How to Fax From iPhone: Scan, Send and Confirm (2026)

Every so often a bank, a surgery, a solicitor or a government office asks for something by fax, and you're standing there with an iPhone wondering where the fax button went. The short answer: there isn't one. Apple doesn't build fax into iOS, and the fax companies say the same thing on their own help pages. What you can do is turn your iPhone into a fax sender in a few minutes with a fax app or an online fax service. I've pulled the steps below from Apple's support pages and from the fax providers' own help centres, so you can scan, send and check delivery without hunting for a machine.

Why your iPhone can't fax on its own

A traditional fax travels over a phone line as a special signal that a fax machine decodes. Your iPhone's Phone app doesn't speak that language, so there's no setting to switch on. A fax app solves it by taking your document over the internet and handing it to a fax line at the provider's end, which then dials the recipient's machine. To the person receiving it, it looks like any other fax.

That means you need two things: a clean digital copy of the document, and an account with a fax app or service. If the document's already a PDF in your Files app or email, you're halfway there.

Step 1: scan the paper document with your iPhone

You don't need a separate scanning app for most faxes. Apple's support page on scanning documents shows two built-in routes, and both give you a tidy, flattened page rather than a skewed photo.

Scan in the Notes app:

1. Open Notes and open a note, or start a new one.
2. Tap the Attachment button (the paperclip), then tap Scan Documents.
3. Point the camera at the page. In Auto mode it captures automatically; otherwise tap the Shutter button or press a Volume button.
4. Drag the corners so they hug the page, then tap Keep Scan.
5. Add more pages if you need them, then tap Done.

Scan in the Files app:

1. Open Files and tap the More button (three dots).
2. Tap Scan Documents and capture the page the same way.
3. Tap Done, choose a location, then tap Save.

Saving to Files is handy because most fax apps let you attach straight from Files or iCloud Drive. If you need to tidy a page, add a signature or merge documents first, my roundup of PDF editors covers tools that do that on a phone.

Step 2: choose an iPhone fax app

Several fax services publish their own iPhone apps in the App Store, including FAX.PLUS and iFax. I'm naming them here because their help centres document the iPhone steps clearly, not because one's better than another. When you compare fax apps, look at:

• Whether you can send without a fax number of your own (most let you send; receiving usually needs a number).
• Whether the app has its own scanner or accepts files from Files and iCloud Drive.
• Cover page options, so you can add a short note to the first page.
• Delivery confirmations and failure alerts.
• Retry settings for busy lines.
• What the provider's own site says about security and how long faxes are stored.

If you're building out the apps you run your business from, my list of iPhone apps for business is a good place to see what else is worth having on your phone.

Step 3: send the fax from the app

The exact labels differ between apps, but the flow is close to identical. Here's how the FAX.PLUS help centre describes sending from an iPhone:

1. Install the app from the App Store and open it.
2. Register with an email address or Google account. FAX.PLUS says you'll need to verify your phone number to finish signing up.
3. On the Dashboard, open Send Fax and type the recipient's fax number in the To field.
4. Tap Add File to attach your scan or PDF, or Add Text to write a cover page.
5. Tap Send, then check the status in the Faxes section of the Dashboard.

iFax's own iPhone guide follows the same pattern: log in, tap New Fax, enter the fax number, add a cover page if you want one, attach your document (it lists PDF, Word, PNG, JPG and TIFF), then tap Send. FAX.PLUS also has a settings gear for scheduling a fax or switching on automatic retries when the line's busy.

Getting the fax number format right on iPhone

Most failed faxes come down to the number. Fax services want the full international format, so include the country code and area code and leave out spaces and brackets. For a UK number that means starting with the country code rather than the leading zero. If you're faxing an office, check you've got their fax line, not their main phone number; it's an easy mix-up when both are printed on a letterhead.

Check	Why it matters
Country code included	Fax services route internationally, so they need it
No spaces or brackets	Some apps reject extra characters
Fax line, not phone line	A voice line can't receive a fax
Cover page added	Tells the recipient who it's for and how many pages

Receiving faxes on your iPhone

Sending's the easy part. To receive a fax, you need a fax number for people to dial. FAX.PLUS says on its help centre that receiving needs one of its plans and a dedicated fax number, after which incoming faxes show up in the app's Faxes section with a push notification. iFax also mentions fax numbers and a shared team inbox for incoming faxes. If you only fax a couple of times a year, you might not need to receive at all; ask the other side whether they can reply by email instead.

Privacy when you fax sensitive documents from a phone

People often fax because a document's sensitive: medical forms, identity papers, signed agreements. A few habits keep you safer:

• Read the provider's own security page before you upload anything personal.
• Delete scans from Notes or Files once the fax has gone, if you don't need a copy.
• Double-check the number before you tap Send, because you can't recall a fax.
• Use a cover page that names the recipient, so it reaches the right desk.
• Don't leave the app signed in on a shared or family device.

When an iPhone fax doesn't go through

• Busy or no answer: switch on automatic retries if your app offers them, or try again later.
• Number rejected: check the international format and remove any spaces.
• Blank or dark pages: rescan in better light; dark pages can come out unreadable on a fax machine.
• Attachment won't upload: save it as a PDF in Files and attach it from there.
• No confirmation: look in the app's sent list and your email; FAX.PLUS says it emails you if a fax fails, with the reason.

Keep the confirmation. If someone says they never received it, a delivery record with the time and page count is your proof.

Do you make a fax app or online fax service? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

Frequently asked questions

Can an iPhone send a fax without an app?

No. iOS has no built-in fax feature, so you need a fax app or an online fax service that sends the document over the internet to a fax line.

How do I scan a document to fax from my iPhone?

Open Notes, tap the paperclip, tap Scan Documents, capture the page and tap Keep Scan. You can also scan from the Files app and save the PDF there.

Can I receive a fax on my iPhone?

Yes, but you need a fax number from a fax service. Incoming faxes then arrive in that service's app, and many also send them to your email.

What format should the fax number be in?

Use the full international format with the country code and area code, and leave out spaces and brackets. Check the provider's help page for its exact rules.

How do I know my fax arrived?

Fax apps show a status in their sent list, and most email you a confirmation or a failure notice. Keep it as your record.