Resolve Outlook’s “Images Not Displaying” Issue – Complete Guide

  Kumar Raj
Written By Kumar Raj
Anuraag Singh
Approved By Anuraag Singh  
Modified On October 7th, 2025
Reading Time 6 Minutes Reading

Microsoft Outlook often blocks external images in emails by default as a security measure, causing blank placeholders or red “X” icons to appear. Whether you’re using Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, or 2013, the cause could be a blocked automatic download setting, firewall/antivirus interference, unhealthy PST file, or add-ins. In this post, you’ll find clear, step-by-step solutions from toggling Trust Center settings to fixing unhealthy Outlook data files to restore email images instantly. Let’s get started!

Free Manual Ways to Fix “Images Not Showing in Outlook Emails” Issue

  • Unblock Images from a Certain Domain or Email Address
  • Unblock Pictures for a Specific Message
  • Unblock Images for all the Outlook Emails

In further sections of this blog post, we will describe each of these methods step-by-step and perfectly too. So, you can go with any of them as per your comfort. Let’s get started!

Method #1: Unblock Images from a Certain Domain or Email Address

To execute this method to allow images from a trusted source or a specific domain. Then, you have to follow the two-step procedure and this helps you to fix ‘images not displaying in Outlook 2016’.

  • Initially, you have to right-click on the Blocked components. To do so, you have to open the message received from a trusted source and domain.
  • After that, hit a click on Add the Sender into Safe Senders List then, add the YYY@domain to Safe Senders List.

Method #2: Unblock Pictures for a Specific Message

If you want to unblock a particular email message so, you can easily unblock images by clicking on Download Pictures from the InfoBar. Though, you get this option at the top of a message.

If you are executing the above-stated instruction to unblock and view the image. So, while previewing the message, the picture will be saved automatically. Subsequently, in the future, that will be displayed perfectly when you open an email message. But, when you open the message at that time, you should save the message if you need it to be displayed next time.

Method #3: Unblock Images for all the Outlook Emails

Just in case, you are using Outlook version 2016, 2013 and 2010. So, simply, follow the below-explained directions to execute the process perfectly. This may help to fix Microsoft Outlook not displaying images in emails.

  1. Initially, go to the File tab. Hit on Options then choose Trust Center.
  2. Here, in the section Microsoft Outlook Trust Center, you have to choose Trust Center Settings.
  3. Lastly, clear the checkbox against Don’t download images automatically in HTML e-mail messages or RSS items.

Tip!If you are utilizing Outlook version 2007 so, you have to follow the steps mentioned below. Let’s have a look:

  1. Primarily, navigate to the Tools menu after that, hit on Trust Center then, choose Automatic Download.
  2. Now, clear the checkbox located in front of “Don’t download images automatically in HTML e-mail messages or RSS elements”.

After performing the above-stated manual solution to resolve Microsoft Outlook not displaying images in emails, if you are still unable to get the preferred resultant. Then, you should proceed to an alternative solution. This is a professional automated application, using this you can easily get rid of this issue without any hindrance.

Resolve “Pictures Not Displaying in MS Outlook Emails” Issue Using Professional Solution

If in case, you are still unable to get the desired outcome after performing the above-stated manual solutions. So, you can opt this automated solution named SysTools Outlook PST File Recovery Wizard which can repair Outlook PST file.

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Mainly, this software has the ability to fix all Outlook related issues within a few clicks. This Outlook Repair application facilitates a functionality i.e., it supports to preview and export attachments (including embedded email attachments). However, it is programmed in such a smart way that it provides users to recover and repair Outlook personal folder file. After scanning PST file, it previews PST email message along with attachments. The software provides a direct preview of images attached. You can also view images by double-clicking on the images attached. So, the software helps to open the images specifically in a new preview window. Also, you can export them in required file formats like PST, EML, MSG, HTML, PDF, or in Office 365 account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Why won’t Outlook show images in emails?

Outlook disables automatic image download in HTML emails via its Trust Center settings. Other reasons may include firewall/antivirus blocking, an unhealthy personal storage table file, add-ins interfering, or network proxy restrictions.

Q2. How do I allow images from a trusted sender in Outlook?

Open the email >> click the “Junk” menu >> select “Junk E-mail Options” >> go to the “Safe Senders” tab >> add the sender’s email or domain. This signals Outlook to auto-download images from that address.

Q3. How do I disable the “Don’t download pictures automatically” setting in Outlook?

Upon disabling it, restart MS Outlook. Moreover, ensure the option “Don’t download pictures in encrypted or signed HTML e-mail messages” is unchecked if relevant.

Q4. Could a corrupt PST file prevent images from displaying?

If your PST is unhealthy, inline images may not load correctly. You can run Outlook’s Inbox Repair Tool (SCANPST.exe) or use a dedicated utility to repair pst file without scanpst.

Q5. Why do I see a red “X” or blank square instead of images in Outlook?

This happens when the image is externally hosted and Outlook’s security settings or firewall is blocking the fetch, or the file path / link is broken. You may need to allow access, fix the URL, or disable “do not save encrypted pages” in Internet Options.

Time to Conclude

All in all, we can say with assurance that after reading the complete blog, you will be able to fix your Outlook related error. Mainly, we have discussed all the main manual methods to resolve Microsoft Outlook not displaying images in emails. But, sometimes free solution does not work expectedly. So, it is highly recommended to go with an expert solution. Because it provides you a guaranteed to facilities with the desired outcome. Thus, it totally depends on you, which method you opt. It’s time to take the decision wisely.

  Kumar Raj

By Kumar Raj

Kumar Raj has more than 14 plus years of expertise in migration technology. He likes to create, edit, and optimize web material on topics conversion of email data, and migration of email data. For the majority of the past ten years, he has been a devoted fan of the technology scene.