To fax from an iPhone, scan the signed page with the Notes app, then send the PDF through an online fax service such as Fax.Plus, which dials the recipient's fax machine for you. No landline or fax machine is involved, and a one-off fax can be free: Fax.Plus gives new accounts 10 free pages in total, and FaxZero sends up to 3 pages free to US and Canadian numbers. The whole job takes a few minutes once the app is installed.

Steps and limits come from Apple's and the fax services' own pages, read on 2026-10-16. LogicBalls did not send test faxes for this guide.

> **Key Takeaways**
>
> - **The iPhone scans for you.** In Notes, tap the attachment button, then **Scan Documents**, then **Keep Scan** and **Done** ([Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108963), retrieved 2026-10-16).
> - **Fax.Plus's free plan is "10 free pages to fax in total"**, up to 30 pages per fax, send only ([Fax.Plus pricing](https://www.fax.plus/pricing), retrieved 2026-10-16).
> - **FaxZero is free for up to 3 pages plus a cover page**, 5 faxes a day, US and Canada only, with FaxZero branding on the cover ([FaxZero](https://faxzero.com/), retrieved 2026-10-16).
> - **Medical faxes need a signed BAA.** Under HIPAA, a service that "creates, receives, maintains, or transmits protected health information" for a covered entity is a business associate ([45 CFR 160.103](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/160.103), retrieved 2026-10-16). Fax.Plus signs BAAs on its Enterprise plan only.
> - **Most failed faxes are a busy line or a missing country code.** Fax.Plus's first instruction is "Try sending again first" ([Alohi help](https://help.alohi.com/hc/en-us/articles/10123079047964), retrieved 2026-10-16).

## The 60-second answer

1. Open **Notes**, start a note, tap the attachment (paperclip) button, tap **Scan Documents**, and scan each page.
2. To sign, tap the scan, tap **Markup**, tap the **Add** button, then **Signature**.
3. Install a fax app (this guide uses Fax.Plus), go to **Send Fax**, and type the number with country and area code, for example +1 and ten digits for the US.
4. Tap **Add File**, choose the scan, then tap **Send**. You get a confirmation report by email.

For one short fax to a US or Canadian number, the free FaxZero website in Safari works with no app install.

## Scan the document with Notes or Files

The built-in scanner makes a cropped, flattened PDF, which faxes more legibly than a photo.

### In Notes

Apple's steps ([Apple Support, scan documents](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108963), retrieved 2026-10-16):

1. Open **Notes** and select a note or create a new one.
2. Tap the attachment button, then tap **Scan Documents**. On iOS 26 you can also choose flash or an image filter.
3. Point the camera at the page. In Auto mode it captures on its own; to capture manually, tap the shutter or press a volume button, drag the corners to fit the page, then tap **Keep Scan**.
4. Scan any further pages, then tap **Done**.

### In Files

In **Files**, tap the More button, tap **Scan Documents**, scan as above, tap **Done**, then choose a folder and tap **Save** (same source). Saving to Files makes the PDF easy to find from any fax app's file picker.

### Sign it before you send

To sign inside Notes: tap the scanned document, tap the **Markup** button, tap the **Add** button, choose **Signature**, pick a saved signature or create one, position it, and tap **Done** (same source). You can also sign by hand with your finger using a Markup drawing tool.

Faxes go out in black and white at low resolution, so avoid shadows and check small print before sending. If you need to edit text in a document rather than just sign it, see our guide to [turning PDFs into editable documents](/blog/pdf-to-editable-documents).

## Send with Fax.Plus step by step

[Fax.Plus](aff:faxplus) is an online fax service with an iPhone app that runs on iOS 11.0 or later ([Fax.Plus, fax from iPhone](https://www.fax.plus/how-to-fax-online/fax-from-iphone), retrieved 2026-10-16). The steps from Fax.Plus's own guide and help center:

1. **Install and sign in.** Download Fax.Plus from the App Store and create an account. Fax.Plus says new users claim the 10 free pages after verifying a mobile number (same source).
2. **Open Send Fax.** Tap **Send Fax**.
3. **Enter the number in the To field with country and area code.** Fax.Plus's example is `+16692001010` ([Alohi help, how to send a fax](https://help.alohi.com/hc/en-us/articles/10120477630492), retrieved 2026-10-16).
4. **Attach the document.** **Add File** pulls PDF, Word, image and other files from the camera, device storage, Google Drive or Dropbox; **Add Page** scans a new page or adds typed text (same source). You can also share a scan straight from Notes, Files or Photos and choose Fax.Plus from the share sheet.
5. **Check page order.** The top file becomes the first page.
6. **Tap Send.** Fax.Plus emails you when the fax succeeds or fails.

