If inline images or attachments aren't loading or downloading in the stock Mail app on your Apple devices, here are 13 expert troubleshooting tips to help.
When Wi-Fi or cellular connection isn't working properly on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, inline pictures in the email body may not load.
Turn off system-wide VPN or antivirus software temporarily to check if it is causing Mail image-loading issues.
Enable 'Turn On Contact Photos' if you don’t see senders’ profile pictures in your Mail app.
If Block All Remote Content in Mail app settings is on, Mail won't load images automatically; it stops email tracking.
When an email is old, the full content needs to be fetched from the sender’s server; Mail won't be able to fetch this content.
Force quitting and reopening the Mail app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac can fix the image loading issue.
Updating the software to the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS can fix image-loading issues in the Mail app.
Finally, if all else fails, remove and re-add the email account to resolve image-loading problems.
You can save local space on your Mac by not having it download attachments automatically, but head back to Mail app Settings > Accounts and set Download Attachments to Recent or All whenever needed.