Why Your Images Should Be Hosted, Not Embedded
There are two ways an image can end up in an email: embedded directly inside the message, or linked from a web address. The difference matters more than it looks.
What Used to Happen
Previously, pasting an image into the editor embedded it inside the email itself, as a large block of encoded text rather than as a link to a hosted file.
This looked completely fine in the editor. The problem only showed up after the email was sent:
- Outlook removes embedded images entirely — recipients saw a blank space where the picture should be.
- Emails became very large, which slowed loading for recipients.
- Large messages carry a higher spam-filter risk.
- Nothing looked wrong in the editor, so the problem was invisible until an email actually landed in an inbox.
What Happens Now
Pasted images are uploaded automatically and replaced with a hosted link, the same as images added through the toolbar or drag-and-drop. See Adding Images to Your Emails.
Embedded vs Hosted
| Embedded (old) | Hosted (now) | |
|---|---|---|
| Displays in Outlook | No — stripped out | Yes |
| Email size | Large | Small — just a link |
| Load speed | Slow | Fast |
| Spam-filter risk | Higher | Lower |
Action Needed for Older Campaigns
If you have a campaign that was drafted before this release, any pasted images in it may still be embedded rather than hosted. Open the campaign, delete the pasted image, and paste it again — it will now upload and host correctly.
Pasting an external image URL (one hosted elsewhere) still works and is unaffected by this change. It's just no longer the recommended way to add an image, because your email depends on that other site staying up.