Outlook Image Cache: How to Clear It on Any Device

To clear stale images in Outlook, use the method for the version you have: in classic Outlook for Windows, clear Windows temporary internet files; in new Outlook, repair or reset the app only if a simple restart does not help; in Outlook on the web, clear your browser’s cached images. Outlook has no single image-cache button, and clearing a cache may make images download again. Your email messages are not deleted by these steps.

First identify whether you use classic Outlook, new Outlook, Outlook for Mac, or Outlook in a browser. The steps differ, and removing the wrong kind of cached data can sign you out or remove app preferences. If the problem is that Outlook blocks pictures, rather than showing an old picture, see the relevant note below: clearing a cache does not change Outlook’s security settings.

What You’ll Need

Access to the device and Outlook version where the image problem appears. If you use Outlook on the web, know which browser you use.
A few minutes and an internet connection so Outlook can download images again after the cache is cleared.
Your account sign-in details if you choose a browser-data or app-reset option that signs you out. Do not delete mail files or an Outlook profile as a first step.

Step-by-Step

Check which Outlook you are using. In Windows, classic Outlook has a File tab in the ribbon; new Outlook usually has a Settings gear and no File tab. Outlook opened at outlook.office.com or outlook.live.com is the web version. On a Mac, check the Outlook app in your Applications folder. Choose only the matching instructions below.
Close Outlook and note what is wrong. Exit Outlook before clearing local files or changing app settings. If only one message has the issue, note its sender and subject so you can reopen it for a fair check. If the image is missing because Outlook displays a warning that it blocked automatic downloads, skip to the troubleshooting section instead of clearing cache; that warning is about privacy and security, not stale data.
For classic Outlook on Windows, clear temporary internet files. Open the Windows Start menu, search for and open Internet Options, then select General. Under Browsing history, select Delete. Select Temporary Internet files and website files, then select Delete and wait for the process to finish. If the option is already selected alongside other items, deselect items such as passwords or form data that you do not intend to remove. The exact labels can vary slightly by Windows build.
Reopen classic Outlook and check the message. Open Outlook, connect to the internet, and open the affected email. If it contains remote images, Outlook may fetch them again; allow a short time for them to appear. Also check a second message that uses the same image or sender. If nothing changes, restart Windows once and test again before attempting more disruptive repairs.
For new Outlook on Windows, try a repair before a reset. Close Outlook. Open Settings in Windows, go to Apps > Installed apps, find Outlook (new) (the displayed name may differ), select its three-dot menu, and choose Advanced options if shown. Select Repair, then open Outlook and check the image. Repair is intended to fix the app without clearing its local data.
Reset new Outlook only if repair does not work. Return to the same Windows app settings and choose Reset. Read the confirmation before proceeding: a reset can remove local app data and preferences and may require you to sign in again. Mail stored in a Microsoft 365, Outlook.com, or Exchange mailbox normally syncs back after sign-in, but confirm that important messages are online and do not rely on a reset to preserve local-only data. Open Outlook, sign in if asked, wait for it to sync, and test the image.
For Outlook on the web, clear cached images in your browser. In Microsoft Edge, open Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Delete browsing data > Choose what to clear. Select a time range, check Cached images and files, and clear the data. In Google Chrome, open Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data, choose a time range, check Cached images and files, and confirm. Do not select cookies or other browsing data unless you are willing to sign in to sites again. Reload Outlook and reopen the message.
For Outlook on a Mac, restart and update rather than deleting cache folders by hand. Quit Outlook completely, reopen it, and install available Office updates from Help > Check for Updates if that command is available in your installation. There is no universal, supported Outlook for Mac command that clears only cached message images. Avoid removing random folders from the Library: they can contain account, profile, or other app data. If you use Outlook in Safari or another browser on your Mac, follow that browser’s cache-clearing instructions instead.
Check that the fix worked and give images time to reload. Reopen the original email while online, then compare the image with a fresh message or another device. A cleared cache does not guarantee a remote image will display: the sender’s link might be broken, the image host may be unavailable, or Outlook may still block automatic downloads. If the image is an attachment rather than an image embedded in the message, open or save the attachment; clearing the image cache is not the right repair.

