How to Receive Fax to a Gmail Email

Receiving fax on Gmail is a great way to speed up your communications and keep them organized.  By switching to online faxing for fax delivery you'll be reaping the rewards of a modern way of sharing documents, while keeping the safety of traditional fax technology.

Using online fax technology to receive fax to Gmail is very easy, you just need to link a virtual fax number to your Gmail address, and incoming faxes will arrive automatically to your inbox, no matter if you are using your computer or phone.

To receive faxes on Gmail just follow these directions:

  1. Create an account with an online fax service.
  2. Choose between a local or a toll-free fax number.
  3. Enter your Gmail address to link it to the virtual fax number.
  4. Enable notifications either through Gmail's app or through your online fax account.
  5. Wait for faxes to arrive!
 Receive Fax to Gmail


How to Receive Fax to Gmail

Now that we've taken a quick look at how to start receiving faxes to Gmail, we can give a more detailed look at the process:

1. Create an Account with a Gmail Fax Service

Most fax providers out there let you receive fax to Gmail.  However it is important you pick one that is reliable and lets you create a test drive online fax account.  This will save you from issues later on.

2. Pick a Google Fax Number

The first thing you'll need to do when creating a Gmail fax account is to pick your Google fax number.  You can pick between local and toll-free numbers. Both alternatives come free of cost with your account.  Plus, some services also have the option of adding a "vanity" fax number for marketing purposes. This number will redirect incoming fax to Gmail.

3. Link the Fax Number to Gmail

During the sign up process, your fax to email service will ask which email address you want to use to receive faxes.  Here just add your Gmail email address.  You can add up to 5 different emails to get your faxes.

4. Set Up Incoming Fax to Gmail Notifications

Head to your online fax service members area, you should get this information on the welcome email once you sign up for a service.   Below is an example of how this looks when using RingCentral Fax.  

In their Settings area, under the Notifications tab, you’ll find the Email field.  Make sure have the “Include attachment with email” option activated, which means the fax contents will be forwarded to email.

Now, where it says “Send notifications to:” > “Email”, simply enter your email address.  Double check that it has been typed correctly before continuing.

Email fax settings

You can also opt to receive an immediate SMS notification to your mobile phone whenever you receive fax to Gmail. The amount of options to receive faxes and notifications makes it a breeze to read new faxes on your Gmail inbox.

Do I Need a Special Setup to Receive Fax to Gmail?

Receiving faxes via Gmail doesn't need any type of special set-up in your Google account or programs to work. The fax-to-Gmail process is handled entirely by the provider of your choice. It's important to choose the right Gmail fax service for your needs, so don't create a paid account if you are not sure.  In this case, it's better to create a free trial account to check how well the service works.  Free trials are safe, you won't be charged anything unless you decide to continue using the service after 30 days, and you can cancel your account at any time.

Is There Other Way to Receive Fax to Gmail?

The only way to receive fax to Gmail is through a virtual fax number. If you already have a number, but through a landline, you can move it to a virtual line.  Fax services are more than happy to assist you transferring your existing number to a digital platform using their fax porting service. While your number is being propagated across the Web, you get a temporary number to avoid missing faxes.

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