4 ways to block email tracking pixels

Once you understand how email tracking pixels work, you'll want to block them. These silent trackers report your online activities to senders, letting them know exactly when and how you read what lands in your inbox. But no one wants their privacy invaded, so here are four simple ways to keep them out of your inbox.

4. Turn off automatic image loading

Essentially, email tracking pixels are small, invisible images, usually just one pixel in size. When you open an email, your email client loads these images, which tells the sender that you've opened their message.

The simplest way to block this tracking is to prevent images from autoloading. This setting is available in almost every email client.

Gmail

In the Gmail app , you can easily turn off automatic image loading to prevent the tracking pixel from firing when you open a message.

1. Go to Settings on the sidebar.
2. If multiple accounts are signed in, select the email account you want to apply the change to.
3. Scroll down and tap Images .
4. Select Ask before displaying external images . This will also turn off dynamic emails.

Now you'll see placeholder boxes instead of images until specifically approved. This gives you complete control over what loads into your inbox. When turning off images isn't enough, block emails in Gmail from particularly intrusive marketers.

The downside is that your emails look pretty bland without images. Sometimes legitimate content is also blocked, and you find yourself constantly clicking Display images for the newsletter you want to see. However, this is a minor inconvenience compared to the privacy benefits. However, most major email services support this feature.

Apple Mail

If you're using Apple Mail on your Mac, navigate to Mail > Settings > Viewing tab . Then uncheck Load remote content in messages . Blocking tracking pixels in Mail on iPhone is just as simple.

1. Open Mail on your iPhone and navigate to Settings .
2. Scroll down and tap Mail .
3. Find the Load Remote Images toggle and turn it off.

Now, the tracking pixel won't automatically load when you open an email on your iPhone.

Microsoft Outlook

If you use Outlook on your phone, here's how to stop trackers from automatically loading.

1. Open the Outlook app and tap your profile icon in the top left corner.
2. Select the gear icon to access Settings .
3. Open Accounts and select the email account you want to apply changes to.
4. Enable Block external images .

Depending on your email client, the settings may look different, but the concept is always the same.

3. Switch to a privacy-focused email service

While disabling automatic image loading is effective, you can take your privacy more seriously by switching to a privacy-first email service. Privacy-focused email providers offer built-in tools to combat tracking pixels and other surveillance techniques. These services make privacy the default rather than requiring you to adjust your settings.

Proton Mail is more secure than Gmail for sensitive communications. Based in Switzerland, the service automatically blocks tracking pixels without any configuration. In addition to blocking images, Proton Mail removes trackers while still displaying legitimate content. This means you can see important information without compromising your privacy.

1. Get Proton Mail for all platforms (Free in-app purchases available)

If you use Apple Mail on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you already have access to powerful built-in protection. Apple's Mail Privacy Protection feature in macOS and iOS prevents senders from using tracking pixels to collect information about you. When enabled, it privately preloads remote content and hides your IP address , making tracking virtually impossible.

2. Install a dedicated email tracking blocker

For those times when you use webmail in a browser, you'll find browser extensions specifically designed to block email tracking very effectively. These extensions work in conjunction with your regular email service to identify and disable tracking pixels before they can report back to the sender.

The Email Privacy Protector Chrome extension will notify you whenever an email contains a tracker and automatically block it. It displays a small notification at the top, confirming suspicions about certain senders.

Tip : Before installing any browser extensions, always check the safety of Chrome extensions to make sure they are legitimate.

The good thing about this method is that it's completely invisible to the sender. While it only works with Gmail, the sender never gets the "read receipt" they expect. You can read and reply to emails as normal while the extension protects your privacy in the background.

1. Use an email cloaking service

Another effective method to use is to use an email masking service. Instead of giving websites your real email address, create unique disposable aliases for each service you sign up for. These aliases forward messages to your real inbox while also providing additional protection against tracking.

SimpleLogin stands out because it allows you to create 10 free email aliases, all of which forward to your primary address. When you receive an email through SimpleLogin, it automatically removes tracking pixels before the message reaches your inbox. Many people also use aliases for online shopping, helping to minimize their digital footprint.

SimpleLogin's free plan is enough to get you started, but you can eventually upgrade to the premium plan, $36/year or $4/month, for unlimited aliases. If a newsletter or service starts sending too many tracked emails, you can immediately disable that alias without affecting anything else.

1. Get SimpleLogin for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

Not only does it block tracking pixels, it also lets you see which companies are selling your email address to third parties based on which aliases are starting to get spam. Proton Pass password manager also offers a similar feature with up to 10 free email aliases. This is one of the main reasons why Proton Pass is a favorite password manager.

Apple Mail also offers the ability to generate unique, random email addresses that forward to your personal inbox—perfect for signing up for the service while keeping your real address private.

Tracking pixels have become increasingly invasive over the years, but this privacy breach is inevitable. With a little effort and the right tools, you can take back control of your email experience.

Marvin Fry

Update 26 May 2025