download the mFax app — upload a PDF or snap a photo, and fax in under 2 minutes. Over 5 million users and a 4.8-star App Store rating.

For business teams, mFax Business gives you virtual fax numbers, HIPAA compliance, a shared dashboard — and email-to-fax for every member of your organization, straight from Outlook. Instead of rigid fixed tiers, you build your own plan — pick the exact seats and pages you need with a live calculator and pay only for what you use, from about $9/mo.

How to Fax from Email: Gmail, Outlook & Yahoo — full email-to-fax walkthrough
Fax to Email: How to Receive Faxes in Your Inbox — incoming fax setup
How to Fax from a Computer — Windows, Mac, and online
Fax Cover Sheet Templates — free templates
Best Online Fax Services Compared — service comparison

How to Fax from Outlook: Step-by-Step (2026)