Do all Canon all-in-one printers support fax?

No. Only models with a "FAX" button on the control panel and an RJ-11 LINE port on the back include a fax modem. The PIXMA TR series, MAXIFY MB series, and imageCLASS MF series all include fax; lower-cost PIXMA TS models (print/copy/scan only) do not. Check your printer's spec sheet or look for the LINE port on the back panel to confirm.

Can I fax from a Canon printer without a phone line?

Yes — two ways. First, use the printer's scanner to create a PDF, then upload it to an online fax service like [mFax.to](https://mfax.to) and send from your phone or browser — no phone line required. Second, imageCLASS MF network models support Internet Fax (I-Fax) over LAN, which also needs no traditional phone line.

Why does my Canon printer say "No Dial Tone" (#018)?

Error #018 means the printer can't detect an active analog signal. Check that the cable is plugged into the LINE port (not the EXT port), test the wall jack with a regular phone, and make sure your telephone service is still active. If you're on VoIP or fiber, the digital line won't work directly — you need an ATA adapter or an online fax service.

What is the Canon test fax number?

Canon's official test fax number in the US is 1-855-392-2666 (1-855-FX-CANON). Sending a test page to this number is the fastest way to confirm your setup is working before faxing important documents.

How many pages can a Canon printer store in fax memory?

It depends on the model. PIXMA TR series printers hold roughly 50 pages in memory. MAXIFY MB models hold up to 100 pages. imageCLASS MF laser models hold 256–512 pages — making them the better choice for high-volume faxing.

Fax with a Canon Printer: Complete Guide (2026)

Canon all-in-one printers (PIXMA, MAXIFY, imageCLASS) include a built-in fax modem — here's how to set it up, send and receive faxes, fix common errors, and fax without a phone line if you no longer have one.

By Sarah Martinez · Published March 29, 2026 · Updated June 8, 2026 · 8 min read

Faxing with a Canon printer is straightforward once you know what you're doing — but Canon's all-in-one lineup spans three very different series (PIXMA, MAXIFY, and imageCLASS), and not every model includes a fax modem. This guide walks you through everything: confirming your model supports fax, one-time setup, sending, receiving, troubleshooting error codes, and what to do if you no longer have an active phone line.

No phone line? Skip ahead

If you've already cut your landline, jump to Fax Without a Phone Line — there are two clean alternatives that don't require any hardware changes.

Which Canon Printers Support Fax?

Not all Canon all-in-ones include a fax modem. The easiest check: look for a LINE port on the back of the printer and a FAX button on the control panel. If both are present, your printer can fax.

Series	Target User	Fax Memory	Notable Models
PIXMA TR	Home / 1–2 users	~50 pages	TR4520, TR4720, TR7020, TR8620a
PIXMA MX (legacy)	Home office	~50 pages	MX922, MX892, MX532
MAXIFY MB	Small office (1–9 users)	~100 pages	MB2120, MB2720, MB5120, MB5420
imageCLASS MF	Office / business	256–512 pages	MF236n, MF267dw, MF455dw, MF743Cdw

PIXMA TS models (TS3520, TS6420, etc.) are print/copy/scan only — no fax modem, no LINE port.

The imageCLASS laser series is the most capable for faxing: larger memory buffers, faster duty cycles, and Internet Fax (I-Fax) support on networked models. For home use, a PIXMA TR is more than sufficient.

What You Need Before You Start

Active analog (PSTN) phone line with a physical RJ-11 wall jack
RJ-11 telephone cable (included in the box with most Canon fax-capable models)
Plain paper loaded in the paper tray (for receiving faxes)
Optionally: an external telephone to share the line (connects to the EXT port)

VoIP / Fiber / Digital phone lines

Cable internet phone services (Comcast, Spectrum, Cox), fiber (AT&T Fiber, Verizon FiOS), and VoIP services use digital signals that are incompatible with the printer's analog fax modem. The printer will report "No Dial Tone" (#018) on these lines. See Fax Without a Phone Line for your options.

One-Time Setup: Connecting Your Canon Printer for Fax

Connect the phone cord

Plug one end of the included RJ-11 cable into the port labeled LINE on the back of the printer. Plug the other end into the wall telephone jack. If you have an external handset you want to share the line, remove the cap from the EXT port and connect it there.

