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A free ADMX browser or comparison tool for IT administrators.Search policies, find registry keys, and see exactly what each setting writes to the Windows Registry. Or compare two GPO backups to see exactly what has changed between them.

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Display pictures and external content in HTML e-mail

This policy setting setting controls whether Outlook downloads untrusted pictures and external content located in HTML e-mail messages without users explicitly choosing to download them.

If you enable this policy setting, Outlook will not automatically download content from external servers unless the sender is included in the Safe Senders list. Recipients can choose to download external content from untrusted senders on a message-by-message basis.

If you disable this policy setting, Outlook will display pictures and external content in HTML e-mail automatically.

If you do not configure this policy setting, Outlook does not download external content in HTML e-mail and RSS items unless the content is considered safe. Content that Outlook can be configured to consider safe includes:

- Content in e-mail messages from senders and to recipients defined in the Safe Senders and Safe Recipients lists.
- Content from Web sites in Internet Explorer's Trusted Sites security zone.
- Content in RSS items.
- Content from SharePoint Discussion Boards. Users can control what content is considered safe by changing the options in the "Automatic Download" section of the Trust Center. If Outlook's default blocking configuration is overridden, in the Trust Center or by some other method, Outlook will display external content in all HTML e-mail messages, including any that include Web beacons.

Registry Information

VendorMicrosoft
ProductMicrosoft Outlook 2016
CategoryMicrosoft Outlook 2016 › Security › Automatic Picture Download Settings
Applies toUser Configuration
Supported onWindows7
Registry Key[HKCU]softwarepoliciesmicrosoftoffice16.0outlookoptionsmail
Value Nameblockextcontent
TypeREG_DWORD
Enabled value1
Disabled value0

Registry File (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Enable the policy
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERsoftwarepoliciesmicrosoftoffice16.0outlookoptionsmail]
"blockextcontent"=dword:00000001

; Disable the policy
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERsoftwarepoliciesmicrosoftoffice16.0outlookoptionsmail]
"blockextcontent"=dword:00000000

PowerShell

# Enable the policy
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:softwarepoliciesmicrosoftoffice16.0outlookoptionsmail" -Name "blockextcontent" -Value 1 -Type DWord

# Disable the policy
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:softwarepoliciesmicrosoftoffice16.0outlookoptionsmail" -Name "blockextcontent" -Value 0 -Type DWord