Let’s talk about what it is, why you might (or might not) want to use it, and how to set it up without pulling your hair out. In simple terms, it’s a virtual printer driver included with Windows Server (2008 through 2022, though it’s being phased out in newer builds). When a user prints a document to this "printer," the document isn’t printed on paper. Instead, it gets handed off to the Windows Fax and Scan service, which then transmits it over a phone line via a fax modem to a traditional fax machine.
Most IT pros know that faxing is a legacy technology. But if you work in healthcare, legal, or government, you know the truth: And buried deep inside Windows Server is a tool that many overlook: the Microsoft Shared Fax Driver .
Deep Dive: The Microsoft Shared Fax Driver – The Forgotten Gem of Windows Server