Red X appears instead of image?
"Sometimes in my emails or websites, the images do not appear, but a little red X shows up. Can you tell me please how to correct this?"

| Check out this week's most popular articles. |
Ah yes, another case of software saving us from ourselves... There are a bunch of reasons why you might see the dreaded "Red X" instead of an image while viewing a web page with Internet Explorer or an email with Outlook.
Here are some possible reasons why the Red X may appear, and suggested fixes for each:
Problem: The "Show Pictures" setting has been turned off in Internet Explorer.
Solution: In Internet Explorer's Tools menu, click Internet Options, then click the Advanced tab. Make sure the Show Pictures check box is selected under Multimedia, and click OK.
Problem: Your anti-virus or firewall is a little too uppity. Check to see if your anti-virus or firewall software has a privacy setting to "disable web bugs".
Solution: Uncheck or turn it off. (The term "web bug" is a misnomer. They are really just harmless tiny images on a web page or email, sometimes used for tracking purposes.)
Problem: Your Internet Explorer security settings are set too high, preventing you from accessing the web site which hosts the image.
Solution: Reset to the default security settings. In Internet Explorer, click on Tools -> Internet Options -> Security -> Default Level.
Problem: You've installed the Windows XP/SP2 updates and you're being bitten by the "Block images and other external content in HTML e-mail" security option. This is automatically turned ON in Outlook Express after you install Windows XP/SP2.
Solution: Click on Tools -> Options -> Security. Then UNCHECK the "Block images and other external content" check box, and click OK.
Problem: You are the SENDER and others are complaining that they can't see images in emails you sent,
Solution: In Outlook Express, Click Tools -> Options -> Send. Under Mail Sending Format, select HTML, then press the HTML Settings button. Make sure the "Send pictures with messages" box is checked.
Problem: The image is hosted on a website that's busy, temporarily offline or defunct. Or the image file on the website might have been renamed or deleted.
Solution: Try again later or ask the sender to send it as an attachment instead of an inline image.
Problem: The image is hosted on a website, and you're not online.
Solution: Make sure your internet connection is active and try again.
|
|
|
Posted by Bob Rankin on January 19, 2006 12:55 PM
| Need More Help? Try the AskBobRankin Updates Newsletter. It's Free! |
![]() |
Prev Article: Setting Up a Website |
|
Next Article: How to Stop Spam |
![]() |
|
Link to this article from your site or blog. Just copy and paste from this box: Related Keywords: Email red x missing image missing picture outlook outlook express email |
Most recent comments on "Red X appears instead of image?"
(See all 55 comments for this article.)|
Posted by:
|
THANK YOU! You fixed my dredded red-box problem with the HTML setting! |
|
Posted by:
|
What do I do? I'm getting the red X and it is driving me crazy. How can I get rid of it. I just pictures to appear without having to add an addtional step! |
|
Posted by:
|
i have read all 47 comments and none of them is my situation. Can you help me with my problem? MY PROBLEM: its a long story, so ill skip that, but heres a summary, i found old messages with pictures that ive written to a friend, over myspace, of me and my ex, and i wanted to save the pics but there is a red x on them. when i right click and click on show picture it doesnt show me, what should i do? i really want those pictures =/ can i get some help? EDITOR'S NOTE: Sounds like those pics were deleted from the website where they once lived. In that case, you won't be able to view them. One possibility: Use archive.org to see if a cached copy exists. |
|
Posted by:
|
Dreaded Red X problem: I did all that you said to do and I still have the following problem. I am a profesor who teaches online classes using WebCT, a common"learning platform." Getting test questions loaded onto the platform isn't easy, so there is another program called Respondus that will take RTF files and image files that are done a certain way, and upload them as tests for you. Unfortunately, many of my students are saying that they are getting the dreaded red x and after I referred them to this page, many are STILL getting it. Is there anything else it could be? EDITOR'S NOTE: So, some do and some don't -- while viewing the same content? That tells me something on the client side is causing the problem. A firewall, anti-malware or overly restrictive browser setting is most likely. Ask them to try another browser (which they have not yet messed up!). |
|
Posted by:
|
I have a piczo site from a couple of years ago and i just found it. It still the same except all my photos have red x's and i can't view them. what should i do?? EDITOR'S NOTE: Most likely your photos have been removed because the account was dormant. Probably nothing you can do... |
|
Posted by:
|
Sometimes the images in Outlook are corrupted (the cached) and you can delete/flush all files in this folder %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLKxxxxx\ and then restart Outlook and it will work. |
|
Posted by:
|
I don't understand why my website, my pictures on my website, and my video work when i pull them up in Internet explorer and Firefox, but when I send my files as an attachment to my school my professor says my menu links and my photos don't show, the pictures have red X's and the menu links don't work when clicked, but my video shows. EDITOR'S NOTE: Did you tell your prof to read "Red X appears instead of image?" |
|
Posted by:
|
I did the Regedit and removed the temp as shown by John Bryntze comments. I checked to allow pictures to show automatically and I checked in IE advance, multimedia to allow pictures..Still has red X on one of our computers. |
|
Posted by:
|
The solution posted by John solved my problem. |
|
Posted by:
|
I have a similar problem but mine is not with e-mail / web. I own a copy of PaperPort Professional 11. Every time I load it a "How to" box appears om screen. Whenever I try to view the items within this section I can read the words but all the pictures are replaced by the dreaded Red X. Nuance have been unable to rectify this. Can you please off some hope? I run Vista Home Premium (with SP1) and Kaspersky Internet Security. The latter was turned off during the installation of Paperport. |
There's more reader feedback... See all 55 comments for this article.
Post your Comments, Questions or Suggestions
|
Ask Bob Rankin Home Page
Subscribe to AskBobRankin Updates: Free Newsletter |
|
| Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved | ||
Article information: AskBobRankin -- Red X appears instead of image? (Posted: January 19, 2006 12:55 PM)
Printed from: http://askbobrankin.com/red_x_appears_instead_of_image.html
Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved


















