Online Content Control

Tue Jun 19, 2018 6:39 am

Online content in e-mail messages is not everyones cup of tea, however in this day and age HTML content and online images (image URLs) are reality - unconditionally ignoring is just not an option.

Here is how Pandora gives you a full control over online content and what should be downloaded and displayed and where. These are 3 general strategies:

1. Ignore 100% (do not download/show in any way).
2. Download to cache and display when you open the message (original idea behind online images).
3. Fully download (as if sender sent you inline images), when the message is downloaded from the server. We could call it "pre-download policy".
This 3rd approach was probably popular during dial-up era when Internet was scarce, but it's nice to have as an option when you are traveling (and you know you are gonna be offline for the next couple of hours/days).

By default, display Online Content is on for:
1. Specified domains only, and there are no pre-defined white-list domains when you install Pandora (you add them all by yourself).
2. Messages that are not junk. (Optional)
3. Messages where sender is known to you/listed in Address Book. (Optional)

In addition, you can disable online content globally and then allow it per message base and/or per mailbox base (Preview Pane). One popular option is - disable per mailbox/Preview Pane, but allow per message. So if the message looks legit in Preview Pane, open it and download/show online images. Here is how to control the online content per message base:
1. Open the message, let's say online content is currently off (So Pandora does not go online to download online images when you open the message).
2. Click on Online Content status bar pane, pop-up menu appears. The available options are: Allow All, Allow from Trusted Sites and Block All.
3. Choose Allow All.

Procedure for mailbox/Preview Pane is identical to that of a message.

To have Pandora have message automatically inherit Online Content Policy from it's mailbox (Preview Pane) check "Inherit message online content policy from mailbox summary", which is available under Online Content tab under Settings/Viewing Mail.

Overriding the Rules - Offline Mode

When you switch to Offline Mode (Session/Work Offline), Online Policy on all levels (global, mailbox and message level) is switched to "Block All".