As the world has gone digital, many people wonder why fax machines are still used and if they are still relevant. Despite the ubiquity of internet access and communication technologies like email and smartphones, faxing continues to hold its ground for various reasons, including institutional habit and inertia. Here, we explore the reasons behind the persistence of faxing technology and its relevance in 2025.

Absolutely! Fax machines continue to be an essential tool in various sectors like healthcare, law, and government, offering benefits such as security and regulatory compliance. Their unique features, including confirmation pages and the ability to transmit handwritten characters, make them indispensable in certain situations.

Yes, fax machines, a seemingly antiquated technology, continue to be a critical tool for various industries worldwide.

Fax machines continue to be used worldwide, with countries like Japan being one of the top users due to cultural preference for paper documents. Certain industries, such as healthcare and law, heavily rely on fax machines for secure document transmission. Despite digital advances, a 2021 study found that an astounding 46% of US small businesses still used fax machines1.

Despite the surge in technological advancements, fax machines are not entirely obsolete. They serve an important role in the secure transmission of sensitive documents, providing security that emails might not offer. They are particularly essential in regions with slower internet speeds or unreliable digital infrastructure, such as rural areas.

Companies across diverse sectors, including healthcare, law, government, and even technology, continue to rely on fax machines for communication. Although they are older technology, fax machines bring a host of benefits to modern-day communication scenarios. Here are some compelling reasons to use fax machines and faxing technology:

  1. Confirm receipts with confirmation pages: A fax confirmation page offers undeniable proof that your message reached its destination, minimizing the risk of lost communications.
  2. Strengthen security: Faxing protocols come equipped with robust security measures, making it a safe harbor in a world vulnerable to hacking and data breaches.
  3. Comply with patient privacy rules: Use faxing as a US HIPAA-compliant method for sharing Protected Health Information (PHI), a top choice among medical professionals.
  4. Streamline paperwork: With many offices and healthcare facilities still relying on paper, faxing offers an efficient channel for transmitting records and forms.
  5. Share medical records across incompatible systems: Faxing lets you send medical information without worrying about system incompatibility, making it a go-to choice in healthcare.
  6. Simplify compliance with regulations: Meet regulatory guidelines and government requirements effortlessly by integrating fax into your documentation processes.
  7. Keep the conversation going during internet outages: Use faxing as a reliable backup when the internet fails, ensuring your communications never skip a beat.
  8. Build solid legal paper trails: In the legal field, faxing offers an effective way to establish paper trails crucial for discovery processes.
  9. Transmit handwritten characters: Send handwritten Japanese, Chinese, and Korean characters without the digital hassle.
  10. Send physical signatures: With faxing, sending signed documents becomes a breeze, especially when a hand-signed signature is mandatory.

Fax machines offer high-level security, making them a preferred choice for transmitting private information. Certain regulatory requirements necessitate the use of fax machines in specific industries. Moreover, they provide quick and real-time delivery, which can be crucial in urgent situations.

The healthcare and law industries often prefer faxing due to the immediate delivery and receipt confirmation, which is important for time-sensitive documents. Faxing provides a physical paper trail, beneficial in legal situations. In addition, for some businesses, faxing can be more cost-effective and simpler than setting up secure digital systems.

Faxing is heavily used in the healthcare sector for transmitting patient records and prescriptions due to patient privacy regulations. Legal firms often use fax machines to send signed documents and contracts securely. Moreover, in Germany, fax is used as a legally binding method of communication, making it crucial in business and government sectors.

Faxing offers several advantages over digital communication. It offers direct and immediate transmission, reducing the risk of missing important documents. Faxes are harder to ignore or lose compared to emails, which can end up in spam or junk folders. Also, fax provides a level of security difficult to achieve with digital communication, making it ideal for transmitting sensitive data.

In Japan, fax machines are commonly used in homes due to the preference for handwriting and paper documents. Legal professionals often use fax machines to transmit signed legal documents and contracts. Meanwhile, healthcare workers resort to fax machines for transmitting patient records and prescriptions due to privacy regulations.

