Gmail’s New Policy Will Speed Up Email Viewing

Google has enabled a new policy change that will take effect immediately for desktop users and will go into effect early next year for the Gmail application for iOS and Android users that will no longer ask users if they want embedded images in emails to be shown. By removing this step, Google will make it easier for consumers to get their full emails without requiring the action or intervention of a user to accept the viewing of embedded images.

In the past, Google had always asked users if they wanted to have embedded images within email messages in Gmail to be displayed, a move that was made for security reasons.

“We did this to protect you from unknown senders who might try to use images to compromise the security of your computer or mobile device,” Google said in a blog post for Gmail.

Though the new change will be simpler for Gmail users, Google said that security is still a top concern and users should not have to worry. Rather than delivering the images directly to users from third-party external host servers, Google says that all images will be hosted through Google’s servers for security in a process known as image proxying.

“Your messages are more safe and secure, your images are checked for known viruses or malware, and you’ll never have to press that pesky “display images below” link again,” the blog post reads. “With this new change, your email will now be safer, faster and more beautiful than ever.”