How to Send and Receive Fax from Outlook | Faxburner

The way we fax today has completely changed. You can now send and receive faxes through your email via an online faxing service like FaxBurner.

In light of that, if you use Microsoft Outlook, you’re already halfway there. You don’t need a fax machine, phone line, or any clunky hardware.

Email-to-fax is now one of the easiest ways to handle documents that still require faxing. It saves time, keeps everything digital, and still gets your documents to the people who expect to receive a fax on their end.

This guide will walk you through how to fax from Outlook step by step from setup to sending, receiving, and managing your faxes.

Can You Fax from Outlook?

Yes, you can fax from Outlook, just not by itself. While Outlook doesn’t have a built-in fax feature, you can still send and receive faxes directly from your inbox when you pair it with an online fax service like FaxBurner.

Here’s how it works:

You write an email in Outlook and send it to a special fax address provided by your fax service. That email gets converted into a fax and delivered to the recipient’s fax machine. Any files you attach, like PDFs, Word documents, or scanned images, become part of the fax.

You’ll need two things to get started:

An Outlook account (this can be your Hotmail, Live, Office365, or Outlook email)
A FaxBurner account connected to that email

Once you’ve got both set up, you’re ready to fax from your inbox.

How to Set Up Faxing Through Outlook

Before you start faxing, you’ll need to connect Outlook to FaxBurner. The setup is quick and doesn’t need any special hardware or software.

Here’s how to set it up:

Create a Free FaxBurner Account: Sign up at FaxBurner.com or download our free fax app to get your own virtual fax number. You’ll get access to a temporary fax number right away. If you need a permanent number, you can upgrade anytime.
Link Your Outlook Email: Use your Outlook address when signing up for your FaxBurner account. This lets the system match your emails to your fax activity, so when you send faxes through Outlook, FaxBurner knows they’re coming from you.
Review Your Inbox Settings: Make sure your Outlook account can receive attachments and that nothing is getting lost in spam. Most incoming faxes from FaxBurner arrive as PDF attachments, so it’s a good idea to add FaxBurner to your trusted senders list.
You’re All Set: Once your email and fax accounts are connected, no extra configuration is needed. You can then send and receive faxes using our email-to-fax service right from your Outlook inbox.

How to Send a Fax via Outlook (Step-by-Step)

✅ Step 1: Compose a New Email: Open Outlook and start a new message, just like you would with any email.

✅ Step 2: Address the Fax: In the “To” field, type the recipient’s fax number followed by your fax service’s domain. For FaxBurner, it would look like this:
1234567890@faxburner.com
(Replace with the actual number you’re sending to.)

✅ Step 3: Add a Subject and Message: The subject line and email body become your fax cover sheet. If you’d prefer something more professional-looking, FaxBurner also offers free downloadable cover sheets you can fill out and attach just like any other document.

✅ Step 4: Attach Your Documents: Attach the file you want to fax. Supported formats include PDF, DOC or DOCX, and JPG or PNG. These files become the actual fax content, so double-check everything before you hit send.

✅ Step 5: Click Send: Your email gets converted into a fax and delivered to the recipient’s fax machine or digital fax inbox. You’ll get a confirmation once it’s been processed.

How to Receive a Fax in Outlook

Receiving faxes through Outlook is just as simple as sending them. Once your FaxBurner account is linked to your email, any fax sent to your virtual fax number shows up in your inbox as a PDF attachment.

Here’s how it works:

✅ Someone faxes a document to your assigned number
✅ FaxBurner converts it into a PDF and sends it straight to your Outlook email
✅ You open it like any regular email attachment

If you’re expecting a fax but don’t see it, check your spam or junk folder and add FaxBurner to your safe senders list.

You can read, download, print, forward, or archive your faxes, whatever works best for you. Everything stays organized and easy to manage right from Outlook.

Mobile Faxing: Use Outlook on the Go

Faxing isn’t tied to your office anymore. With the Outlook mobile app and FaxBurner, you can manage faxes straight from your phone or tablet, no matter where you are.

The app works on both iOS and Android, giving you full access to your email inbox and connected fax features in one place. Once you link your Outlook account to FaxBurner, you can handle everything on the move with ease, such as:

✅ Send faxes from your Outlook inbox on your phone
✅ Receive incoming faxes as email attachments
✅ Scan documents with your phone’s camera
✅ Forward or save documents right from your inbox
✅ Stay organized on the go without needing a computer

You’ll get email notifications as soon as a fax comes in, so there’s no delay. You can also open attachments, forward documents, or even scan something using your device’s camera and send it as a fax.

This setup is perfect for busy professionals who don’t have time to sit at a computer all day. As long as you’ve got your phone and Outlook installed, you’re good to go.

Pro Tips: Faxing Features Worth Using

Once you’ve got the basics down, a few built-in features can make faxing through Outlook even more efficient. These small tweaks can save you time, reduce back-and-forth, and help you stay on top of things.

✅ Schedule Faxes for Later: Send faxes at the time that works best. Perfect for coordinating across time zones or making sure documents arrive during business hours.

✅ Add Digital Signatures: Sign important documents without printing anything. Just drop in your signature digitally before you send.

✅ Forward Faxes Automatically: You can set incoming faxes to forward to a colleague’s inbox, a team-shared email, or even another fax number if needed.

✅ Store and Archive: Keep your Outlook clean by saving important faxes to cloud storage, backing them up, or organizing them by project or client.

Final Thoughts

Using Outlook with an online fax service like FaxBurner makes faxing feel less like a chore. Once everything’s set up, you don’t need to switch between apps or dig around for paper trails, it all stays in your inbox. You can send, receive, and manage your faxes right alongside your regular emails. It’s a simple, no-fuss way to handle business and keep things moving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you fax from Outlook for free?

Yes, but only through an online fax service that offers a free plan. FaxBurner provides a limited number of free fax pages when you sign up for a free account.

How do I fax from Outlook 365?

The process is the same. Once your Outlook 365 account is linked to your fax service, you can send a fax by composing an email, addressing it to the recipient’s fax number plus domain (e.g., 1234567890@faxburner.com), attaching your documents, and clicking send.

Can I use any Outlook email address to send a fax?

Yes, you can use any Outlook email, including addresses that end in Hotmail, Live, Office 365, or Outlook.com, as long as it’s connected to your fax service account.

What file types can I attach when faxing from Outlook?

Most services support common formats like PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPG, and PNG. Just make sure your attachment is clear and ready to send.