Does Apple Mail Privacy Protection pre-fetch images from spam folders or only the inbox?

Summary

The impact of Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) on email open rates is a complex issue with varied perspectives. While some experts suggest MPP only works from the inbox and that Apple doesn't control spam folder placement, the predominant view, supported by Apple's own documentation and numerous email marketing platforms, indicates that MPP preloads email content regardless of whether it lands in the inbox or spam folder. This pre-loading significantly affects the accuracy of open rates, making them less reliable for gauging user engagement. As a result, email marketers are widely advised to shift their focus to alternative metrics like click-through rates and conversions. Additionally, MPP's interaction with VPNs can further complicate image loading, even for emails in the inbox, adding another layer of complexity to the data landscape.

Key findings

  • MPP Affects Open Rates: Apple's MPP pre-loads images, impacting the accuracy of email open rates.
  • Pre-loading Regardless of Folder: The majority of sources suggest MPP pre-loads content regardless of whether the email is in the inbox or spam folder.
  • Focus on Engagement: Engagement metrics like click-through rates and conversions are becoming more important.
  • VPN Interference: MPP's interaction with VPNs can complicate image loading.
  • User-Centric Spam Folder: The Apple spam folder is user-centric, meaning individual users determine what goes there.

Key considerations

  • Shift in Measurement: Email marketers need to shift their focus from open rates to other metrics to accurately measure email effectiveness.
  • Complex Interactions: Be aware of the complex interactions between MPP, email clients, mail providers, and user VPN settings.
  • Holistic Approach: Adopt a holistic approach to measuring email success, considering multiple engagement metrics instead of relying solely on open rates.
  • Test and Adapt: Continuously test and adapt your email strategies as the email landscape evolves.

What email marketers say
8Marketer opinions

The introduction of Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) has significantly impacted the reliability of open rate metrics in email marketing. MPP pre-loads images, including tracking pixels, regardless of whether an email is actually opened by the recipient. This pre-loading affects open rate accuracy, making it harder to track genuine engagement. While many sources don't specifically address pre-fetching from the spam folder versus the inbox, the implication is that pre-fetching occurs regardless of placement. As a result, email marketers are advised to shift their focus towards alternative metrics like click-through rates and conversions to gauge campaign performance more accurately.

Key opinions

  • MPP Impacts Open Rates: Apple's MPP pre-loads images, inflating open rates and making them less reliable.
  • Focus on Engagement: The need to focus on engagement is now more important than ever.
  • Alternative Metrics: Clicks and conversions are better metrics to base email marketing effectiveness on.
  • No Spam Specificity: Most sources do not differentiate between pre-fetching in the inbox versus the spam folder, implying pre-fetching occurs regardless.

Key considerations

  • Directional Data: Open rates should now be used as directional metrics rather than precise measures of engagement.
  • Shift in Strategy: Email marketers should shift their strategies to focus on metrics that reflect actual engagement, such as click-through rates and conversions.
  • Holistic Approach: Adopt a more holistic approach to email marketing analysis, considering a range of engagement metrics to gain a more accurate understanding of campaign performance.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that after the launch of Apple MPP, open rates should only be used as directional metrics.

October 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot recommends focusing on other metrics like clicks and conversions due to MPP's impact on open rates. Doesn't detail spam folder behavior specifically.

August 2022 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp explains that MPP masks IP addresses and preloads email content, potentially affecting open rate metrics. They do not specifically address the spam folder, but the implication is pre-fetching occurs regardless of placement.

September 2024 - Mailchimp
Marketer view

Email marketer from SuperOffice talks about how after the launch of MPP the need to focus on engagement is more important than ever, although there is no specific mention of spam vs inbox folder.

July 2024 - SuperOffice
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign explains that Apple’s MPP makes open rate metrics less reliable by pre-loading tracking pixels. They also explain that click throughs are better metrics to base email quality on now.

April 2023 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus responds that Apple's Mail Privacy Protection impacts the accuracy of open rates, since images are pre-loaded, even if the user doesn't open the email.

October 2024 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow talks about how since the launch of MPP, Apple products will pre-fetch the pixel and the opens will no longer be accurate, although there is no specific mention of spam vs inbox folder.

