Why aren’t images showing in my emails, and how do I fix it?

Opening an email and seeing blank boxes where images should be is frustrating. It happens often—whether you use Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, or another platform. The good news is that most of the time it’s not a technical glitch. It comes down to privacy settings, automatic image blocking, or compatibility issues – usually within your email software.

This guide will explain the most common reasons images don’t appear in emails and show you how to fix the issue in popular email programs.

Why images don’t show in emails

• Privacy protection – Many email clients block external images by default to prevent tracking. Marketers and cybercriminals alike can use tiny “tracking pixels” to know when you’ve opened an email. Blocking images protects your data.

• Automatic image loading disabled – If your email program doesn’t load images automatically, you’ll see placeholders until you change the setting.

• Unsupported formats – Newer formats like WebP may not be supported everywhere. Sticking to JPEG or PNG ensures broader compatibility.

• Large file sizes – Huge image files can time out or fail to load on slower connections.

• Server issues – If images are hosted on an unreliable server, they might not display.

Understanding which of these applies to your situation will guide the fix.

How to show images in Gmail

1. Open Gmail in your browser.

2. Click the gear icon in the top-right corner, then choose See all settings.

3. In the General tab, scroll down to the Images section.

4. Choose between:

   • Always display external images

   • Ask before displaying external images

If you trust most of your senders, select Always display. If you want more control, choose Ask before.

How to enable images in Outlook Webmail

1. Open Outlook.com and click the gear icon in the top-right corner.

2. Select View all Outlook settings.

3. Go to General > Privacy and data.

4. Under image preferences, select Always use the Outlook service to load images.

Outlook desktop versions (2010, 2019, 365)

1. Open Outlook and go to File > Options.

2. In the pop-up, select Trust Center, then click Trust Center Settings.

3. Choose Automatic Download.

4. Uncheck Don’t download pictures automatically in HTML email messages or RSS items.

This allows Outlook to load images automatically.

How to load images in Apple Mail (iPhone/iPad)

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll to Mail.

3. Tap Privacy Protection under the Messages section.

4. Toggle off Protect Mail Activity.

5. Also make sure Block All Remote Content is toggled off.

How to load images in Mac Mail

1. Open the Mail app on your Mac.

2. Go to Mail > Preferences from the menu bar.

3. Select the Privacy tab.

4. Uncheck Protect Mail Activity and Block All Remote Content.

How to show images in Proton Mail

1. Log in to Proton Mail.

2. Go to Settings > Go to settings.

3. Under Messages and Composer, scroll to the Messages section.

4. Enable Auto show embedded images.

How to display images in Zoom Mail

1. Open the Zoom desktop client.

2. Click the Mail tab.

3. In the inbox menu, find Load external images.

4. Toggle it on.

Best practices if you’re sending emails

If you send marketing emails or newsletters, you want your images to display correctly for as many recipients as possible. Here are practical tips:

• Always include ALT text – This provides a description if the image doesn’t load. It also helps with accessibility.

• Compress your images – Keep file sizes small for faster loading. Tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh help.

• Stick to standard formats – JPEG and PNG are supported everywhere. Avoid WebP if broad compatibility is a priority.

• Host images on reliable servers – Don’t rely on free or unstable hosting that may block access.

• Design for “image-off” mode – Assume some recipients won’t load images. Make sure your email still makes sense with only text and ALT tags.

If images aren’t showing in your email, it’s usually because of privacy and security defaults. Adjusting your settings in Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, Proton Mail, or Zoom Mail typically solves the problem in a few clicks.

For senders, following best practices ensures your email images have the best chance of displaying properly. By balancing security with convenience, you can decide when and how images load in your inbox.