How do I hide the thumbnail preview of an image in an email?

Question

How do I hide the thumbnail preview of an image in an email?

Ryan 0

I want to hide the thumbnail image of an 'attachment' in an email when viewing emails.

In this instance, the image is embedded inline, and there is no benefit to showing a preview of the image at the top of the email body before I have even read it.

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This is entirely unnecessary, what are the options for removing this, both for my emails, and for any emails I send.

2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Huy-K 2,015 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Dear @Ryan,

Good day! Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may encounter when using our services/ products. Based on your description, kindly try these following steps:**
For Emails You Receive

Email Client Settings:
- Outlook: You can disable automatic image previews by going to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Automatic Download and unchecking “Don’t download pictures automatically.”
- Gmail: Go to Settings > General > Images and select “Ask before displaying external images.”
Use Plain Text View:
- Switch to plain text mode to avoid rendering inline images altogether.

For Emails You Send

Avoid Inline Embedding:
- Instead of embedding the image directly in the email body, attach it as a file. This prevents it from being rendered as a thumbnail preview.
Use Alt Text and Size Controls:
- Set the image size to 1x1 pixels.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Ryan 0 Reputation points

2025-08-06T02:53:22.27+00:00

Hi Huy,

Thanks for your prompt reply.

None of the above options seem to nail the outcome I am hoping for.

First of all, I am using the Outlook web client, not desktop, so there is no 'File' menu, and I can't seem to locate any Trust Centre in the Settings menu.

Secondly, I don't want to totally eliminate the display of images in emails. I just don't want thumbnails of the images appearing at the top of the email, where the image is then displayed inline online a few lines below. I want to remove the thumbnail display of any images embedded within the email entirely.

Is this possible?
Huy-K 2,015 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-08-07T03:51:59.4933333+00:00

Dear @Ryan,

Good day!
Following our investigation, we have confirmed that the feature you inquired about is currently not supported in Outlook Web App (OWA). We recommend using the Outlook desktop application (Outlook Classic), where this functionality is available.

Kindly follow these steps:

Navigate to Outlook Classic > File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Attachment Handling > check the box for Turn off Attachment Preview

Please let us know if you need any assistance switching to the desktop version or if you have any further questions.

Once again, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the absence of this feature in Outlook Web App (OWA). After careful review, we have confirmed that the functionality you are looking for is currently not supported in OWA.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Huy-K 2,015 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-08-10T23:32:35.5433333+00:00

Dear @Ryan,

We hope you're doing well. We just wanted to follow up and see if the solution we provided helped resolve the issue you were facing.

We haven’t heard back from you yet, and we want to make sure everything is working smoothly on your end. If you’re still experiencing any difficulties or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Answer 2

Dear @Ryan,
Unfortunately, Outlook on the Web does not currently provide a dedicated setting to disable thumbnail previews of inline images. This behavior is inherent to Outlook’s image rendering architecture, which is designed to optimize performance and ensure consistent display across devices. These previews are generated and cached on the server side to accelerate load times and maintain uniformity across Outlook clients.
We understand that this behaviour may not align with your preferences or workflow, and we sincerely appreciate your feedback. To help advocate for greater flexibility in Outlook Web, we kindly encourage you to submit feedback directly to Microsoft.
How to Submit Your Suggestion to Microsoft:

Visit the Microsoft Feedback Portal:

Go to: Microsoft 365 Feedback Hub > Send Feedback > Describe your proposal in detail
Briefly describing the issue and its impact on your experience.
Requesting the addition of a user-controlled setting to disable thumbnail previews of inline images.

Your feedback will help Microsoft prioritize improvements that better serve user needs. Should you require any assistance in drafting or submitting the feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Huy-K 2,015 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-08-13T02:29:47.9766667+00:00

Dear @Ryan,
We hope this message finds you well.
After researching the issue, we came across another user who had a similar experience. To foster transparency and collaboration, we have shared your thread with them, as it may help others encountering the same situation.

We highly encourage you to provide feedback directly on the thread. Your input not only helps us improve but also empowers other users to share their experiences and solutions.
Kindly follow the outlined steps above to provide feedback to Microsoft.

Please let us know if you have any questions or need further assistance.

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How do I hide the thumbnail preview of an image in an email?

2 answers

Your answer