How to download pictures manually or automatically in Outlook?

Author: Kelly Last Modified: 2025-04-03

In Microsoft Outlook, images within email messages are not downloaded automatically by default, often leaving you with only the frame of the picture visible. To address this, this guide will explain how to manually download pictures in individual emails and set up Outlook to automatically download images for all incoming messages, ensuring that your emails display fully and as intended.

Download pictures in email messages manually

Download pictures in email messages automatically

Download pictures in email messages manually

The frames of pictures make the received email messages not easy to read. But you can download all the pictures in this email message manually.

Step 1: Preview the email message with pictures in the Reading Pane.

Step 2: A warning text stays below the sender’s email address, please click the text first, and then click the "Download Pictures" in the drop-down list.

It is an alternative to "right-click" the picture frame in the email message, and then click the "Download Pictures" item in the right-click menu.

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Now all pictures are downloaded in this email message, which makes the received email message rich and easy to read.

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Download pictures in email messages automatically

It might be a little boring to download pictures in receive email messages manually every time. Here we arrange you with the method to download pictures for all received email messages automatically.

Step 1: First of all, please open the Trust Center dialog box:

Click the "File" > "Options";
Click the "Trust Center" in the left bar;
Click the "Trust Center Settings" button in the "Microsoft Outlook Trust Center" section.

Step 2: In the Trust Center dialog box, click the "Automatic Download" in the left bar.

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Step 3: Uncheck the "Don’t download pictures automatically in HTML e-mail messages or RSS items" option.
This operation will permit Microsoft Outlook to download pictures in all received email messages and RSS automatically.

If you do not want to download all pictures in received email messages, except for the pictures in the email messages from safe senders/recipients, safe websites, RSS, and more, please:

Keep checking the "Don’t download pictures automatically in HTML e-mail messages or RSS items" option.
Check the "Permit downloads in e-mail messages from senders and to recipients defined in the Safe Senders and Safe Recipients Lists used by the Junk E-mail Filter" option.
Check the "Permit downloads from Web sites in this security zone: Trusted Zone" options.
Check the "Permit downloads in RSS items" option.
Check the "Permit downloads in SharePoint Discussion Boards" option.

Step 4: Click the "OK" buttons in each dialog box.