RSSApplies to: Microsoft Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2007, Outlook 2003
One of the most important new features added to Outlook beginning with Microsoft Outlook 2003: blocked Web content. This feature protects your privacy by blocking “web bugs.”
As you quickly discover, newsletters and advertisements that you receive don’t display the images. While images are the most noticeable blocked item, any downloaded content is blocked, including scripts and external style sheet.
Right click on any picture placeholder or on the Infobar to show the images and internet content. You can add senders or domains to the Safe Senders list from this menu if you always want to see the images on some messages automatically. Tip: If some contacts frequently send you messages containing web content, add their name to the safe sender list instead of trusting all senders in your address book.
Tip: If you use Outlook on a metered or dial-up account, leaving images blocked can save bandwidth s well as prevents Outlook from initiating a connection as you read your messages. You can enable the images on each message when you are connected to the internet.
Change Automatic Download Settings
To change the automatic download settings, right-click on the Infobar and choose Change Automatic Download Settings to open the dialog.
You can also reach this dialog from the File, Options, Trust Center, Automatic Download dialog in Outlook 2010 and up or using Tools, Trust Center, Automatic Download in Outlook 2007. In Outlook 2003, go to Tools, Options, Security, Change Automatic Download Settings.
More Information
You can configure Outlook to display all email in plain text format. See Read Outlook Messages using Plain Text
Also see:
Picture Placeholders are displaying in Outlook Email Messages
Red X’s in Email Messages
![Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]](https://cdn.statically.io/img/web.archive.org/web/20150218074718im_/http://media.slipstick.com/images/2013/mvp-icon.png){kind=icon}
My problem with Outlook 2010 in Windows 7 is that my installation has suddenly started to load email images VERY slowly. They used to load almost instantaneously. I'm not aware of making any changes to my system that might account for it. Can you help. It is driving me nuts
Check the securetemp folder - are there a lot of files in the cache?
What security software do you use? Is it testing for or blocking phishing attempts?
Every article says this stuff. It's not an answer. Outlook blocked content even when you do all these things.
What exactly are you symptoms? It could be a different problem.
I want the pictures to appear in my mail messages. They did now they don't and I don't remember doing anything.
It's either a "full" securetemp folder - see Red X's in email or a recent update.
Even though I have added the sender to the safe sender list, when I right-click on where the image should display, the only option I get is to "copy." I do not get the option to download the pictures.
There is another possibility. If you send through a web interface the image may not appear in the sent folder of the outlook desktop client.
You say all these things that "you can do" but you don't tell us how to do it! I can't believe this is where Outlook sends me for help....so incredibly lame. Hate MSoft!
What are you trying to do? I don't see anything on this page that says you can do something but doesn't tell you how to do it.
Hi Diane, while trying to attach compressed pictures, suddenly Windows 7 doesn't opens a new e‑mail message in my Outlook 2007..Any clue?. Thanks. George.
This is using the send to mail command in windows explorer? Do you get any error messages?
My problem is that outlook is not displaying ads in newsletters on certain computers. Just leaves a blank spot.
Is outlook configured to show picture placeholders?
http://www.slipstick.com/problems/picture-placeholders-displaying-outlook-email-messages/
Outlook 2013 recently quit allowing me to manually download pictures in my email preview...or to copy and past images into a new email. I have changed nothing on this PC in months except to install MS updates. I have tried everything that I have read on the blogs. I do have red Xs showing up in my received mail preview and verbiage stating to right click to download picture, but when I right click and select "download pictures" no pictures ever appear and the option to download that picture is never available again.
See http://www.slipstick.com/problems/red-xs-in-email/ for common issues - lately the problem is the IE setting for encrypted pages.