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Yes, and that is the problem: a sticky note scans as a solid dark rectangle that can cover the text underneath. Peel sticky notes off before faxing, note what was under them, and reattach after. If you fax from software instead of a machine, export the page to PDF first and the problem disappears.
A fax scanner measures how much light bounces off the page. White paper reflects a lot, black text reflects little, and the scanner draws the line somewhere in between. A colored sticky note reflects far less light than white paper, so it lands on the dark side of that line and renders as a solid block. The note does not need to be dark in real life: even pale yellow is dramatically darker than white paper to a scanner that only sees brightness.
This is also why the note's edges come out so crisp. The scanner is not confused by the sticky note; it is faithfully recording exactly what it sees, which is a rectangle that is darker than everything around it.
Peel the notes off, fax the clean page, and handle the annotations separately. If the note says something the recipient needs, like "sign here" or an account number, write it into a cover sheet instead, or type it into the document before printing. Then reattach the notes to your own copy so you still have your annotations for your records.
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Remove sticky notes before feeding the page | Fax with notes attached and hope for the best |
| Move important notes onto a cover sheet | Assume the recipient can read what was under a note |
| Reattach notes to your filed copy afterward | Throw the notes away and lose your own annotations |
| Wipe the scanner glass if a note went through the feeder | Ignore the faint new line appearing on later faxes |
Sometimes, and that is the second reason to remove them. A sheet-fed fax machine pulls the page through with rollers, and the raised edge of a sticky note can catch, fold the note back, or in the worst case peel the note off inside the machine. A note stuck to a roller or the scan head does not just ruin one fax: it can smear adhesive across the mechanism and degrade every fax after it until someone cleans it out.
On a flatbed scanner the risk is lower, since nothing moves except the scan head, but the residue problem is the same. The adhesive on a sticky note is designed to be removable from paper, not from glass, and it transfers more readily than you would expect.
Same family of problems, different flavors. Tape scans as a dark or cloudy patch depending on the type: clear tape is often worse than masking tape because it refracts light oddly. Paper clips and staples are worse than sticky notes: they can physically damage the feeder rollers or scratch the scan head, which is an expensive repair for a machine that costs less than the repair. Remove all of them before faxing, and if the document must stay together, fax the pages loose and reassemble your copy afterward.
Not at all, which is the easiest fix of the lot. When you fax through software or an online service, there is no scanner involved: your document is transmitted as a file. A PDF does not know or care that a sticky note was ever stuck to the printed page. LetterAgent's fax flow (currently in testing) works this way: describe the fax to your AI assistant, approve the quoted total, and it is sent from the file. Peel the notes off your screen, not your paper.
Ready to fax it? Fax with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and it is sent.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
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