What is a FAX file?
A .FAX file is typically a digital image of a scanned or transmitted fax document. Most of these files use the .TIFF format internally. However, different software applications create .FAX files in different ways. Some programs, like PDFCreator, save them as .PDF documents. Other formats include Microsoft Windows Fax documents, GFI FaxMaker images, and older files like the Now Contact Fax Template created by Now Software.
How to open FAX files?
Because the .FAX extension has multiple possible meanings, finding the right software is often difficult. Some files will open if you rename the extension to .TIFF and use a standard image viewer. If that fails, you might need specific software like WinFax Pro or Corel WordPerfect.
We recommend viewer.online/fax to identify the actual format of your file. The tool analyzes the file structure to show exactly what kind of fax document you have.
Best practices and troubleshooting
If you need to share a .FAX file, it is best to convert it. We recommend file conversion to sensible target formats like .PDF or .PNG on convert.guru. Converting the file ensures that other people can read your document on mobile phones and modern computers without troubleshooting.
Summary
viewer.online/fax analyzes .FAX files to identify their exact format and creator software, shows which programs can open the file, and usually previews it. viewer.online/fax directly opens and previews .FAX files in the browser, eliminating the need to install software or troubleshoot compatibility issues.