By David Thompson · Published January 16, 2025 · Updated June 8, 2026 · 8 min read
Quick Answer: Fax-to-email converts incoming fax transmissions into PDF attachments delivered to your inbox. You need a virtual fax number from an online fax service — the sender dials that number, the service does the conversion, and the PDF lands in Gmail, Outlook, or any email client. mFax.to is the easiest way to get started.
Your doctor's office is faxing your referral. Your client is faxing a signed contract. Your bank is requesting a form via fax. But you don't own a fax machine — and you shouldn't have to.
Fax-to-email solves this. It gives you a real fax number that anyone can dial, and delivers every incoming fax as a PDF attachment to your email inbox. No hardware, no phone line, no waiting by a machine.
This guide covers how it works, how to set it up, and which services are worth using in 2026.
How Does Fax-to-Email Work?
Fax-to-email routes a traditional fax transmission through an internet-based fax gateway and converts it into an email attachment. Here's the sequence:
- A sender dials your virtual fax number from any fax machine or fax service.
- The transmission travels over the phone network to your fax provider's servers, not to a physical machine.
- The server converts the T.30 analog fax signal into a digital file — almost always a PDF (some services also offer TIFF).
- The file is emailed to the address linked to your fax number — your Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or any other inbox.
- You open the PDF like any email attachment. No special software required.
Sending also works in reverse: compose an email, attach a document, put [fax-number]@provider.com in the To field, and the service converts it to a fax and delivers it to the recipient's machine.
What File Format Will the Fax Arrive In?
PDF is the default for virtually every major service. It opens on any phone, tablet, or computer without installing anything. A few older services use TIFF — if your service defaults to TIFF, switch to PDF in account settings.
How to Set Up Fax-to-Email: Step by Step
Choose a Fax-to-Email Service
Pick a provider that suits your volume and compliance needs. For most individuals and small businesses, mFax.to is the simplest option — download the app, get a number, and you're done. For teams or HIPAA requirements, see the service comparison below.
Create an Account and Get Your Virtual Fax Number
During signup, you'll choose a local or toll-free fax number. This is the number you'll share with anyone who needs to fax you. Most services assign a number instantly — no paperwork, no waiting for a telco.
Link Your Email Address
In your account settings, enter the email address where you want incoming faxes delivered. Most services let you add multiple addresses (useful for forwarding to a team). Look for Notifications, Fax Settings, or Incoming Fax in your dashboard.
Send a Test Fax
Use a free test fax service or ask a colleague to send a 1-page test to your new number. You should receive a PDF email within 30–60 seconds. If nothing arrives, check your spam folder and whitelist the provider's sending domain (e.g., noreply@efax.com, fax@fax.plus).
Share Your Fax Number
Give your new number to doctors' offices, clients, vendors, or anyone who might need to fax you. It looks and works like a regular fax number — they don't need to know or care that it's virtual.
Setting Up with mFax (Under 2 Minutes)
Download the mFax app on iOS or Android → tap "Get a Fax Number" → choose your area code → link your email. Your fax number is active immediately. Any fax sent to it arrives in your inbox as a PDF.
Receiving Faxes in Gmail, Outlook, and Other Clients
Faxes arrive as standard emails with PDF attachments — no special software needed in any email client.
Gmail
- Faxes land in your inbox from the provider's sending address (e.g.,
noreply@fax.plus) - If faxes end up in Spam, add the provider domain to your contacts or create a filter:
From: @fax.plus → Never send to Spam - Create a Gmail label called "Faxes" to keep them organized — set up a filter to auto-label all emails from your provider's domain
- PDFs open inline in Gmail on desktop and in the Gmail mobile app
Outlook
- Check Junk Email if expected faxes aren't appearing — add the provider domain to your Safe Senders list
- Use Rules to automatically move faxes to a dedicated folder:
From @provider.domain → Move to Faxes folder - PDFs open directly in Outlook's built-in viewer
Mobile (iOS / Android)
Faxes are just emails with PDF attachments. Open in the Gmail or Outlook app, tap the PDF, and it opens in your phone's PDF viewer. You can forward, download, or print from there.
Don't Hit 'Reply' to Respond to a Received Fax
The "From" address on a received fax email is your provider's system (e.g., noreply@efax.com), not the sender's fax number. Hitting Reply sends a message to the fax service, not back to the sender. To respond, compose a new email to [sender-fax-number]@[your-provider-domain] and attach your reply document.
Best Fax-to-Email Services in 2026
| Service | Starting Price | Pages/mo | Free Option | HIPAA | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mFax.to | Pay-per-fax or subscription | Flexible | Pay-per-fax option | Business plan | Mobile & occasional use |
| Fax.Plus | $8.99/mo | 200 | Free tier available | Enterprise plan | Budget teams |
| MyFax | $8.25/mo (annual) | 100 send + 100 receive | No | Available | Home office |
| eFax | $16.95/mo | ~150 | Discounted 1st month | Protect plan ($49.99) | Enterprise |
| RingCentral Fax | $12.99/mo (annual) | 750 | 30-day trial | Yes | Teams on RingCentral |
| SRFax | $3.29/mo | 200 | No | Yes (BAA available) | Healthcare on a budget |
Which Service Should You Choose?
For individuals and occasional use: mFax.to — pay per fax with no monthly commitment, or grab a low-cost subscription if you receive regularly. The mobile app is best-in-class.
