Protect Your Privacy Against Web-Bugs and Remote Images in Yahoo! Mail

Graphics in HTML emails are nice. Unfortunately, they come with a security and privacy risk if they are downloaded from a remote server whenever you open the message. And downloading large images in spam is a waste of bandwidth, too.

Fortunately, Yahoo! Mail can be configured not to download such images automatically. When you open a message containing remote images, Yahoo! Mail will show a blank space instead, protecting your privacy, and preserving bandwidth.

Protect Your Privacy Against Web-Bugs and Remote Images in Yahoo! Mail

To have Yahoo! Mail not show remote and hidden images by default:

• Select Options | Mail Options in Yahoo! Mail.
• Go to the Spam category.
• Make sure either Show images only from my contacts and certified senders or Initially block all images is selected under Block images:.
  • The latter choice is the most secure. It is usually safe to have images in messages from known and certified senders displayed automatically, though.
• Click Save Changes.

Protect Your Privacy Against Web-Bugs and Remote Images in Yahoo! Mail Classic

To protect your privacy against remote and hidden images in Yahoo! Mail Classic:

• Follow the Options link in the Yahoo! Mail Classic toolbar.
• Select General Preferences.
• Under Messages, make sure Block HTML graphics in email messages from being downloaded is selected.
• Use the Save button to save your settings.

Of course, you can still read selected messages including remote images.