Ask Juan - Question and Answer
Missing Email Pictures
Question:
Juan, we seem to have difficulty sending and receiving email with pictures. Sometimes, if I copy & paste, the pictures don't go through. Sometimes, if I do a forward, they may or may not go through. All too often the recipients get just a red x in a little square. Sometimes I get the little red x when someone else sends me email with a photo in it. What are the settings each of us should have in order to send and receive photos in emails?
Answer:
This one is kind of tricky to answer, mainly because there are so many variables possible. I am going to talk about a solution that fits Microsoft Outlook Express. Because of a recent internet worm (recent as within a couple of years) Microsoft and other companies have included some safeguards to protect users from accidentally opening attachments emailed by a potentially dangerous worm.
This solution resulted in tighter security methods in how some email programs handle attachments. Some warn you about the dangers of opening an attachment, other simply remove the attachment. Additionally, Outlook Express has an option to block pictures or HTML content.
HTML is the language that makes web pages be viewed by a browser like Internet Explorer or FireFox. It is also possible to view HTML content from an email program. The reason this is important to bring up is that HTML can also allow small programs into your computer as part of its interactive content. These small programs can be potentially dangerous because they are activated as soon as you open the email. What does that have to do with the missing pictures, you ask?
Pictures can only be viewed if HTML content is allowed (unless it is strictly an attachment you can save and open with a different viewer such as Paint Shop or the like.) So if this feature is turned off on your email browser you will not be able to see the pictures or download them. Here's what to do: in Outlook Express, find the tool bar at the top of your screen. Click on Tools, then Options. There are two tabs we need to explore and change some settings. These tabs are Security, and Send.
In the Security tab uncheck the option labeled as "Block images and other external content in HTML e-mail" to download the images and be able to view them. Or, check it if you want to block them. In the Send tab make sure you are sending in HTML and not plain text by clicking the radio button labeled "HTML" in the "Mail Sending Format" section. One last thing to do here, click on the button "HTML settings" and make sure the "Send pictures with messages" option is checked.
Now you are ready to send and receive pictures with Outlook Express. If the pictures are still not coming through, then you might have an issue with your firewall, virus scanner, email provider, etc. Like I said, there are way too many variables, but this should get you started in the right direction.