How Can I Edit a Fax File?
I received a fax as a TIFF file and I want to edit it. When I open it in Paint I only get the first page. What do I do?
With a little experimentation with photo editing software, you should be able to edit your fax. TIFFs are basically just image files that can be opened with basic programs such as: Photoshop Elements, GIMP (free), or Picasa (also free). On a PC, you can also try the native Windows Picture and Fax Viewer. Normally, you should also be able to open the TIFF file with Paint by choosing File and then Open. But, as you’ve found, Paint doesn’t support multi-page TIFFs.
You might have to use a workaround to view and edit your entire fax. Some users have reported success using a free program called Irfanview. Open the TIFF in that, resave as a JPG, and then open it in Paint.
If you don’t want to have to download any new programs, then you could just print the faxes out, scan them back in individually, and then open each page in a photo editing program. Or, you could try using a OCR (Optical Character Recognition) program to convert text in a PDF, PNG or TIFF file into an editable format, such as DOC. There are several free as well as paid options that allow you to snag multiple pages of images and edit them.
Do you have a question about faxing? Send me your fax question.
