Why Confirmations Look Low Quality

Why the fax preview and PDF copy look rougher than your original, and how to prepare a document that faxes well

The preview and the PDF copy in your delivery email show your document as a fax machine receives it. They look rougher than your original. This page explains why, how to tell a rough page from an unreadable one, and how to prepare a document that faxes well.

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Why a fax looks rough

Lower resolution

PayPerFax sends faxes at 204 × 196 dpi (“fine” mode), a resolution that fax machines widely support. A printed document or a scan is usually 300 dpi or more, so fine detail and small text lose sharpness.

Black and white only

A fax has only black and white dots, no gray. Color and gray areas are turned into patterns of dots (dithering). Light-colored text and backgrounds can fade or turn into dots.

A screen shows more than paper

On a screen you can zoom in until each dot shows. On a printed page at normal size, the same dots are much less visible.

The preview and the PDF copy show the same image that was sent. What the recipient sees also depends on their machine: a printer low on toner prints fainter, and a fax-to-email service shows the image on a screen.

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Rough or unreadable?

Open the preview at 100% zoom, not zoomed in. Then check:

Check	Usually fine	Needs work
Body text	Edges look jagged but letters are clear	Letters run together or break up
Numbers (account numbers, dates, amounts)	Each digit is clear	3/8, 1/7, or 5/6 are hard to tell apart
Signatures	Rough but visible	Faint or missing
Form fields and checkboxes	Lines and marks are visible	Marks are lost in the pattern
Photos and gray areas	Dotted	Text on top of them is lost

If the preview is readable at normal size, the fax is usually readable too. If you cannot read part of the preview, the recipient will not be able to read it either. Go back, fix the document, and preview again before you pay.

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Prepare a document that faxes well

1. Use high contrast

   Black text on a white background. Remove light watermarks, colored backgrounds, and light-gray or colored text.

2. Use a readable text size

   Small print loses the most detail. Make body text larger where you can, and make important numbers bold.

3. Scan with care

   Scan in black and white or grayscale, with the page straight. A dark or skewed scan gets worse after conversion.

4. Check the preview

   Read every page at 100% zoom before you pay. Pay attention to numbers, signatures, and checkboxes.

See File Requirements for formats and limits.

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If the recipient cannot read it

1. Ask which page or part they cannot read.
2. Fix that part of the document (contrast, size, or scan quality).
3. Send it again with the resubmit link, which keeps your details for 72 hours. See How to Resend a Fax.

If the preview was readable and the recipient still cannot read the fax, contact support with the date and the destination number.

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Related

File Requirements

Formats, limits, and preparation

Common Issues

Fixes by symptom