If you’re an Outlook user and you’ve come across this frustrating message:
—you’re not alone.
This error usually pops up when you’re viewing an email that was designed using HTML (which includes images, styling, and sometimes interactive elements), and Outlook can’t find some of the resources it’s supposed to load. It’s just Outlook telling you it’s missing some pieces of the puzzle.
Let’s break down why it happens and how you can fix it.
What Triggers This Error?
Here are the most common reasons you might see this message:
1. Missing or Broken Links in the Email
Some emails are designed using HTML and pull in images or styles from the internet. If those resources have been moved, deleted, or the link is just plain wrong, Outlook can’t find them—and shows you this message instead.
2. Corrupted Signatures or Stationery
If you’ve created a fancy email signature with your company logo or custom fonts, those files may be stored on your local drive or a shared network. If the location of those files changes (or they get deleted), Outlook will throw an error when trying to display the email.
3. Blocked Content
Outlook has built-in security settings that block automatic downloads of external images. This protects you from tracking pixels and malicious content—but it also means images might not show if you haven’t approved them.
4. Templates from Add-Ins or Third-Party Tools
Are you using a marketing platform or Outlook add-in to generate your emails? If the template references files that no longer exist or aren’t hosted correctly, you’ll likely see this error.
How to Fix It
Here are a few simple things you can do:
- Check or Remove Your Signature
- Go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures
- Try removing or editing your signature—especially if it includes images or stylized formatting.
- Turn Off Stationery
- Navigate to File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts
- Set everything to default. Stationery sounds fun, but it often breaks.
- Allow Picture Downloads (If You’re Okay With It)
- Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Automatic Download
- Uncheck “Don’t download pictures automatically in HTML email messages.”
- Just be cautious—this setting can expose you to tracking or spam if you’re not careful.
If you’re managing templates or email designs:
- Inspect the HTML
- Double-check all image links and stylesheets in your email templates.
- Make sure all linked files are publicly accessible—or better yet, embed them directly in the email.
- Use Inline or Base64 Images
- Instead of linking to an external image, consider embedding it in the email using
cid:tags or Base64 encoding.
- Instead of linking to an external image, consider embedding it in the email using