Common Mistakes

Confusing cached images with attachments. Outlook’s temporary attachment folder, sometimes called the Secure Temp folder, is not the same thing as a browser or image cache. Deleting attachment files will not reliably refresh pictures inside message bodies.
Deleting Outlook data folders manually. Do not remove an OST file, a whole Outlook profile, or folders in AppData or the Mac Library just because they sound temporary. These can contain offline mail, account configuration, or other app data. Use the built-in Windows or browser controls first.
Clearing every kind of browser data. Cookies and saved site data can sign you out, while saved passwords or history are not needed to refresh cached images. Select only cached images and files unless you have a separate reason to clear more.
Resetting new Outlook as the first move. Reset is more disruptive than restarting or repairing. Use it only when simpler steps fail, and be prepared to sign in and restore preferences.
Expecting cache clearing to override blocked downloads. Outlook can block remote pictures to protect privacy. A fresh cache will not change that setting or make a missing image link valid.

Tips

Change one thing at a time and reopen the same message after each attempt. That makes it easier to tell whether the fix worked and avoids unnecessary data removal.
Test with a message you trust and an image that is normally available. A sender can replace or remove a remote image, so an old email is not always a reliable test.
If images are missing only on one device, focus on that device’s local app or browser. If they are missing for several people or devices, suspect the sender’s image host, a network filter, or an organization policy instead.
Remote pictures can be downloaded each time a cache is cleared. This uses a small amount of data and may make the first opening of an email slightly slower.
Keep Outlook and your browser up to date. An update can resolve display problems without manual cache cleanup, and is safer than deleting application files.

Troubleshooting

The image is still old after clearing the cache. Close and reopen Outlook or refresh the web page, then check that the device is online. The sender may be using a fixed image link whose contents have not changed, or a proxy, security product, or content delivery network may be serving its own cached copy. Compare the message on another device or ask the sender to confirm the image URL is current. Clearing Outlook’s local data cannot clear a cache maintained by the sender or network.

Outlook says it blocked pictures, or shows empty image boxes. In classic Outlook for Windows, review File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Automatic Download. The setting controls whether remote pictures download automatically. Be cautious about enabling automatic downloads for every message: remote content can reveal that a message was opened and may contact outside servers. You can choose to download pictures for a message you trust, or ask your Microsoft 365 administrator whether an organization policy is controlling downloads. Other Outlook versions may show a download-pictures prompt or have different controls.

The cache-clearing option is missing. Windows versions do not all show the same Internet Options controls, and managed work computers may restrict them. Do not substitute deletion of Outlook folders. For new Outlook, try the Windows app’s Repair option; for web Outlook, use the browser’s cached-images setting. If a company manages your device, ask IT before changing app or browser data.

Outlook signs out, or the mailbox looks empty after a reset. Sign in with the correct account and allow time for mail and folders to synchronize. Check Outlook on the web to confirm that messages are present in the mailbox. If important content exists only in a local data file or offline folder, stop before further resets or file removal and contact your administrator or support. A cache cleanup should not be treated as a way to recover deleted or unsynced mail.

Only one sender’s images fail. Open another message with a different image. If that one works, the problem is more likely the sender’s link, the image host, or a message-specific security block than Outlook’s general cache. Ask the sender to attach the image or resend the message with a working link.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing the Outlook image cache delete my emails?
Clearing browser cached images or Windows temporary internet files does not delete mailbox messages. A new Outlook reset can remove local app data and settings, so verify that important mail is synced to the server and be ready to sign in again.

Is there a Clear Image Cache button in Outlook?
No single button works across Outlook versions. Classic Outlook can be affected by Windows temporary internet files, new Outlook has Windows Repair and Reset options, and Outlook on the web relies on the browser’s cache.

Will this make blocked pictures appear?
Not by itself. Cache clearing refreshes stored content; it does not change automatic-download protection. Use Outlook’s prompt for a trusted message or review the relevant download setting, keeping the privacy implications in mind.

Do I need to clear the cache regularly?
No. Cache files normally help images load faster. Clear them when an image appears stale or broken and simpler actions such as reopening Outlook or refreshing the page have not helped.

Is it safe to delete the Outlook Secure Temp folder?
That folder is associated with temporary files Outlook opens or extracts, not a general image-cache control. Do not delete it to fix embedded pictures. If an attachment is stuck, use a documented attachment-recovery procedure or contact support rather than removing unrelated Outlook files.

Why do images return after I clear the cache?
Outlook or your browser downloads remote images again when messages are opened. That is expected. If the same incorrect image returns, another cache may be involved, or the sender may still be using the old image at the same web address.

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