Improving Fax Quality: Blurry or Unreadable Faxes
Updated July 24, 2026
Fax is a 1980s-resolution medium — roughly 200 DPI in black and white. Within that limit, preparation makes all the difference.
What SendFax.me does
Every paid fax transmits in HD (fine) quality, the highest standard fax resolution, at no extra cost. The free welcome fax transmits at standard quality.
What you can do
- Start from a digital file, not a photo. A PDF exported from Word/Google Docs is pixel-perfect; a phone photo of a paper page starts degraded.
- If you must photograph a document, use a scanner app (or iPhone Notes scanning) that flattens, deskews, and boosts contrast.
- Use 10pt+ fonts and avoid thin/light typefaces.
- High contrast: black on white. Gray text, highlighter marks, and colored backgrounds turn to mush at fax resolution.
- Avoid dense images. Logos are fine; detailed photos become halftone noise.
The receiving side matters too
An old machine with a worn drum, low toner, or dirty scan bar prints every fax badly — including yours. If a recipient reports poor quality on a document that previews sharp in your dashboard, their hardware is the usual suspect. The preview you see is exactly what was transmitted.
Frequently asked questions
›What resolution are faxes sent at?
Paid faxes are sent in HD (fine) mode — around 200×200 DPI, the highest standard fax resolution.
›The preview looks great but the recipient got a bad copy. Why?
The preview reflects what was transmitted and acknowledged. Degradation at that point comes from the receiving machine — toner, drum, or paper issues on their end.
Ready to send a fax?
No fax machine, no subscription — your first fax is free.
