Back to Basics - Missing Graphics?  

Are you missing graphics in your email? Getting a little red x (or another symbol) rather than the picture that you've been sent? Maybe my Newsletter is arriving without the graphics. This can happen if you pick up your mail at the provider's website (Gmail.com or Optonline.net) and/or if you use Outlook or Outlook Express.  

It's really a security issue as technically a Jpeg, which is what most pictures are, can contain buried malware. In essence Microsoft is trying to protect you. The reality though is that its rarely the source of an infection. So in the next few segments I'll describe the method for resolving this "no picture" issue in a variety of situations.

No Graphics In Internet Explorer

No Pix in internet Explorer emails is an easy fix. IE keeps track of your preferences for showing pictures. Start IE and select Tools then Internet Options and finally push the Advanced tab. Look down the middle of the page. Search for the Multimedia group and check the show pictures option. By the way this option, if not checked, will preclude some if not all pictures from being displayed not only in emails but also on all web pages.

Still not getting pictures in IE?  

Does this message look familiar to you? If it does,(optonline email!) and you've been selecting the 'yes' button, then that may be why you've got no pictures. In its' own way the box is indicating that while the content of the webpage is secure, as you would expect your mail to be delivered, the graphics are not. By saying yes, you're telling IE to display only the secure content. Ergo, text yes, graphics no.  Try the "no" setting and see the difference.

Here's a permanent solution to the above problem: Start IE and select Tools then Internet options, finally Push the Security tab. You will see four Icons. We will focus on the ones marked Internet and Trusted Sites. Highlight either one; you will follow the same procedure a second time for the other. Push the Custom Level button and scroll down to the middle of the page. Find the "Display Mixed Content" group and click the radio button alongside the "enable" choice. Click okay. Do the same for the other icon. Click the apply button if it's not already depressed. You're done!

In rare instances, even after following all of the above procedures, you might still need to clear cache so that images that are stored on the computer are refreshed properly. Follow the procedure below based upon your copy of IE:

To clear temporary Internet files, follow these steps:

Internet Explorer 8

1. Start Internet Explorer 8.
2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
3. On the General tab, click Delete under Browsing History.
4. In the Delete Browsing History dialog box, click to clear all of the check boxes except for the Temporary Internet Files check box, and then click Delete.
5. Click OK to close the Internet Options dialog box.

Internet Explorer 7

1. Start Internet Explorer 7.
2. On the Tools menu, click Delete Browsing History.
3. In the Delete Browsing History dialog box, click Delete Files.
4. Click OK to close the Internet Options dialog box.

Internet Explorer 6 and earlier versions

1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
2. On the General tab, click Delete Files under Temporary Internet files.
3. Click to select the Delete all offline content check box, and then click OK.
4. Click OK to close the Internet Options dialog box.

Start Outlook Express, select Tools then options then push the Security tab. Look toward the middle of the page and uncheck the box marked "Block images and other external content in HTML email. Apply your changes and you're done.

Start Outlook, select (yes) Tools and then Options.  Finally push the Security tab. Look down the middle of the page for the "Download Pictures" label and push the "change automatic download options button". Uncheck the "Don't download pictures or other content automatically in HTLM e-mail". Apply your changes.

Start Outlook, Select Tools and then "Trust Center". Highlight "Automatic Download" on the left and then Uncheck "Don't download pictures in HTLM messages or RSS feeds". Apply your changes.

In Outlook 2010 (Left) Go to the Ribbon and select File. Then Click Options. The Trust Center is directly below. Follow the directions iterated above.