How to fax a file from an iPhone

Many documents that need faxing are already PDFs on the phone. Examples include a form sent by email or a record downloaded from a patient portal. Cheapfax sends these files straight from the iPhone Files app. It faxes to numbers in the United States and Canada at 50¢ per page.

What you will need

The Cheapfax app, free on the App Store. You can sign in with email, Apple, or Google.
The file, saved where the Files app can reach it. This includes On My iPhone, iCloud Drive, Google Drive, and Dropbox.
The recipient's fax number. Cheapfax sends only to numbers in the United States and Canada.

Each fax holds one PDF or image file. The limit is 25 MB and 50 pages.

If the file is attached to an email

Open the attachment in Mail. Tap the Share button. Choose Save to Files. You can also choose Cheapfax from the Share menu. The file then opens in a new fax.

How to prepare the file

A fax sends only what is on the page. Fill in and sign the form before sending. To do this in Files, open the PDF and tap the Markup button. Markup lets you type into form fields and draw a signature. Save the changes before faxing.

To send several files together, combine them into one PDF. In Files, tap Select. Choose the files in the order they should appear. Tap the More button. Choose Create PDF. Files saves the new PDF next to the originals.

Step 1. Choose the file

Open Cheapfax. Tap New fax.
Tap Choose from Files.
Open the folder that holds the file.
Tap the file.

The Files picker open on On My iPhone, showing three PDFs: Insurance Claim Form, Signed Lease Agreement and W-9 Request for TIN — Files picker

To find a file quickly, tap Recents or use the search field.

Step 2. Enter the fax number

Tap the Fax number field. Enter the recipient's number. The +1 is optional. A green check mark appears when the number is valid. To reuse a number, tap Choose from address book. To save a new number, tap Save.

Step 3. Review the pages

Compose shows the file name and page count. Check both. Tap Preview fax to see each page as it will print. If the file is wrong, tap the trash icon. Then choose again.

Many offices expect a cover sheet. It tells the front desk who the fax is for. To add one, turn on Add cover sheet. The cover sheet holds a subject and a short message. It adds one page to the total.

Compose with fax number 512-555-0188, the file Signed Lease Agreement.pdf at 3 pages, and the Send 3 pages button — Compose with a three-page PDF

Step 4. Send the fax

Tap Send. If credits cover the pages, the fax goes out at once. If not, the App Store asks you to confirm the purchase. The fax goes out after payment. The price on the button is the price charged. Leftover credits stay on the account for the next fax.

The status screen tracks the fax while it dials and transmits. After delivery, it shows a receipt. The receipt lists the delivery time, the recipient's number, and the page count. It is proof of delivery if an office later says nothing arrived. If the fax fails, the pages return to the account as credits automatically.

Common questions

What kinds of files can I fax?+

PDFs and images, including JPEG, PNG, and HEIC. A PDF is sent page for page. An image is sent as one page.

Can I fax a Word document?+

Not directly. Save the document as a PDF first. In Word or Pages, use Export or Print. Choose PDF. Save the result to Files.

How large can the file be?+

Up to 25 MB and 50 pages. A cover sheet counts toward the page limit.

Can I send two files in one fax?+

Each fax holds one file. Combine the files first. In Files, tap Select. Choose both files. Tap the More button. Choose Create PDF.

Is the file kept after it is faxed?+

Cheapfax keeps the sent document for 30 days. During that time you can open it from the fax history. After 30 days it is deleted. The receipt is kept. The original file in Files is not changed.