How To Embed Remote Images In Windows Live Mail

Periodically there are times when you want to send an image by simply linking to it remotely rather than attaching it directly. For example, this is the URL to the main PCMech logo:

http://www.pcmech.com/design/pcmech_logo2.png

You have the "code", so to speak, but what you want to show up is this:

..and have that happen in your email by linking rather than attaching.

In Windows Live Mail there is no clear cut way to do this, however there is a workaround.

Here’s how it’s done. We’ll use the PCMech logo above as an example. You can try it yourself if you like.

1. Compose a new email.

2. In this window, if the menu bar at the top (where File/Edit/View/etc. is supposed to be) isn’t there, press ALT+M and then choose Show menu bar to show it.

3. Click Insert, then Image, then Inline

4. A window pops up prompting you to locate an image file. In the File Name field at the bottom of the window, paste in http://www.pcmech.com/design/pcmech_logo2.png, then click Open.

YOUR COMPUTER WILL PAUSE AT THIS POINT, and may give the impression the program is about to lock up – IT IS NOT. It takes a few moments to load the image since it’s being called remotely from the internet.

After a few moment, the image now appears in the email – BUT HANG ON, there’s one more thing we have to do.

5. Click the image so it’s highlighted, then click Format (at top menu bar). The very last menu option is Send pictures with message, and it is checked. Click that option to uncheck it.

Yes, I know, this makes absolutely no sense because you do want to send the picture you just added with the email you’re about to send.

What you’re doing here is instructing Windows Live Mail not to physically attach the image to your email but rather just link to it.

If you don’t do this with a remotely linked image, the image will be downloaded, attached and defeat the whole point of doing this in the first place.

At this point you’re ready to send. You’ll notice your mail will send itself off very quickly since you technically have no file attachments since you linked the image remotely.