Few vestiges of the past convey the same sense of kitschy, Seinfeld-era charm like an office fax machine. You might not believe it, but there are still thousands of fax machines still standing and serving nationwide. Why?

While digital communication like email and text messaging has become the norm, there are some things in life that only a fax machine can do. Here are a few reasons why people still use fax machines, even today.

1. Physical Records, Especially Important in Law and Medicine

A doctor examining an X-ray.

In many contexts, recipients consider a faxed document or message legally valid and binding. This makes them a much more viable paper trail than an email chain from the standpoint of a lawyer or firm. Despite the Obama administration's earnest and well-meaning efforts, much of the US medical sector relies on faxes for communication.

HIPAA-compliant practices add a lot of red tape to the act of sharing medical records. They are particularly strict if documents travel between two or more hospitals or medical centers. It's not always a matter of security, either. End-to-end encryption won't prevent someone from sending medical records to the wrong person, for example.

Faxing patient information (especially between specialists) is HIPAA-approved, which is why so many doctors still use a fax machine in their offices. The same goes for many practicing attorneys. Fax communication is instantaneous, convenient to file on-site, and holds up as a time-stamped exhibition of evidence in court. In many cases, an email or text message may not hold as much water.

2. Fear of Hacking and Other Security Concerns

Traditional fax machines use telephone lines as their mode of transit. This doesn't leave a lot of room for message tampering or interception by a third party. A real fax machine doesn't use a digital network, preventing hackers from accessing anything that you've sent or received through the device.

E-fax machines skip the telephone line and send messages to one another over the internet. They often include some enhanced backward compatibility with ordinary, telephone-based fax machines.

A modern e-fax machine may not confer all the security benefits that come with a true faxing experience, but this potential benefit of a real, bona fide fax machine is worth considering.

3. Updated Technology, Including Email Integration

One positive aspect of the e-fax movement is how these devices have ushered in a new golden age for fax machines.

Fax machine technology has progressed significantly, even in the last few years or so. You can now use a smart fax machine, with Wi-Fi compatibility and all the bells and whistles, to send faxes using your smartphone or laptop. You can even send faxes without a fax machine at all.

While digital integration does negate many of the security benefits of fax machines, the added convenience and compatibility with existing communication methods may be worth it, unless you're dealing with messages or documents of an especially sensitive nature.

4. Legacy Users and Old Businesses

An office.

Inertia keeps many people on the fax line. Many business owners who started at the height of fax mania may either be too reliant on this communication method to back out of it now. Or they may simply be unwilling to make the transition for one reason or another.

Is your dad still using his old iPhone 4 from back in the day? Old habits die hard—if it ain't broke, many prefer to put off fixing it.

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5. You Don’t Need Much Contact Info to Send a Message

This advantage is the same kind of reason that email usurped snail mail, at least in some capacity. Instead of needing to know the recipient's full name and physical address, you only need to use a short equivalent.

Fax machines offer the same benefit. All you need to send a fax is your recipient's fax number, plus the number's area code and country code, if applicable. This also provides an extra layer of security for anyone who needs to make their fax information public. People can use this information to get in touch, but not necessarily to hunt you down at home. Small victories.

6. Signing Paperwork at a Distance

A Canon FAX-L240 fax machine.
Image Credit: Donald Trung

Signing papers over long distances makes obtaining an authentic signature convenient and simple. E-signatures do not carry the same legal weight as a real pen-and-paper signature.

Faxing a signature is one of the surest ways to seal the deal and to ensure that the person you're working with is legitimate. It's much more difficult to forge a signature through a landline than a simple, unassuming email transaction.

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Fax Machines in 2022, Through the Rosy Lens of Nostalgia

We're certainly not about to turn in our smartphones and Outlook inboxes for the latest and greatest in fax technology. For many professionals, however, the appeal of the humble fax machine is more than apparent. The future may be here, but are we ready for it?