What happens to a photo
Each image becomes one fax page. It is converted to grey, then every pixel is pushed to either black or white. There is no middle tone on a fax page. Shadows can become dark patches and pale pencil can disappear, depending on the conversion and the original image.
Shoot for contrast, not beauty
- Even light. Daylight from the side, no flash, no shadow from your own hand or phone.
- Flat page. Flatten folds; a curved page darkens along the crease.
- Straight on. Hold the camera parallel to the paper so the text does not taper.
- Dark ink. Black or blue pen, never pencil or a pale highlighter.
- Fill the frame. Crop away the desk before you upload.
Format and size
PNG and JPEG are accepted, single-frame only, up to 5 MB per file and five files per fax. Very large photos are rejected, so a full-resolution burst from a modern camera may need to be exported smaller. Photo orientation recorded by the phone is respected, so a portrait photo stays portrait.
When to scan instead
If the document matters — a signed agreement, a form someone has to act on — use the document scanner in your phone instead. It straightens the page, removes the background and gives you a PDF. Our scanning guide covers the settings; the iPhone and Android guides show where the scanner lives.
Catch the problems in the preview
faxB2B shows the converted pages before the call is placed. Look for black bands, cut-off edges and text that has thinned out. Rotate a sideways page there, and replace a bad photo rather than hoping the recipient can make it out. Once the fax has gone out you cannot improve it — you can only send it again.