### Fax.Plus plans (retrieved 2026-10-16)

| Plan | Price | Pages included | Fax number | Users | HIPAA BAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 10 pages total | None (send only) | 1 | No |
| Basic | $6.99/month ($83.99 billed annually) | 200/month | 1 | 1 | No |
| Premium | $13.99/month ($167.99 billed annually) | 500/month | 1 | 1 | No |
| Business | $27.99/month ($335.99 billed annually) | 1,000/month | 2 included | 5 | No |
| Enterprise | $79.99/month ($959.99 billed annually); page also shows "Starts at $99.99/mo" | 4,000/month | 2 included | Unlimited | Yes |

Source: [Fax.Plus pricing](https://www.fax.plus/pricing), retrieved 2026-10-16. Extra pages cost $0.10 on Basic down to $0.03 on Enterprise, and the maximum pages per fax rises from 30 on Free to 250 on Enterprise.

Fax.Plus fits if you fax a few times a month, want to receive faxes, or fax internationally. For a single fax you will never repeat, use a free option below.

## Free options and their limits

| Option | What is free | Limits | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fax.Plus Free | 10 pages in total | 30 pages per fax, 1 fax at a time, no receiving | One-time allowance, not monthly |
| FaxZero (website) | Up to 3 pages plus cover | 5 free faxes a day, US and Canada only, DOC, DOCX or PDF | FaxZero branding on the cover page |
| Paid FaxZero | n/a | $3.29 per fax, up to 25 pages plus optional cover, paid via PayPal | No branding |
| Paid app trials | Short trials | Subscriptions often auto-renew | Read the renewal terms first |

Sources: [Fax.Plus pricing](https://www.fax.plus/pricing) and [FaxZero](https://faxzero.com/), retrieved 2026-10-16.

FaxZero runs in Safari: upload the PDF you saved to Files. It suits a short form going to a US or Canadian office, not anything confidential.

### What about the "FAX from iPhone" app?

The App Store listing for [FAX from iPhone & iPad](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/-/id1135811739), from BPMobile, shows a 4.6 rating from 14K ratings and says "In order to send faxes, you need to buy credits using an in-app purchase." Its listed subscriptions include a 1-week plan at US$3.99 and a 12-month plan at US$50.99, each with a 3-day trial, and the listing warns that a "Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period" (retrieved 2026-10-16). If you take a trial for one fax, cancel it in Settings the same day.

### iFax and eFax

[iFax](https://www.ifaxapp.com/pricing/) lists Basic at $12.49 a month for 200 pages (send only) and Plus at $24.99 for 500 pages with a number and "HIPAA compliant" (retrieved 2026-10-16). [eFax](https://www.efax.com/pricing) lists a Personal plan with 200 pages a month to the US and Canada and a Business plan with 500 pages a month to 51 countries; its page did not show prices in our retrieval. iFax's page has "TRY IT FREE" buttons but states no trial terms, and eFax's page did not mention a trial.

## Faxing medical or legal documents securely

Under HIPAA, a business associate is a person who, on behalf of a covered entity, "creates, receives, maintains, or transmits protected health information", and the definition expressly includes a person "that provides data transmission services with respect to protected health information to a covered entity and that requires access on a routine basis" ([45 CFR 160.103](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/160.103), retrieved 2026-10-16). A covered entity, such as a clinic or practice, needs a signed business associate agreement (BAA) with any online fax service it uses for patient records.

What each service says (retrieved 2026-10-16):

- **Fax.Plus:** "HIPAA compliance with BAA is available on the Enterprise plan only" ([Fax.Plus pricing](https://www.fax.plus/pricing)). Its HIPAA page describes AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS in transit and audit logs, and says "Fax.Plus signs BAAs with Enterprise customers" ([Fax.Plus HIPAA fax](https://www.fax.plus/hipaa-compliant-fax)).
- **eFax:** lists "Business Associate Agreement (BAA)" on its Business and Corporate plans, not on Personal ([eFax pricing](https://www.efax.com/pricing)).
- **iFax:** labels its Plus plan "HIPAA compliant" but its pricing page does not mention a BAA ([iFax pricing](https://www.ifaxapp.com/pricing/)). Ask before relying on it.
- **Free fax websites:** do not use them for patient records.

