Once you understand what email tracking pixels do, you’ll want to block them—just like I did. These silent trackers report your online activities to the sender, letting them know exactly when and how you read what lands in your inbox. But I’m done with having my privacy breached, so I found four simple ways to block them from my inbox.
4I Disabled Automatic Image Loading
Email tracking pixels are essentially tiny, invisible images that are often just a single 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 loading automatically. This setting is available in nearly every email client.
In the Gmail app, you can easily turn off automatic image loading to prevent tracking pixels from activating when you open messages:
Now, I see placeholder boxes instead of images until I specifically approve them. This gives me complete control over what loads into my inbox. When disabling images isn’t enough, Iblock emails on Gmailfrom particularly invasive marketers.
It’s long overdue, but I’m glad it’s here.
Apple Mail
If you’re using Apple Mail on a Mac, navigate toMail > Settings > Viewing. Then uncheckLoad remote content in messages. Blocking tracking pixels in Mail on your iPhone is equally straightforward:
Now, tracking pixels won’t load automatically when you open emails on your iPhone.
Microsoft Outlook
If you use Outlook on your phone, here’s how to prevent trackers from loading automatically:
Depending on your email client, the settings might look different, but the concept is always the same.
3I Switched to a Privacy-Focused Email Service
While turning off automatic image loading works well, you might take privacy more seriously by switching to an email service that prioritizes protection. Privacy-focused email providers offer built-in tools to counter tracking pixels and other surveillance techniques. These services make privacy the default rather than requiring you to adjust settings.
I prefer Proton Mail over Gmail for better securityin sensitive communications. It is based in Switzerland and automatically blocks tracking pixels without any configuration needed. It isn’t just about blocking images; Proton Mail removes the trackers while still displaying legitimate content. This means you get to see the important stuff without compromising your privacy.
Download:Proton Mail(Free, subscription available)
Gmail vs. Proton Mail: What’s the Best Email Provider?
Gmail brings the convenience, but Proton Mail fights back with privacy—who wins?
If you use Apple Mail on iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can already access powerful built-in protection.Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection in macOS and iOSprevents senders from using tracking pixels to collect information about you. When enabled, it pre-loads remote content privately and hides your IP address, making tracking virtually impossible.
2I Installed a Dedicated Email Tracking Blocker
For those times when I’m using webmail in my browser (which is often), I’ve found browser extensions specifically designed to block email tracking effective. These extensions work alongside your regular email service to identify and neutralize tracking pixels before they can report back to the sender.
My favorite is theEmail Privacy Protector Chrome extension, which notifies me whenever an email contains a tracker and automatically blocks it. It shows a little notification at the top, confirming my suspicions about certain senders.
Before installing, alwayscheck the safety of Chrome extensionsto make sure they’re legitimate.
What I love about this approach is that it’s completely invisible to the sender. Although it works only for Gmail, the sender never receives the “read” notification they were expecting. I can read and respond to emails normally while the extension protects my privacy in the background.
1I Use Email Masking Services
SimpleLoginis a prominent solution as it lets you create 10 free email aliases that all forward to your main address. When you receive an email through SimpleLogin, it automatically strips out tracking pixels before the message reaches your inbox.I often use an alias for online shopping, too, which helps keep my digital footprint minimal.
Download:SimpleLogin forAndroid|iOS(Free, subscription available)
The 6 Best Proton Pass Features You’re Not Using
Proton Pass is much more than just a bog-standard password manager.
It not only blocks tracking pixels, but also lets you see which companies are selling your email address to third parties based on which aliases start receiving spam.Proton Passpassword manager also offers a similar feature with up to 10 hide-my-email aliases for free. It’s one of themain reasons Proton Pass is my favorite password manager.
Apple Mail also offers this feature, which creates unique, random email addresses that forward to your personal inbox—perfect for signing up for services while keeping your real address private.
Tracking pixels have become invasive over the years, but I refuse to accept this privacy violation as inevitable. With a bit of effort and the right tools, you can take back control of your email experience.