  1. The Most Surprising Fax Machine Usage Statistics And Trends in 2023
  2. https://www.afax.com/why-is-faxing-still-relevant-in-2021
  3. https://faxauthority.com/why-is-faxing-still-used/
  4. https://theconversation.com/why-do-people-still-use-fax-machines-109064
  5. The State of Fax: A survey on current fax usage, satisfaction and issues [PDF download]

In this section

[Japan] Two men suspected of targeting universities and schools with threatening faxes

PayPerFax

In our increasingly digital world, some may question the continued relevance of fax machines. Yet, the recent arrest of two men in Tokyo for sending threatening faxes underscores the persistent, if not perplexing, place that fax technology holds in our lives. These two men, driven by misguided intentions, managed to send a staggering 300,000 threatening…

The Fax Paradox: When Modern Law Meets the Humble Machine

PayPerFax

In the digital age, where instant messaging and emails reign supreme, it’s amusing to think that a legal battle can still revolve around the humble fax machine. But that’s precisely what happened in the curious case of Smith v. First Hospital Laboratories. Imagine this: A man receives unsolicited faxes, decides to sue under the TCPA,…

Faxing Your Way to Millions in Taiwan

PayPerFax

In an unexpected twist of fate, a customer at a Hi-Life store in Hsinchu County’s Hukou Township won a staggering NT$10 million in the Taiwan receipt lottery. The unique part? The customer spent a mere NT$15 (US$0.47) to send a fax, making the return on investment astronomically high. This story is not just a testament…

The fax is still king in healthcare – and it’s not going away anytime soon

PayPerFax

In a delightful twist of technological irony, the humble fax machine still reigns supreme in the healthcare sector, according to an article from Computerworld. Despite the digital revolution and the rise of electronic health records (EHRs), a large majority of healthcare providers, insurance payers, and pharmacies continue to rely on this aging technology for transmitting…

Fax machines remain ‘backbone’ of UK asset management operations

PayPerFax

In a delightful twist of technological nostalgia, a whopping 62% of UK asset managers are still using fax machines, according to a Global Funds Automation Report by Calastone, the largest global funds network. This report, featured in Financial IT, reveals that despite the industry’s desire to transform, antiquated technology and manual processes remain the backbone…

China Fax Machines Dance with the Grim Reaper

PayPerFax

China’s recent decision to cease issuing permits for legacy communication devices like fax machines, pagers, and landlines has many wondering if the Grim Reaper is finally coming for these tenacious tech classics. Yet, despite China’s shift in focus, there remains a curious attachment to these old-school gadgets around the globe. Caught in a tug-of-war between…

UK Prepares to Bid Farewell to the Humble Fax Machine

PayPerFax

Ah, the beloved fax machine, a device caught in a whirlwind of nostalgia and the relentless march of technology. The UK has recently decided to give it a gentle shove, as British parliament removed the obligation for phone networks to support fax machines. The late 1980s’ most delightful beeping orchestra now finds itself staring into…

Fax Machine: The Unsung Hero of 2022

PayPerFax

Who says the fax machine doesn’t still have some flair? More than 1.3 million faxes were sent via FaxZero in 2022, and it seems the preferred method for contacting elected officials is the good old-fashioned fax. With many of them getting the lion’s share of faxes, it’s almost as if there’s a secret competition for…

Privacy authorities launch fresh volley against healthcare faxing

PayPerFax

Oh, the humble fax machine, a stalwart of communication in the healthcare industry, still chugging along despite the digital revolution. It’s like that old family car that just won’t quit, even when the shiny new models are beckoning from the showroom. But it seems our beloved fax is once again under fire, this time from…

The Fax Machine: An Unexpected Ally in the Fight for LGBTQ+ Rights

The Fax Machine: An Unexpected Ally in the Fight for LGBTQ+ Rights

PayPerFax

Hello, fax enthusiasts! Today, we’re taking a detour from our usual discussions about the enduring charm of fax machines in the modern world to highlight a recent, rather unexpected use of our beloved technology. Remember when we said fax machines could be used for just about anything? Well, the folks at Havas, a New York-based…

The Unlikely Duo: Fax and CAPTCHA in the Modern Phishing Scene

PayPerFax

Ah, the humble fax machine. Just when you thought it was gathering dust in the corner of the office, it’s back in the limelight. But this time, it’s not about sending over a signed contract or an urgent memo. No, it’s about something a bit more… sinister. Security provider Avanan recently uncovered a new phishing…

A strange love affair: Why won't Japan get rid of fax machines?

PayPerFax

Japan’s government wants to say “sayonara” to paper communication. But local offices still love their fax machines and won’t give them up. Even though many Japanese employees were allowed to work from home in order to slow down the spread of the virus, whenever an important document had to be sent to another branch or…