For small teams: Fax.Plus at $8.99/month gives 200 pages, a clean interface, and a free tier to test with before paying.
For healthcare / HIPAA: SRFax or mFax Business. SRFax starts at $3.29/month and includes a BAA. mFax Business starts at about $9/mo (billed annually) with HIPAA compliance — vs. eFax's $49.99 minimum for the same. It's usage-based with no fixed tiers: you build your own plan with a live calculator, picking the exact seats and pages you need.
For high volume: RingCentral Fax at $12.99/month (annual) gives 750 pages — the best pages-per-dollar ratio of any mainstream service.
Fax-to-Email vs. Traditional Fax Machine
| Factor | Traditional Fax Machine | Fax-to-Email Service |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware required | Yes — costs $100–$500+ | None |
| Dedicated phone line | Yes — $30–50/month extra | No |
| Paper, ink, toner | Ongoing cost | None |
| Access location | Office only | Anywhere — phone, laptop, tablet |
| Mobile access | No | Yes — PDFs in your inbox |
| Document storage | Paper stacks | Searchable digital archive |
| Scalability | One number per machine | Multiple numbers, users, easy add-ons |
| Typical monthly cost | $50–$100+ (hardware amortized + line) | $8–$35 |
| HIPAA compliance | Hard to ensure | Available (with right provider + BAA) |
The math is clear for anyone who doesn't fax dozens of times a day: a fax-to-email service costs less, works from anywhere, and eliminates every consumable cost.
Is Fax-to-Email HIPAA Compliant?
It can be — but not automatically. HIPAA compliance requires:
- TLS encryption in transit — your provider must use encrypted connections
- AES-256 encryption at rest — stored fax files must be encrypted
- A signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) — without this, your fax service is legally not HIPAA-compliant, regardless of technical security
- Audit trails — logged record of every fax sent and received
- Access controls — authentication required to view stored faxes
Services that meet these requirements (with the right plan): SRFax, mFax Business, eFax Protect, Fax.Plus Enterprise, RingCentral.
Services that do NOT qualify for HIPAA on their base plans: eFax Plus/Pro, Fax.Plus Basic/Premium.
HIPAA Warning: Don't Assume Your Plan Qualifies
eFax's Plus and Pro plans ($16.95–$18.95/month) do not include a BAA. Only the Protect plan ($49.99+) qualifies for HIPAA. Always verify BAA availability before routing any protected health information (PHI) through a fax service. Read our complete HIPAA fax guide before choosing a healthcare faxing solution.
How to Send a Fax from Email (Email-to-Fax)
Fax-to-email works both directions. If you want the full rundown on sending a fax from email, we cover it separately. To send a fax from Gmail or Outlook:
- Open a new compose window in your email client
- In the "To" field, enter:
[recipient-fax-number]@[your-provider-domain]- mFax: check your app for the send-by-email format
- Fax.Plus:
15551234567@fax.plus - SRFax:
15551234567@srfax.com
- Attach your document — PDF, DOCX, JPG, and most common formats work
- Send the email — your fax provider picks it up, converts it, and dials the recipient's fax number
- Confirmation email arrives once the fax is delivered
For a detailed walkthrough with screenshots, see our guide to faxing from email.
How to Get a Virtual Fax Number for Email Receipt
Every fax-to-email service provides a virtual fax number during signup. Here's what to know:
Local vs. toll-free numbers:
- Local numbers match a specific area code — free with most plans, looks like a regular business line
- Toll-free numbers (800, 888, 877) — professional appearance, included in mid-tier plans, ~$4.99/month extra on basic plans
Number porting: If you have an existing fax number, most mid-tier services let you port it over (typically takes 7–14 business days). Available on Fax.Plus Premium+, eFax, RingCentral, and MyFax.
Multiple numbers: Need separate fax numbers for different departments or clients? Most services charge $4.99–$6.99/month per additional number.
Already Have a Fax Number?
You can keep your existing number and move it to a cloud fax service — no need to print new business cards. Ask your provider about number portability during signup. Most transfers complete within two weeks and cost nothing extra.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I receive a fax without a fax machine?
Yes — that's exactly what fax-to-email is for. You get a virtual fax number (a real phone number anyone can dial), and incoming faxes are delivered to your email inbox as PDF attachments. No machine, no phone line, no paper.
Do I need to be at my computer to receive a fax?
No. Faxes are delivered to your email inbox and stay there until you open them — just like any other email. You can receive a fax at 2 AM and read it the next morning on your phone.
Can I keep my existing fax number if I switch to fax-to-email?
Usually, yes. Most major fax services support number porting. Expect a 7–14 business day transfer window. Ask your new provider before canceling your old service.
Is there a free fax-to-email service?
Fax.Plus has a free tier with limited outbound pages but includes a receiving number. FaxBurner offers a temporary free number. For regular incoming faxes, a paid plan ($8–$15/month) is more reliable and gives you a permanent number.
Get Started
The fastest way to start receiving faxes in your inbox: download mFax on iOS or Android. Choose a number, link your email, and you're ready — the whole setup takes under two minutes.
For business teams or healthcare providers needing HIPAA compliance, mFax Business starts at about $9/mo and includes a BAA, team accounts, and a dedicated fax number — and because it's fully customizable, you build your own plan around the exact seats and pages you use instead of paying for a rigid tier.
Already receiving faxes but wondering how to send them too? See our guides on how to fax from email, faxing from your phone, and how to receive faxes online.