Do you want to download external content

Do you want to download external content – Outlook “Do not want to download external content” when you open an email in Outlook, here’s how to fix it. This message appears when the email client tries to download the entire message or pictures from another server. By default, this setting is disabled, so you might see this pop-up message when you get an email that contains elements from another server.

Do you want to download external content?

Some content in this email is located on another server.
This content may tell the sender that your email address is valid and you opened the message, which could be useful for a spammer.
Clicking “No” allows you to send this message without downloading any external content.

In order to fix this issue, you will need to disable the option that prevents Outlook from downloading pictures automatically in standard HTML email. You can do this in one of three ways: using in-built options, Local Group Policy Editor, or Registry Editor.

Do you want to download external content – Outlook

“Do you want to download external content” message error in Outlook, follow these steps.

The Trust Center can be used to enable automatic downloads for pictures.
You can configure Group Policy to automatically download pictures from the Internet.
You can configure Windows to automatically download pictures from the Internet by editing the Registry.

To get more information about these steps, read on.

1] Enable automatic picture download using Trust Center

To automatically download pictures using either Trust Center or your computer’s in-built settings, follow these steps:

Open your Outlook application.
To open the Outlook Options panel, click on File > Options.
Switch to the Trust Center tab.
Click the “Trust Center Settings” button.
The Automatic Download tab is where you can manage and configure your downloads.
To stop automatic downloads of pictures in HTML email messages or RSS items, remove the tick from the ‘Don’t download pictures automatically in standard HTML email messages or RSS items’ checkbox.
Untick the “Don’t download pictures in encrypted or signed HTML email messages” checkbox.
Click the OK button.

You should not find any issues anymore.

2] Turn on automatic picture download using Group Policy

To enable automatic picture download using Local Group Policy Editor, follow these steps:

Open the Run prompt by pressing Win+R.
Type ‘gpedit.msc’ and hit the Enter key.
Navigate to: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Outlook 2016 > Security > Automatic
Picture Download Settings.
Do not allow downloads from safe zones.
Choose the “Disabled” option.
Click OK to continue.
The Automatically download content for e-mail from people in Safe Senders and Safe Recipients Lists setting
will ensure that only emails from trusted sources are downloaded.
Choose the Enabled setting.
Click the OK button.

Then, close all windows and restart the Outlook app. Hopefully, the issue will be resolved.

3] Allow downloading pictures automatically using Registry

To download pictures automatically using Registry Editor, follow these steps:

To edit your registry, press Win+R, type “regedit” and hit Enter.
Click “Yes” in the UAC prompt.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\office\16.0.
Right-click on 16.0 > New > Key and name it as outlook.
Right-click on outlook. Right-click on outlook > New > Key and set the name as options.
Right-click on Options > New > Key and name it as mail. This will create a new key for the mail application.
In Outlook, create a new DWORD (32-bit) value. In Outlook, right-click on mail > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
II need a safe place to unblock myself. A place where I can be myself without judgement. A place where I can
feel comfortable and safe.
Create a new REG_DWORD value and name it as unblocks pecific senders.
I’d like to set the Value data for each of them as 1.
Click OK, and then restart your computer.

You can open the Outlook app without any errors.

What is external content in Outlook?

An email can contain external images and if rames. These elements need to be downloaded from a third-party server, which is why they’re called “external content.”

How do I download content from Outlook?

In order to save an attachment from Outlook, you will need to open the email that it is contained in first. Once you have done this, locate the attachment within the email and click on the arrow icon. This will give you two options – Download or Save As. You can then click on either option in order to save or download the content from Outlook.