There are lots of ways to send Google Docs as a fax
Google Drive is Google’s main file storage service, and many of us rely on our Google workspace to store and organize important documents. In fact, Google Drive is the biggest file storage service in the world, with over 31% of the global market, and billions of users.
Google Drive and other Google Apps have many amazing features which make them popular, but unfortunately, there is no Google fax service, and you cannot send a fax from Google Drive without using a third-party.
Faxing from Google Drive is still possible however, as you can send faxes using one of the following options:
- Send faxes with a mobile fax app which can connect to your Google Drive
- Send a fax from Gmail using an email-to-fax service
- Use an online fax service that connects to your Google account
- Manually transfer a document you want to fax from your Google Drive
Let’s take a closer look at each of the methods you can use for sending faxes of your Google documents.
Fax From Google Drive Using Mobile Apps
There are so many faxing apps you can install to your phone for free – check out our top recommendations here. The top apps have Google workspace integration, and allow you to upload documents directly from Google Docs and other third-party apps, to be included as fax pages.
Here are the steps for using your phone to fax documents from your Google account:
1. Download a fax app and create an account
Read reviews and descriptions to make sure you are choosing a top app which supports third-party cloud storage integration – check out our recommendations.
2. Create a new fax
Follow the menu to create your fax – input the recipient’s fax number, check the area code, and complete the cover page details.
3. Attach your document to the fax using third-party integration
Attaching a document from Google Drive is simple and easy – just follow the choices available when you select ‘upload image or document’ from the new fax menu. This process will be slightly different depending on which mobile app you are using.
For example, with FAX from iPhone, you can go directly into your Google Drive app and select the document you want, then select ‘Open In’, and then select the fax app from the menu.
The document will then appear as part of your new fax inside the app.
4. Review and click send when ready
With your document (or documents) attached, you can review your fax, check you have the right fax number, and then hit send fax to complete the process.
Using a mobile app is one of the easiest ways to fax a Google doc – these apps are often free to install, and have flexible subscription packages to sign up to depending on your faxing needs.
Fax From Your Gmail Account Using an Email-To-Fax Service
Whilst Google does not have a native faxing application, if you do want to directly fax from Gmail, you can sign up for an online fax service which supports email-to-fax. Put simply, this allows you to send faxes online directly from your Gmail inbox, which connects to your Google Drive documents.
Here’s how you can fax online from Gmail, sending Google documents as faxes:
- Sign up to an email-to-fax online fax service
Services like EveryFax allow you to send fax transmissions directly from your Gmail inbox – visit them or another provider and create an account to get started. - Compose a fax from your Gmail inbox
Once you have created your account and chosen your online fax number, you simply need to navigate to your Gmail and compose a new email message. Enter the recipient’s fax number into the ‘To’ section, followed by ‘@send.everyfax.com’ if you are using EveryFax (this will change depending on the fax service you have signed up to). - Attach your document to the email from Google Drive
You can send Google files via Gmail; simply attach your Google docs to the email by selecting the Google Drive icon on the list of options for adding attachments, and select the file. - Review and click send when ready
Once you have reviewed your fax, the fax number and subject line, then press send exactly the same way you would when sending an email. The fax software will do the rest. You should receive a delivery confirmation via email once your fax has been delivered.
If you are used to working and sharing Google documents from your Gmail account, then email-to-fax services allow you to send and receive faxes that connect to your Google Drive, without changing the way you work.
Use An Online Fax Service Which Connects To Your Google Drive
You can also choose an online faxing service that offers direct integration with Google Drive, or offers an add on or extension for the Google apps such as the Google Chrome browser or Google Drive.
Online Fax Services with Google Drive Integration
There are many popular fax services that integrate Google Drive. With these services, you can log in to your fax account, create a new fax, and upload attachments of many file types directly from Google Drive to be sent as faxes.
Examples of faxing services that offer this integration include:
- eFax – eFax has Google Drive integration across its services, including a web app and email-to-faxing.
- HelloFax – HelloFax integrates with all major cloud storage services, such as Dropbox Sign and Google Drive, which lets you add an electronic signature to a document in Google Drive, and then send it as a fax.
If you create an account with a service that offers Google integration, follow the usual steps to create a fax and you will be able to see an option to attach a document from Google Drive or other Google applications.
Online Fax Services with Google Add Ons
Some fax services provide an add on or extension which works with Google applications, allowing you to create and send a fax directly from inside Google applications with just a few clicks, once you have installed them and validated your Google credentials. A few faxing services that offer these include:
- Fax.Plus – Fax.Plus is an online faxing provider which has created full Google workspace integration. They provide an add on for popular Google apps such as Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Google Drive, and an extension for Google Chrome.
- Cocofax – Cocofax allows you to fax from your computer with full connectivity to Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, and Chrome, using free add ons and extensions which you can access on their website, after you create an account.
Manually Transfer a Document From Google Drive
If you prefer not to use any of the options above, or if you perhaps have a fax machine you want to use instead, there are still options that will allow you to fax items stored on your Google Drive:
- You can download a document you want to fax from Google Drive onto a local device or storage drive, and then use an online fax service to upload that file directly to a fax, without using Google integration.
- If you use a fax machine which needs to scan paper, you can print items from your Google Drive, then place them into the fax machine feeder tray, type in the fax number, and send the fax.
Whilst Google may not offer a fax service directly, as you can see, there are still so many ways you can fax documents from Google Drive and your other Google applications.
Online faxing is incredibly popular thanks to its lower costs, convenience, portability, and the fact that it is more eco-friendly than traditional fax machines. Now, thanks for a range of faxing services which offer Google integration, you can fax all of your Google documents using online faxing.
