How to take a clear photo of a document for faxing

Set up the shot

• Use daylight from a window or a bright overhead light. Avoid the flash, which creates glare on glossy paper.
• Put the page on a plain, dark surface such as a table or a folder so the edges stand out.
• Flatten folds by pressing the page down or placing a heavy book along the top edge, out of frame.
• Hold the iPhone parallel to the page, directly above it, so text doesn't taper at one end.
• Watch for your own shadow, especially under ceiling lights. Shift your position until it's gone.

Check it before you send

Zoom in on the smallest text on the page, such as a policy number or a date, and make sure every character is readable. If you can't read it zoomed in on your phone, the recipient won't be able to read it on paper.

Colour highlights and light blue ink often disappear in fax. If a key field was filled in with a light pen, go over it in dark ink and rescan. Signatures should be in black or dark blue.

It also helps to think about file size and page count. A multi-page scan of a thin form is usually small enough to attach easily, but very large photos can be slow to upload on a weak mobile connection. If you're on cellular data, move closer to Wi-Fi or wait for a stronger signal before attaching. And only include the pages the recipient asked for; extra blank backs or duplicate pages use up plan pages and make the fax harder to read. At faxfromiphone.ca we recommend a quick count of pages before you hit send.