Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to Fix Outlook Not Displaying Embedded Images or Pictures in HTML Emails. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

How to Fix Outlook Not Displaying Embedded Images or Pictures in HTML Emails

If images and embedded graphics are not appearing in your Outlook emails, you are likely seeing red "X" icons or empty white boxes where pictures should be. This is a common issue for small business users across Australia and is usually caused by security settings, blocked content, or connectivity problems. This guide will help you restore embedded images so you can view rich HTML emails correctly.

Summary

This article helps Brisbane small business customers resolve issues where images and embedded graphics fail to display in Outlook emails, ensuring they can view rich HTML content and attachments correctly.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Open Outlook and open an email that contains missing images.
2. Look for a notification bar at the top of the message that says images have been blocked.
3. Click Download Pictures or Click here to download pictures.
4. If the images appear, the issue was simply blocked content for that specific sender.

Detailed Instructions

Change Automatic Picture Download Settings

1. Open Outlook and select File in the top-left corner.
2. Click Options from the left-hand menu.
3. In the Outlook Options window, select Trust Center.
4. Click the Trust Center Settings... button.
5. Select Automatic Download from the list on the left.
6. Uncheck the box labelled Don't download pictures automatically in HTML e-mail messages or RSS items.
7. Click OK, then click OK again to close Outlook Options.
8. Restart Outlook for the changes to take effect.

Add Senders to the Safe Senders List

1. In Outlook, go to Home > Junk > Junk E-mail Options...
2. Select the Safe Senders tab.
3. Click Add...
4. Enter the email address or domain of the sender (for example, [email protected]).
5. Click OK, then click OK again to close the window.

Emails from addresses on your Safe Senders list will have images downloaded automatically.

Check Your Internet Connection

Outlook downloads embedded images from remote servers when you open an email. If your internet connection is unstable, images may fail to load.

• Open a web browser and visit a website to confirm your connection is working.
• If you are using Wi-Fi, try moving closer to your router or switching to a wired connection.
• Restart your modem or router if other devices are also experiencing slow internet.

Repair Outlook or Microsoft 365 Installation

1. Close Outlook completely.
2. Right-click the Start button and select Installed apps (Windows 11) or Apps & features (Windows 10).
3. Find Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office in the list.
4. Click the three dots (...) next to it and select Modify.
5. Choose Quick Repair and click Repair.
6. If the issue persists, repeat the steps and choose Online Repair instead.
7. Restart your computer and open Outlook again.

Common Causes

• Automatic picture download is disabled in Outlook Trust Center settings.
• The sender is not on your Safe Senders list.
• Unstable or disconnected internet connection.
• Outlook is working in Offline mode.
• Antivirus or firewall blocking external content downloads.
• Corrupted Outlook installation or profile.

Troubleshooting

Images Still Not Displaying After Changing Settings

• Ensure you are not working in Offline mode. In Outlook, check the status bar at the bottom. If it says Working Offline, select Send/Receive > Work Offline to reconnect.
• Check if your antivirus or firewall is blocking Outlook from downloading external content. Temporarily disable the email scanning feature to test, then re-enable it immediately after.
• Clear the Outlook temporary files folder. Press Windows Key + R, type %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook, and press Enter. Delete the contents of the Content.Outlook folder if present.

Issue Only Occurs on One Computer

If images display correctly on your phone or webmail but not on your desktop Outlook, the problem is local to that installation. Try creating a new Outlook profile:

1. Close Outlook.
2. Open Control Panel and search for Mail.
3. Click Show Profiles...
4. Click Add... and follow the prompts to set up your email account again.
5. Select Always use this profile and choose your new profile from the dropdown.
6. Click OK and open Outlook.

Still Having Issues

If you have tried these steps and images are still not displaying in Outlook, please Open a Ticket and our Brisbane support team will assist you further.

Related Articles

• Setting Up an Email Account in Outlook (POP/IMAP/Exchange)
• Managing Email Signatures in Outlook
• Troubleshooting Outlook Send/Receive Errors
• Backing Up and Restoring Outlook Data Files (.pst/.ost)
• Organizing Emails with Rules and Alerts in Outlook
• Using Outlook Calendar and Scheduling Meetings

Still Having Issues?