For legal documents, ask whether the recipient accepts email or an e-signature platform instead; a fax is not automatically more secure. For a broader view of compliance tooling in healthcare, see our [HIPAA compliance platforms roundup](/blog/top-healthcare-compliance-platforms-hipaa).

### International numbers

Enter the number with the plus sign and country code, dropping the area code's leading zero. Fax.Plus says international faxes can be sent from its iPhone app ([Fax.Plus, fax from iPhone](https://www.fax.plus/how-to-fax-online/fax-from-iphone)); its pages we read did not say whether the free 10 pages cover international destinations. FaxZero's free tier is US and Canada only, and eFax's Personal plan covers only the US and Canada.

## Receiving a fax on iPhone

To receive, you need a fax number, which means a paid plan. Fax.Plus's comparison table marks receiving as unavailable on Free, and every paid plan from Basic ($6.99 a month on annual billing) includes a number ([Fax.Plus pricing](https://www.fax.plus/pricing), retrieved 2026-10-16). Incoming faxes arrive as PDFs you can sign and fax back.

If you only need to receive one document, ask the sender whether they can email a PDF instead.

## Troubleshooting failed faxes

Fax.Plus's help center says most failures are temporary and to "Try sending again first". If a resend fails, match the error ([Alohi help, why did my fax fail](https://help.alohi.com/hc/en-us/articles/10123079047964), retrieved 2026-10-16):

| Error | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Number Busy | The recipient's line was in use | Wait a few minutes and resend |
| No Answer | Nobody and no machine picked up | Resend when the recipient's machine is on and set to auto-answer |
| No Fax Detected | The call connected, but no fax machine answered | Confirm the number is a fax line, not a phone |
| Invalid Destination Number | The number is malformed | Add the country code and area code |
| Communication Error | The call dropped mid-transmission | Resend; if it fails twice, verify the number |
| Fax Negotiation Failed | The machines could not connect properly; some pages may have arrived | Ask which pages arrived and resend the rest |
| Destination Number Blocked | Often a premium or high-cost line | Get a different fax number |
| File Conversion Issue | The file could not be converted | Remove password protection from the PDF and resend |
| Insufficient Credit | Your page allowance is used up | Add credit or upgrade |

Confirming the number is a fax line and removing PDF passwords before sending prevents most of these.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Can I fax from my iPhone for free?

Yes, for small jobs. Fax.Plus gives 10 free pages in total to new accounts, up to 30 pages per fax. FaxZero's website sends up to 3 pages plus a cover page free to US and Canadian numbers, five times a day, with FaxZero branding on the cover. Neither free option lets you receive faxes.

### Does the iPhone have a built-in fax feature?

No. The iPhone can scan and sign documents in Notes or Files, but it cannot dial a fax machine. You need an online fax service, through an app or a website, to transmit the PDF.

### Can I fax medical records from my phone?

A healthcare provider sending patient records needs a fax service that signs a business associate agreement: Fax.Plus on Enterprise only, eFax on Business and Corporate. Free fax websites are not suitable for protected health information.

### How do I fax an international number from my iPhone?

Use a plus sign, the country code and the area code without its leading zero, for example +44 for the UK. Fax.Plus supports international sending; FaxZero's free tier and eFax Personal cover only the US and Canada.

### Why did my fax fail?

Usually a busy line, no answer, a voice number instead of a fax line, or a missing country code. Resend once, then confirm the number and remove any PDF password.

## How this guide was researched

We read Apple's support article on scanning and signing documents; Fax.Plus's pricing page, iPhone guide, HIPAA page and help-center articles; FaxZero's site; the iFax and eFax pricing pages; the App Store listing for FAX from iPhone & iPad; and the business associate definition in 45 CFR 160.103, all on 2026-10-16. Services were compared from documentation, pricing and public listings, not hands-on testing. LogicBalls may earn a commission from some links in this post, which does not change the recommendations.