Gmail app for iOS now also has the ability to block images

The Gmail app for iOS also now offers a setting that prevents external images from being downloaded automatically. These images not only led to higher data usage, but are also used to track emails. The Android app already had the feature.

The feature is available from Gmail for iOS version 6.0.190811, which was recently released in the App Store. Users must activate the function themselves by clicking Settings, the desired account, and then Pictures. By checking the box next to ‘Ask to display external images first’, the images in future emails will no longer be automatically downloaded.

Users of the Gmail app for Android have been able to indicate for some time that external images should not be downloaded automatically. Engadget notes that in the early years of Gmail, Google still politely asked users for permission to download external images. In 2013, the company decided to change that policy.

Disabling the automatic display of external images in emails has several advantages. With a moderate data connection there is less delay and the function saves both data and the battery. In addition, the setting prevents external images from being misused to track emails by sending code back to a server when the email is opened.