Short answer
By default, Outlook for Mac blocks images from the internet. This can cause images in emails to appear as a blue question mark. Click Download pictures or enable automatic image downloads in Outlook settings to fix it.
Why does this happen?
Outlook for Mac does not automatically download images from the internet. This is a default privacy setting.
When images are blocked, they are replaced with a blue question mark in the email.
Step-by-Step: Show images in an email
- Open the email in Outlook for Mac.
- Click Download pictures at the top of the message.
The images will now display correctly.
Step-by-Step: Always show images (recommended)
- Open Outlook Preferences.
- Find the Reading or Privacy settings.
- Enable automatic download of pictures.
This ensures images and email signatures always display correctly without manual action.
What this means for email signatures
If images in email signatures appear as a blue question mark, it is caused by the recipient’s Outlook settings—not an issue with the email signature itself.
Once image downloads are enabled, signatures will display as expected.
Learn more
Automatically download pictures from the Internet in Outlook for Mac
