Why Do I Get a Red Cross in the Corner of a Forwarded JPG File in an Email?

Incomplete attachments can cause confusion.

Email is a handy way to send and receive JPG files, but when there are problems with a file attachment, you may see a red cross in the corner of a rectangle in place of the image. By troubleshooting common problems such as your Internet connection or image viewing settings, you can eliminate problems on your end before getting in touch with the sender.

Incomplete Download

Slow or intermittent Internet connections can impede your email program's ability to download images. A red cross can indicate that the JPG file hasn't had time to finish downloading. If you're using a cellphone to view the email, your phone's Internet connection may be slower than a standard connection, meaning the image will take longer than usual to download. Save the file to a location on your computer. When the download is complete, it will appear in the destination folder.

Load Images

If your email program is set to maximize a slow Internet connection, it may not download images without your authorization. The same can happen when the program believes a message to be junk or spam. Depending on the mail client, you may get a notice about attachments. In Gmail, for example, a notification appears at the top of the email with an option to load images. Other programs require you to access the mail settings to change the way images are viewed. Look for an option that automatically loads all attached images. In Windows Live Mail, the Read tab of the Options window has an option that says "Automatically download message when viewing in the Preview Pane." Enable this for images to show up in forwarded emails.

Attachment Problem

A red cross indicates that there's a problem with the image. If your computer and Internet settings are fine, chances are the problem exists with the original sender. The upload of the attachment may not have completed before the message sent, for example. Other explanations include a corrupt image file, a problem with file extensions, an oversized file or a problem with the sender's Web browser. To correct the issue, simply report the problem to the person who sent the email and ask for an updated file. Because image files can be very large, ask that the sender zip the file before sending.

Web Link

When you want to send an email with an image, one option is to attach it directly to the message. Another is to use HTML Web language coding with a link that inserts the image into the email once it's opened. The mail program reads the link and displays the image from the website when a recipient opens the message. If you're viewing the forwarded email after the original page has been taken down or the image is removed, the email won't be able to load the picture.

References

• Expedient: Email Attachments
• FastDot: Problems With Email Attachments