August 2022 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailToolTester shares that Apple's MPP impacts email open rates by pre-loading images, making it harder to track genuine engagement.

December 2024 - EmailToolTester

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

The question of whether Apple Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) pre-fetches images from spam folders or only the inbox receives varied responses. One perspective emphasizes that MPP only functions from the inbox, with the Apple spam folder being user-centric, not globally controlled by Apple. Another source highlights that Apple Mail's behavior depends on preceding events; images are unlikely to be fetched if an email is placed in the Junk folder, though the mail provider might have already pre-fetched them. Additionally, MPP's interaction with VPNs can further complicate image loading, even for emails in the inbox. Conversely, another source asserts that MPP preloads email content regardless of inbox or spam folder placement, diminishing the reliability of traditional open rates. These conflicting views suggest a complex interplay of factors influencing MPP's behavior.

Key opinions

  • Conflicting Views: There are conflicting views on whether MPP pre-fetches images from spam folders or only the inbox.
  • User-Centric Spam: The Apple spam folder is user-centric, with Apple not globally controlling spam folder placement.
  • Mail Provider Role: Mail providers might pre-fetch images before Apple Mail places an email in the junk folder.
  • VPN Interference: MPP's interaction with VPNs can prevent image loading, even in the inbox.
  • Open Rate Impact: MPP affects open rate accuracy regardless of inbox or spam folder placement, according to some sources.

Key considerations

  • Complex Factors: MPP behavior is influenced by a complex interplay of factors, including the mail client, mail provider, user settings, and VPN usage.
  • Inconsistent Behavior: MPP's behavior may not be consistent across all users and email providers.
  • Reduced Reliability: Traditional open rates are less reliable due to MPP's pre-fetching behavior.
  • Alternative Metrics: Consider alternative metrics for measuring engagement, such as click-through rates and conversions.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that Apple MPP only works from the inbox and that the Apple spam folder is user-centric, with Apple not globally controlling the inbox/spam folder decision.

April 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise responds that Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) preloads email content, affecting open rate accuracy, regardless of whether the email lands in the inbox or spam folder. This makes traditional open rates a less reliable metric.

May 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that Apple Mail is a mail client, and its behavior depends on what happens before the email reaches it. If Apple Mail puts an email in its Junk folder, it likely won't fetch images, but the mail provider might have already done so. MPP can also interact poorly with VPNs, potentially preventing image loading even for emails in the inbox.

August 2023 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

According to documentation from Apple Developer, Campaign Monitor, Sendinblue, and Oracle, Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) pre-loads remote content, including tracking pixels, through a proxy server. This pre-loading of images occurs regardless of whether an email lands in the inbox or spam folder. As a result, the reliability of open rates as a metric for gauging email engagement is significantly reduced, and marketers are advised to leverage alternative metrics to assess campaign performance.

Key findings

  • MPP Pre-loads Regardless of Folder: MPP pre-loads email content whether the email is in the inbox or the spam folder.
  • Open Rates Less Reliable: MPP makes open rates a less accurate measure of email engagement.
  • Impacts Tracking Pixels: MPP impacts the reliability of tracking pixels due to pre-loading.

Key considerations

  • Shift Focus to Other Metrics: Email marketers should shift their focus to other metrics, such as click-through rates and conversions.
  • Re-evaluate Email Strategy: Consider re-evaluating email marketing strategy to account for changes in data availability due to MPP.
Technical article

Documentation from Campaign Monitor explains that MPP will load images regardless of the recipient opening the email, making open rates less accurate. There is no delineation of how it handles emails in spam vs inbox folders.

July 2023 - Campaign Monitor
Technical article

Documentation from Sendinblue explains how Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection affects open rates and provides guidance on leveraging other metrics to gauge campaign performance.

August 2023 - Sendinblue
Technical article

Documentation from Apple Developer explains that Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) works by pre-loading remote content, including tracking pixels, through a proxy server, regardless of whether the email ends up in the inbox or spam folder. This makes open rates less reliable.

July 2024 - Apple Developer
Technical article

Documentation from Oracle explains how Apple's MPP works by masking IP addresses and pre-loading email content, regardless of the folder it's in.

November 2024 - Oracle