Run the Fax Easy Setup wizard

On PIXMA TR models: press HOME → FAX → Start Easy Setup. On MAXIFY and imageCLASS models, navigate to Menu → Fax Settings → Easy Setup. The wizard tests the line connection and walks through the remaining steps.

Set the date, time, and sender info

The wizard will prompt you to set the current date and time. Then enter your unit name (your name or company) and fax/telephone number — this appears in the fax header on every document you send.

Confirm the dial type

Select Tone (Touch Tone) for most modern phone lines. Select Pulse only if you're on an older rotary-dial phone system. When in doubt, choose Tone.

Test with Canon's official fax number

Send a single-page test fax to 1-855-392-2666 (Canon's US test line). If the transmission report shows "OK," your setup is complete.

How to Send a Fax from a Canon Printer

Load your document — place it face-up in the ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) for multi-page documents, or face-down on the platen glass for a single page.
Press the FAX button on the control panel to enter Fax mode.
Adjust quality if needed — press the settings or Function key to change resolution: Standard (normal text), Fine (smaller text), Extra Fine (very fine text), or Photo (images). Fine is a good default for most documents.
Enter the fax number using the numeric keypad. For long-distance numbers, dial the full number including the area code. For international faxes, start with 011 then the country code.
Press Color Start or Black/White Start to begin transmission. The printer scans the document and dials the recipient.
Check the transmission report — it prints automatically after sending (or you can configure it to print only on error). "OK" means the fax was delivered; an error code means something went wrong.

Speed Dial & Address Book

Canon fax-capable printers support Speed Dial entries (one-touch or coded dialing). To register a number: go to FAX → Speed Dial Setup, assign a code (01–100+), enter the number and a name. Saves time when faxing the same numbers repeatedly.

How to Receive a Fax on a Canon Printer

First, choose a receive mode that matches how you use the line:

Mode	Best For	How It Works
Fax Only	Dedicated fax line	Printer answers all calls automatically, no ringing
TEL Priority	Shared voice + fax line	Phone rings first; switch to fax manually after picking up and hearing tones
Fax/Tel Auto Switch	Shared line with auto-detection	Printer detects fax tones and routes accordingly
DRPD	Distinctive ring service	Printer reads ring pattern to separate fax from voice calls

Set the receive mode: Menu → Fax Settings → Receive Mode (exact path varies by model).

Receiving in TEL Priority mode:

Phone rings — pick up the external handset.
If you hear fax tones (a high-pitched beeping), wait 5 seconds.
Press Start on the printer, then hang up.

Memory reception: If the printer runs out of paper or toner, incoming faxes are stored in memory and print when supplies are restocked. On imageCLASS models, memory holds 256–512 pages.

Fax Without a Phone Line

If you've cut your landline — or your phone service is VoIP/fiber — you have two practical options for faxing with your Canon:

Option 1: Scan → Online Fax Service (Simplest)

This works with every Canon printer that has a scanner, regardless of model:

Place your document on the platen or in the ADF.
Scan to PDF (save to a USB drive, email it to yourself, or use Canon's PRINT app).
Upload the PDF to mFax.to, enter the recipient's fax number, and send.

You get a delivery confirmation, the recipient receives a standard fax, and you never need a phone line. Over 5 million people use mFax.to this way.

Option 2: ATA Adapter (Use Existing Hardware)

An Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) converts your broadband VoIP service into an analog signal the printer understands:

Popular adapters: Cisco SPA112, Grandstream HT802
Connect: ATA → Router (Ethernet) and ATA → Printer LINE port (RJ-11)
Required settings on the printer: Disable ECM TX and ECM RX; set TX and RX start speed to 9600 bps. This prevents the modem from choking on VoIP latency.

ATA adapters work but add cost (~$50–80) and require configuration. The online fax method is faster to set up and more reliable for occasional use.

imageCLASS only: Internet Fax (I-Fax)

Networked imageCLASS MF models (MF455dw, MF743Cdw, MF753Cdw, and others) support I-Fax — sending faxes as TIFF email attachments over your LAN using ITU-T T.37. No phone line or online service needed. Configure via the Remote UI under Settings → TX/RX Settings → I-Fax Settings.

