How to Fix Images Not Appearing in Your Email

So, you opened an important email that you need to get to work ASAP and the worst has happened. No images shown. Technical problems in emails are always extremely frustrating. The most irritating are the simple errors that make the mail unusable.

Images not showing in emails can be caused by several factors, from internet issues, incorrect settings, configuration issues, full storage, and more obscure issues. Here you can find the most common solutions for three popular email platforms.

Before delving into each platform, make sure you have a stable internet connection, as most email platforms won’t load images correctly on slower broadband.

Images not appearing in Outlook emails

Outlook is one of the most used email programs, especially in the workplace. However, it is not without problems and sometimes the images do not display and you have no idea why. Sometimes it can be something minor like a slow internet connection. Make sure you cover all possibilities. With that out of the way, here are some solutions that should resolve the issue.

Outlook Safe Mode and Add-ins

Sometimes add-ins make it difficult for Outlook to display all images. To disable them, you must open Outlook in safe mode, which we describe below:

1. Right-click the Windows icon and then click “Run.”
   
2. Guy “Outlook.exe/safe”And then press Enter.
   
3. Click “OK.”
   

Check the problematic emails to see if the images have appeared. If you can see them now, you will need to disable the plugins.

If you have an updated version of Outlook, you can follow these steps:

1. Go to “Menu” in the upper left corner. Select “Plugins”
   
2. Select “Manage Plugins” from the list of options. Uncheck the box next to the plugin you want to disable.
   

Alternatively, follow these steps for Outlook 2016 and earlier:

1. For Outlook 2010, 2013, and 2016, go to “File” in the upper left corner and click “Options.” For Outlook 2007, select “Tools” and then “Trust Center.”
2. Select the “Plugins” tab on the left.
   
3. Select the “Manage COM Add-ins” option and then click “Manage.” In the new window, select which plugins you want to disable
   

Every time you delete an add-in, restart Outlook and check if the problem is fixed. If not, you have to go back and repeat the process. Uncheck all the plugins one by one, find the one that is faulty and then deactivate it.

Remove image blocking

To do this, open the Outlook application and then follow these instructions:

1. Select File and then “Options.” Then click “Trust Center” and go to “Trust Center Settings.” On the left, click “Automatic Download.”
   
2. If the “Do not automatically download images in HTML emails or RSS elements” box is checked, simply uncheck it.
   
3. Then go to “OK.”
   

When you are done, check if the issue is resolved.

Image Placeholder Settings

When the Image Highlighter setting is enabled, that may be what is preventing your images from displaying correctly in your emails. To fix it simply disable this option:

1. Open Outlook and click “New Mail.” Select “File” and then “Option.” Click “Mail.”
   
2. Then choose “Editor Options.”
   
3. On the left, click “Advanced.”
   
4. Under “Show email content”, uncheck the “Show image placeholder” box.
   

Close everything and restart Outlook. Check if images are now visible in your emails.

For Microsoft Outlook 2007

If you have this problem in Outlook 2007, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook 2007 and go to “Tools.” From the drop-down menu, select “Trust Center.”
   
2. Go to “Automatic Downloads.”
   
3. Uncheck the “Do not automatically download images in HTML emails or RSS items” box if it is checked.
   
4. Select “OK.”
   

Images not appearing in Yahoo email

Difficulties like not being able to open or view images in an email on Yahoo are usually caused by strange settings and minor errors. Those problems are very common and can be solved with simple changes:

• If you are using any ad blocking app for your browser, please disable it and check if that is the cause of this issue.
• Check JavaScript and make sure it is enabled on the Yahoo site.
• Clear the browser cache and force the images to download again.
• Try using a different browser.
• Check your Internet connection. A slow Internet connection will make loading images or opening them difficult and sometimes even impossible.

Safety feature

The tricky part about Yahoo Mail is that it has a security feature that may be too restrictive when opening or loading images in emails. Let’s try to fix that:

1. First, go to Yahoo in your browser.
   
2. Then go to “Settings” located at the top right.
   
3. In the drop-down menu, click “More Settings.”
   
4. On the left, click on the “View Email” option, then look for “Show images in messages” and there you should check “Always” everywhere except the spam folder option.
   
5. Save your changes.

Reload the page and check if the images are visible now.

Image service

Yahoo may be using an older version of the Image Service that does not display some images. To update Yahoo Mail you must go to:

1. Yahoo “Inbox” and select “Settings” in the upper right corner.
   
2. Go to the “General” tab, find “Mail Features” and select “Image Service.”

Once you’re done, reload the page and see if sending an image or receiving an image fixed the issue.

Images not appearing in Gmail emails

Like any email website, Google Gmail also has its quirks. There could be some minor issues preventing Gmail from displaying images in emails.

• Clear your browser cache. This can avoid some charging problems.
• Try changing the browser.
• Disable your ad blocking plug-in or plug-in.
• Check your Internet connection.
• Try to contact the sender. Maybe they have some problems with their computer or email settings.

If you already tried these fixes and it didn’t help, try this instead:

1. Go to Gmail using your browser.
   
2. In the upper right corner, click Settings and then click “See all settings.”
   
3. Find the “Image” section and select “Always show external images.”
   
4. Click “Save Changes” and reload the page.
   

Gmail does not show images on Android

If the Gmail app is not showing images on your Android, here is what you should try:

1. Open the Gmail app.
   
2. Swipe right from the left edge to open the navigation panel and select “Settings” at the bottom of the menu.
   
3. Select your account from the list of accounts.
   
4. In the “Data Usage” tab almost to the end, tap “Pictures.”
   
5. Select “Always show” or “Always show external images.”
   

What you can also try is to reinstall the app, sign out, and then log back into your account and make sure your contacts are sending images in supported formats.

Minor problems: easy solutions

Following these steps should solve the mystery of images disappearing on email apps and sites. While the problem is common and has a few different causes, it is generally simple to fix.

If this helped you with your email problems, please let us know in the comments section below. Did you find a new solution? Let other readers know in the comments too.