Email tracking is a technique used to monitor email delivery. It notifies the sender or logs when the recipient opens and views the email. Unlike read receipts, which provide a single optional confirmation of an email being opened, email tracking can reveal more detailed information, such as the app used to open the email, the type of device (e.g., phone or PC), and even sensitive details like your location, IP address, and other personal data about you and your device. Because of its more invasive nature, you should have the option to decide whether to share such information.
This is why eMClient now provides options to block email tracking in the mail privacy settings. By default, if tracking is detected, it will not download any content that could be used to monitor you.
This confirmation will appear in the information bar beneath the message header:
How does Email Tracking work
Email tracking typically relies on standard web tracking tools like web beacons. When a tracked email is sent, it often includes an invisible tracking image (also known as a tracking pixel) or elements like hyperlinks or custom fonts embedded in the email content. When the email is opened and its content is displayed, the tracking image is accessed, confirming that the email was opened. Additionally, clicking on a link or external attachment can trigger various tracking codes, providing the sender with more detailed information about how you interacted with the email.
When is Email Tracking used
These tracking technologies were originally developed for and are primarily used by companies and individuals in email marketing. They provide valuable insights into user engagement, such as how often marketing emails are opened or whether the content prompted recipients to click links and visit the marketer’s website.
Unfortunately, the same techniques can be easily exploited by spammers and phishers. They can use email tracking to confirm whether their emails were opened, verify that the email addresses they targeted are valid and active, and check if their messages bypassed spam filters. When used maliciously, tracking can be leveraged to gather sensitive information and craft more effective phishing schemes, posing significant risks to both individuals and businesses.
Tracking pixels can also reveal your real IP address each time you open an email. With modern GeoIP services, this allows the sender to pinpoint your location with alarming accuracy—down to a specific street or even the building you were in—potentially exposing you to risks not just online, but in the real world as well.
How to block Email Tracking in eMClient
All email tracking settings can be accessed under menu eMClient > Preferences > Mail > Privacy.
Within the Email Tracking section, you’ll find three options to choose from:
- Always ask
With this option enabled, you’ll be prompted every time a tracking pixel is detected in an email, asking if you want to allow email tracking. The option to download the tracking pixel will appear in the information bar below the message header in the detailed message view. The pixel will not be downloaded unless you explicitly confirm. This gives you control to decide which emails to fully load while keeping tracking pixels blocked in others. - Always block detected email tracking content
This option automatically blocks email tracking without prompting you to allow or restrict it for individual messages. It streamlines your message view by removing the information bar, saving screen space, though it also limits your ability to change this setting on a case-by-case basis. - Always allow detected email tracking content
Choosing this option will automatically allow email tracking, ensuring all detected tracking pixels are downloaded. This means the sender will receive full tracking information each time the message is opened.
The “Always ask” option is enabled by default. If you choose to change it, be sure to click the “Apply” or “Save & Close” button at the top to ensure your preference is applied the next time eMClient detects an email with a tracking pixel.
Even if you set the option to always block or always allow, you can still identify messages with tracking code by the target icon displayed in the message list after opening the email.
You can also use the Quick Filter located in the top-right corner of the message list to filter messages where email tracking has been detected.
