Why “Opens” Are Not Always Recorded — Outlook Settings Explained

Why “Opens” Are Not Always Recorded — Outlook Settings Explained


Why "Email Open" Data May Not Appear in Outlook

How We Track Email Opens

TSAT tracks email opens using a common industry method:

  • Every email we send includes a tiny, invisible 1×1 pixel image (called a tracking pixel).

  • When the email is opened, the image loads from our server.

  • That loading event is recorded as an “open.”

Why Opens May Not Be Recorded in Outlook

Microsoft Outlook and Exchange environments are designed with strong privacy and security defaults. One of these is:

  • Automatic image download is disabled by default.

  • This means Outlook does not load external images (including the 1×1 pixel tracker).

  • As a result, even if the email is opened, Outlook does not fetch the tracking image — and no “open” is recorded in our system.

This behavior is controlled by Microsoft, not by our platform.


The Most Reliable Metrics

While “email open” data may be incomplete in Outlook environments, the critical engagement metrics remain fully accurate:

  • Link Clicks – Recorded when a user clicks the phishing link.

  • Data Submissions – Recorded if a user enters information on the landing page.

Both of these actions happen on our infrastructure, ensuring 100% accuracy once the user interacts with the email.

Summary

If you notice missing email open data for Outlook users, this is due to Microsoft’s image-blocking settings. Our platform continues to track the most important parameters — clicks and data submissions — with complete accuracy. These are the best indicators of user behavior during phishing simulations.



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