Prevent Outlook from Downloading Images Automatically

Emails with images are a nice thing to see in Outlook and newsletters that look like web sites are often not only more attractive but also easier to read than their plain text counterparts.

But not all is well. Pictures that are downloaded when you open an email message in are a threat to your privacy. Downloading any content from the web into Outlook also puts your computer security at risk.

It's best not to have Outlook download content automatically (unless it comes from a trusted source). You can always retrieve remote images manually.

Prevent Outlook from Downloading Images Automatically

To prevent Outlook from downloading images automatically:

• In Outlook 2007:
  • Select Tools | Trust Center... from the menu.
  • Go to the Automatic Download category.
• In Outlook 2003:
  • Select Tools | Options... from the menu.
  • Go to the Security tab.
  • Click Change Automatic Download Settings....
• Make sure Don't download pictures or other content automatically in HTML e-mail is checked.
  • Optionally, check Permit downloads in e-mail messages from senders and to recipients defined in the Safe Senders and Safe Recipients Lists used by the Junk E-mail filter.
    Keep in mind that the sender is not verified. If somebody uses an email address that is not their own and on your Safe Senders List, images will be downloaded automatically.
  • It's okay to check Permit downloads from Web sites in this security zone: Trusted Zone.
• Click OK.
• In Outlook 2003, click OK again.