There’s a considerable chance a tracking program is hidden in marketing emails you receive in your inbox, whether they’re for a service you subscribe to. With privacy at the forefront of the conversation these days, it’s critical to understand how you can prevent being tracked without your consent. Let’s look at why this topic is important and how to block tracking pixels in Apple Mail.
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Why Block Tracking Pixels in Apple Mail
It’s crucial to understand how tracking pixels function if you’re unfamiliar with them. In HTML emails, which you are most likely getting, there is frequently a link to an image buried within the email. This is the most common location for a tracker to be inserted. When you click the image to open it, it is downloaded from a distant server. When this happens, the sender of the email is aware that you have opened it, leading them to believe you are interested in the content.
However, the story does not finish there. Taking it a step further, there’s a strong probability your IP address will be relayed back to the server when you click on this image, revealing your location to the sender. Aside from your location, there’s a strong chance they’ll be able to detect what kind of device you’re using, which could lead to more targeted email marketing. So, how can you protect yourself from this kind of intrusive email tracking?
On both macOS and iOS, anyone who wants to prevent this form of tracking in the default Apple Mail program can do so effortlessly.
Block Tracking on macOS
1: Open Apple Mail, then select “Mail -> Preferences” from the top menu bar.
2: In this window, go to the “Viewing” tab and seek the “Load remote content in messages” option. “Email communications may contain images or content hosted on distant sites,” says the warning. While this is most likely done to keep email files small, it is also how these trackers are embedded.
3: Uncheck the option, restart Apple Mail, and double-check that the “Load remote content in messages” box is still unchecked.
After you’ve completed this, you’ll be able to manually open photographs when they appear in your inbox. If you’re sure the email is from a trusted sender and/or someone you don’t mind sharing your information with. A box will show at the top of each message, asking you to load the missing photos. It may be inconvenient if you open a lot of emails on a regular basis. But it’s the safest approach to avoid being monitored by your Mac’s Mail software.
Block Tracking on iOS
On macOS, tracking may be done easily via remote server pictures, and the same can be done on iOS. Fortunately, just like macOS, it’s quite simple to fix this.
1: Go to Settings first, then scroll down until you see the Mail app.
2: Scroll midway through the Mail app settings until you see the option for “Load Remote Images.“
3: To prohibit remote photos from loading in your inbox. Toggle this button off (so that it’s gray instead of green).
That’s all there is to it on iOS.
Third-Party Apps
While these instructions are for macOS, identical configuration adjustments in Gmail and Outlook are simple to do. On iOS, go to “Settings -> [Your Email Address] -> Images” and toggle the option to “Ask before displaying external images” from the “hamburger menu” at the top left (three bars).
You may also like to read about the top 17 Best Apple Arcade Games for Kids in 2022
Final Thoughts: Block Tracking Pixels in Apple Mail
You can be confident that privacy will remain a concern for the foreseeable future, making blocking tracking pixels in Apple Mail a must-do chore. If you don’t like Apple Mail, try one of these alternatives.
