There is no immediate solution towards sending fax via Google Drive. Why? Because Google does not have a faxing app or feature embedded in any of its applications. Since the Drive does not support faxes, what do the millions of Google users do when it’s time to send one?
The answer lies with compatible applications or services that work with the cloud. We have a few solutions that can enable you to send faxes online. They also have desktop and smartphone app versions to assist you in the same.
Let’s see how they have cracked the code here and why you should utilize them when sending quick fax. One thing you need to note is that these services give you fax numbers for free.
Using CocoFax to Send Fax from Google Drive
One of the best add-ons to consider for fax sending via the Google cloud is CocoFax. It’s a web-based solution with app versions for your faxing quests. Using it is easy since it’s all about getting the plugin after subscribing.
The steps to send the fax using CocoFax will involve the following:
Step 1: Proceed to the CocoFax website and register for free. Next, choose your free number and then input your Gmail account address. This should be the account linked to the Google Drive you want to use.
Step 2: Access your Google Drive and select the document that needs faxing to open it.
Step 3: The document window will pop up. Find ‘Add-ons’ on the menu and click on it to get the available add-ons. Look for CocoFax in the field and proceed to install it.
Step 4: Click on the ‘Add-ons’ tab once again and choose CocoFax. A composing window will pop up. What you will write will serve as the cover page while the attached documents are converted to faxes.
Step 5: For the recipient’s email, use their fax number followed by ‘@cocofax.net’. If the recipient is in the US, you have to add ‘1’ before the fax number. Next, include the subject and the content that will go to the email body. They are both optional, though.
Step 6: Once you are done composing, hit the send button. The formats allowed here include Doc, Xls, jpg, PDF, and other G-suite types.
NB: If you need to receive faxes on your drive, too, integrating with CocoFax is necessary.
Again, as we said, Google has no inbuilt feature to help send or receive faxes online. The workaround here is to use an add-on to help you with the task.
Going for the plugin has some benefits. They include the following:
- You can use it to send using Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides, which are the document formats acceptable on Google Drive
- There is assured protection from the plugin provider. That implies security by just clicking through and sending.
- You can use any internet-enabled device to send the fax
Using CocoFax via Your Gmail Account
We use our Gmail accounts to access Google Drive. That means you can Gmail to send a fax via Google Drive using the CocoFax add-on. Before proceeding, you need to ensure that you have the Gmail and CocoFax setup.
The steps you need to use Gmail and Google Drive for sending faxes include the following:
Step 1: Register on CocoFax, where you will choose a free fax number in the process. Next, fill in your details, the Gmail ID, and an alternate email.
Step 2: Access your Gmail account either via the browser or using the Gmail app. Next, go to compose an email, where the email body will pop up. You can refer to the steps above in the previous section to see how to compose the email.
Step 3: Attach the files you need to fax via the Google Drive link. All the file formats are supported here. Once you are done composing, click on the Send button. Once it’s sent, you will receive a confirmation for the successful transmission.
The CocoFax add-on is what enables you to use your smartphone or PC for fax sending.
Sending Fax from Google Drive Using CocoFax Android App
Well, CocoFax has an Android version that you can use to send faxes from Google Drive. That excludes the need for an add-on, although it’s the easier route if you have browsers that work on multiple devices such as Chrome.
It all starts with downloading the app from Google Play or getting the APK on the CocoFax website. After that, log in using your CocoFax credentials if you already have an account. If you don’t, proceed to sign up for the account and acquire a fax number for free.
Once you have done that, proceed with the following steps:
Step 1: Access your CocoFax account via the app. Next, click on the ‘Send Fax’ button and then enter the recipient’s fax number.
Step 2: Upload the document via the Google Drive option, and that’s it. The supported file formats are many, and they include JPG, PNG, PDF, DOCX, DOC, XLS, and XLSX.
Step 3: Once you are done, click on the ‘Send’ button and then wait for the notification after the delivery.
Sending Fax from Google Drive using RingCentral Fax
RingCentral Fax is another fax service provider that you can use as a web tool to send faxes where they need to be. It has the Google Drive option, which means it’s easy to use the cloud via the web tool.
You can integrate it on your browser and use other cloud services. It also allows you to attach multiple file formats as long as they can be used while on the Drive. When you check on the compatible cloud services, the Google option is one of them.
During the first time, you will need to authorize the linking between Google and your RingCentral account. After that, selecting the documents and faxing them will be a breeze.
Using eFax to Send Fax from Google Drive
This is a service that we can say competes with powerful options like CocoFax. Going via Google Drive can consist of getting an add-on, using the mobile app, or using your Gmail account, requiring the add-on.
Using the Gmail method via this service will suit you best. To begin, you have to ensure your Google account is ready and logged in. Next, you need an account with eFax. Once everything is set up, using it to send the fax is easy.
Use the compose email to send where the recipient’s email will bear their fax number together with the phrase ‘@efaxsend.com’. For the files, you can attach them via the Google Drive icon. eFax allows up to ten attachments.
Once everything is ready, click on ‘Send’ to complete the process and let the software handle the rest. You can also use the app to get the files from Google Drive and fax them too.
Conclusion
The online world is changing how we are doing things, and we are already witnessing that on the fax sending end. It’s going all the way to Google Drive, and that is why the above five tips suit the cloud.
You can start with CocoFax for guaranteed sending, receiving, and security. If you have any questions on the recommendations above, feel free to comment below.