For a full breakdown of phone-line-free faxing methods, see our guide on how to fax without a phone line.

Troubleshooting: Canon Fax Error Codes

Error Code	Meaning	Fix
#018	No dial tone / line not active	Check cable is in LINE port; test wall jack with a phone; confirm phone service is active
#003	Document too large to transmit	Lower resolution to Standard; split large documents into smaller batches
#005	Recipient didn't answer in 35 seconds	Verify recipient machine is on; retry during business hours
#012	Recipient out of paper	Notify recipient to reload paper; retry
#022	PC fax driver TX is disabled	In machine admin settings, enable "Allow Fax Driver TX"
#037	Fax memory full	Print or delete stored faxes in memory; send smaller batches
#054	Fax number exceeds 40 digits	Shorten the dialing string; remove unnecessary pauses
#829	Received fax over 999 pages	Machine auto-prints first 999; ask sender to resend the remainder

The Most Common Problem: VoIP "No Dial Tone"

The single most frequent Canon fax complaint is error #018 on a VoIP/cable phone line. The printer's modem expects a clean analog 2600 Hz dial tone — VoIP lines deliver a digital approximation that often doesn't register. If you're on Comcast Voice, Spectrum Voice, or similar, the ATA adapter or online fax approach above is your most reliable fix.

For more troubleshooting patterns, see our article on why faxes don't go through.

Fax Directly from Your Computer

imageCLASS MF and MAXIFY MB printers support a PC fax driver that lets you fax documents directly from Windows or macOS without printing first:

Install the full Canon driver package from usa.canon.com/support.
Open your document (Word, PDF, etc.) and choose File → Print.
Select the Canon fax driver as the printer.
A dialing dialog appears — enter the recipient's fax number and click Send.
The printer dials and transmits over the connected phone line.

This works over USB and Wi-Fi connections, but the printer must still be physically connected to an active phone line.

See the full walkthrough in our how to fax from a computer guide.

PIXMA vs. MAXIFY vs. imageCLASS: Which Is Better for Faxing?

	PIXMA TR	MAXIFY MB	imageCLASS MF
Print technology	Inkjet	Inkjet	Laser
Best for	Home	Small office	Office / business
Fax memory	~50 pages	~100 pages	256–512 pages
Monthly duty cycle	~1,000 pages	~30,000 pages	30,000–150,000 pages
ADF capacity	20–35 sheets	50 sheets	50 sheets
PC fax driver	Some models	Yes	Yes
I-Fax (internet fax)	No	No	Yes (network models)
Cartridge cost	High per page	Medium	Low (toner)

Choose PIXMA TR if you fax a few times a month from home and already own the printer. Choose MAXIFY MB if you're a small business replacing a standalone fax machine. Choose imageCLASS MF if you need a high-volume, long-running office solution with deep fax memory and I-Fax capability.

One practical note: inkjet printers (PIXMA, MAXIFY) can have dried-up ink heads if unused for weeks. Laser toner doesn't dry out, so imageCLASS models are more reliable for infrequent faxing.

The Faster Alternative: Skip the Phone Line Entirely

All of the above assumes you have (or want to maintain) an active analog phone line. If you're only faxing a few times a year — tax forms, medical records, legal documents — the cost and complexity of a dedicated phone line is hard to justify.

mFax.to lets you fax from any Canon printer's scan output (or directly from your phone):

Scan your document to PDF
Upload to mFax.to, enter the recipient number, send
Receive a delivery confirmation within minutes
No phone line, no monthly subscription required for occasional use

Over 5 million users have sent 2 million+ faxes this way, with a 98% delivery success rate.

For businesses that receive faxes regularly and need a dedicated fax number, team access, and HIPAA compliance, mFax Business starts at about $9/mo (billed annually). It is fully customizable — you build your own plan with a live calculator, choosing the exact seats and pages you need ($3/seat + $4 per 100 pages) and paying only for what you use, with no rigid fixed tiers.

Faxing with a Canon printer works well when you have a clean analog phone line and the right model. For everything else — VoIP, fiber, or simply preferring to skip the hardware — the scan-to-online-fax workflow is faster and more reliable.

For the full comparison of all printer brands, see our guide on how to fax from a printer.