Mail : 'Load content directly' in Monterey

I thought the idea was Apple would download the content through a proxy server to conceal my identity, not block all content entirely.

You're missing the point. There is no "my router". I'm in public places, other people's homes, etc. I don't have control over the router. Is Apple saying this feature is unavailable without changes to router settings?

Open Mail

Click on Preferences

Click on Privacy

Unclick protect mail privacy

unclick hide IP address

restart mail and it should download the content

I left this feature enabled since it is similar to the one offered in Gmail's web client. Sometimes the embedded images are just 1 pixel by 1 pixel so as to be almost invisible:

Mail Privacy Protection

Emails that you receive may include hidden pixels that allow the email’s sender to learn information about you. As soon as you open an email, information about your Mail activity can be collected by the sender without transparency and an ability to control what information is shared. Email senders can learn when and how many times you opened their email, whether you forwarded the email, your Internet Protocol (IP) address, and other data that can be used to build a profile of your behavior and learn your location.

If you choose to turn it on, Mail Privacy Protection helps protect your privacy by preventing email senders, including Apple, from learning information about your Mail activity. When you receive an email in the Mail app, rather than downloading remote content when you open an email, Mail Privacy Protection downloads remote content in the background by default — regardless of how you do or don’t engage with the email. Apple does not learn any information about the content.

In addition, all remote content downloaded by Mail is routed through multiple proxy servers, preventing the sender from learning your IP address. Rather than share your IP address, which can allow the email sender to learn your location, Apple’s proxy network will randomly assign an IP address that corresponds only to the region your device is in. As a result, email senders will only receive generic information rather than information about your behavior. Apple does not access your IP address.

You can enable Mail Privacy Protection in Mail > Preferences > Privacy.

- Pie Lover

I hope someone can let me know if I'm off base here. I found this thread because, since I upgraded to Monterey, I have been getting a lot more spam. I left protect mail activity checked because who doesn't want their email protected? But it apparently downloads the the attachments somewhere. From the Learn more popup:

"When you receive an email in the Mail app, rather than downloading remote content when you open an email, Protect Mail Activity downloads remote content in the background by default — regardless of whether you engage with the email. Apple does not learn any information about the content."

But all the spammers want is to know that it was downloaded so that they can mark it as an active email address. Not about all that other stuff that Apple is pretending to protect you from. I've gone from around 10 a day to over a 100. I have unchecked "Protect Mail Activity" and checked both "Hide IP Address" and "Block All Remote Content". But I am afraid the damage has been done. Note that you cannot "Protect Mail Activity" and "Block All Remote Content" at the same time. "Block all remote content" is what I had before and over time, the spam seemed to get less.

So will my choices reduce the amount of spam over time?

The spam filters work well. I would suggest "Block All Remote Content" if the filters identify it as spam.

An update for Avast users ...

The following Avast (V15.1) settings seem to keep the Avast Security network software disconnected

which, in turn, allows the Apple Mail Protect Mail Activity feature to work as intended:

- Pie Lover

I thought the idea was Apple would download the content through a proxy server to conceal my identity, not block all content entirely.

It goes through two proxies. It only blocks if you have something wrong on your network settings or router that prevents it from working.

Might try just restarting your router. Another poster noted that disabling MIMO and UPnP fixed the issue, but then he reenabled them and it still worked. A restart might have resolved the issue since disabling those required a restart.

If you are running some useless personal VPN or other internet security, try turning it off.

I use a MacBook Pro; it's a portable computer. It's folly to think I have control over every router that I may go through to reach the internet. This feature deeply flawed if it depends on changing router settings.

This reminds me of SJ's famous "you're holding it wrong."

I use a MacBook Pro; it's a portable computer. It's folly to think I have control over every router that I may go through to reach the internet. This feature deeply flawed if it depends on changing router settings.

I have a MacBook Pro and have never had a problem with the feature on any public networks. It does sound like you are indeed "holding it wrong."

If you don't wish to investigate why your network settings are incompatible, just disable the feature. You will be no worse off than you were in Big Sur or earlier.

I thought that the mail feature was working as intended after I made changes to Avast. However, I'm still seeing the problem on subsequent emails.

Does Apple Mail remember the privacy setting for a particular email address once "Load Content Directly" is clicked?

- Pie Lover

Boat Guy wrote:

You're missing the point. There is no "my router". I'm in public places, other people's homes, etc. I don't have control over the router. Is Apple saying this feature is unavailable without changes to router settings?

You seem to be missing the point. I have a laptop I take around to a lot of places (most recently a hotel network) and I don’t have any problem. The content loads through the double proxy without issue. You have a problem somewhere, it could be your router, or it could be your network settings on that laptop.

If you can’t figure out what it is on your network, just disable that feature.

Does Apple Mail remember the privacy setting for a particular email address once "Load Content Directly" is clicked?

It is not a per website, message, or whatever. All of it is sent through the double proxy every time. There is no whitelisting or blacklisting mechanism.

Click here for a note for Avast users. I updated to the latest version of Avast and disabled its Email Shield (see below). In my case, this seems to address the issue as described.

- Pie Lover

It is the privacy settings. Loading remote content let’s the sender know your email address is valid and active so they can send more spam.

Has anyone figured this out yet?