What Is a FAX File?

This article explains what a FAX file is, how to open one, and how to convert one to a different format.

What Is a FAX File?

A file with the FAX file extension is an image of a fax, usually in the TIFF format. It's used by some fax software and makes it easy for recipients to view the fax.

Some FAX files might instead be templates created with the Now Contact software. These files provide a layout for a fax document (an .NWP file) and may include options already loaded for the document, which is useful if you're creating several similarly formatted documents.

How to Open a FAX File

Most image-management programs should be able to open FAX images, like Windows' default photo viewer, XnView, InViewer, GIMP, and Adobe Photoshop.

If you have trouble getting your file to open, change the extension to .TIFF or .TIF and then try again. This isn't a trick you can usually do with most files, but since FAX-to-image programs are almost always just TIFF files masked by a different file extension, this workaround is likely to succeed.

Some FAX image files might be created with GFI FaxMaker (but they're still just TIF files), in which case you can use that program to open it.

Fax templates are supposed to open with the Now Contact software from Now Software, using the Use Template drop-down menu option. If you have that program, you can build new FAX files through Define > Print Templates > Faxes. After naming the template, you can edit its dimensions and layout before it's created.

How to Convert a FAX File

You can convert a FAX file with Filestar, a desktop file converter for Windows and macOS. It supports a huge number of export formats, so this should be your first choice.

Because your file is almost certainly a simple image, you can also just rename it to use the TIF or TIFF file extension. From there, use a free image converter to convert that file to something else like PNG, PDF, or JPG.

Still Can't Open the File?

If your file doesn't open at this point, re-read the file extension. Since "FAX" contain letters common to many other file extensions, you might be confusing another file for this one.

For example, FXA files might at first glance look related in some way to FAX files, but they're really used by the facial animation software FaceFX. XAF is another similar one that's reserved for 3ds Max XML animation files and Affirm Transcript Editor files.

Confusingly, EFX files could be fax documents, but the file extension is also used by some video games as an effects file.

If you're not looking for anything related to a .FAX file, but rather a fax service for sending faxes, see our Free Online Fax Services list.