Community Newsletter: Q&A forum: 3/22/04 Get your email graphics back

Here are some honorable mentions, who took the time out to warn users to be careful when automatically viewing images in Outlook. Thanks everyone for these great submissions.


Answer:

You have discovered one of Microsoft's privacy features. By default,
automatic download of images from the Internet when viewing a message is
blocked by Outlook 2003. It is in effect wether you are viewing the
message in the Preview Pane (called Reading Pane in Outlook 2003) or in
an individual message window. This option protects you from falling
prey to images with embedded URLs that tell the sender you've opened the
message (useful tool to advertisers for confirming an email address).

Here is how to turn off picture blocking for all the messages you
receive, select
Tools--> Options--> Security
Click Change Automatic Download Settings
In the Automatic Picture Download Setting dialog box, select Warn me
before downloading content when editing, forwarding, or replying to
e-mail

You will receive warnings as the selected option suggests but at least
you'll be able to see the full content of the messages received.

--Submitted by: Karla N - Fremont, CA USA

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Answer:
Your reader can do the following in Outlook to stop
blocking images:

1) Go to Tools
2) Go to Options
3) Go to Security
4) Click the "Change Automatic Download Settings"
button, which should be under the heading "Download
Pictures."

Uncheck the box that says "Don't download pictures or
other content automatically in HTML email."

The reason that images are not shown by default in
email messages is that they could be what's called a
"web beacon" - an image whose purpose is to send a
confirmation message back to a spammer that you've
read the message - kind of a nefarious, underhanded
return receipt.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Geoff L.

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Answer:

While in Outlook click Tools then Options. Click on the 'Security' tab and
select 'Change Automatic Download Settings'. Then unselect the option that
says 'Don't download pictures or other content automatically in HTML e-mail'
and select OK. But...before you do this you should realize the
repercussions of this action. First is that many pictures do not show up in
your html email because the are not imbedded into the email itself and are
rather a link to a website. This means that the individuals who run this
website can track those users who download the email pictures and if you are
not careful can potentially deposit a virus onto your system via
java-scripts or vb-scripts. This is the key reason that Outlook 2003 has
this feature installed and turned on by default. So before selecting this
option I would highly recommend that you have an up-to-date anti-virus
software installed on the system to at least prevent any infections from
occurring from a malicious or previously infected website...and expect them
to track you when you download their pictures.

Jason K.

I have noticed the same sx with outlook express, emails with no pictures or pictures that cannot be forwarded (they appear as a box with an X when forwarding)
Does this same feature exist in outlook express, and ir so, how do you turn it off.

Let me state that I have nothing against Apple or Linux. But I will throw my 2 cents about your post.

You wrote:

"This sort of attention to details in terms of User Experience is why Apple's products are superior."

Isn't this a bit of an overstatement?

The only reason why Apple products are supposedly superior in terms of security holes and what not, versus Microsoft products is because only 20% of the computing world uses Apple products, thus Hackers, virus writers, malicious acts and exploits by these cyber criminals will only target the mass/majority (Windows users) to create the most effective damage results/chaos and will not waste their time to hit the minority (Linux and Mac users).

I almost can bet IF the tables were turned where Apple did dominate the computing world, Apple products would be the subject of attacks by hackers, viruses, and such... and you wouldn't be making the above statement, the MS users would be

Am I wrong here?

-Lee

I have OE6 and it does not have the button in security to "Change automatic download settings"
Any help?
thanks,

I read your solution for outlook 2003, yet in outlook 2007 under options there is no security tab.
Albert