Where Does Windows Fax and Scan Store Faxes?
Where Windows Fax and Scan keeps the fax queue, inbox and cover pages on Windows for backup.
Last updated
Windows Fax and Scan splits state between the fax service and the user. Incoming, outgoing and sent faxes queue under ProgramData in the MSFax tree, owned by the service account. Cover pages and scan profiles sit in user space.
Back up the service tree with the Fax service stopped; live queue files copy badly while jobs run. Cover pages travel separately from Documents. Browsing ProgramData needs admin rights on most machines.
Where Windows stores this, by platform
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows NT\MSFax
Service queue, inbox and sent items under ProgramData MSFax. Stop the Fax service before copying. Needs admin rights to browse or restore.
Frequently asked questions
How do I back up received faxes?
Stop the Fax service and copy the MSFax tree plus your cover pages. Queued and received faxes live in the service folders, custom cover pages in Documents. Restart the service after restoring.
Where are my fax cover pages?
Open Fax and Scan, Tools, Cover Pages, and read the personal folder path. Server covers live under ProgramData, personal ones under Documents. The dialog always shows the live folder.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.