Why is Gmail deleting href tag on zip download links in emails?

Email marketer from SendPulse shares that Gmail's aggressive spam filtering can sometimes flag emails with links to downloadable files. The algorithm might perceive them as potentially harmful and remove the link.

Email marketer from MarketingProfs explains that HTML rendering inconsistencies across email clients can cause issues. Gmail might strip links if they are formatted in a way that triggers its spam or security filters.

Email marketer from Reddit explains that Gmail’s security filters are increasingly strict and might identify a zip file download link as a potential phishing threat, leading to its removal. He suggests testing different file hosting and link shortening services.

Email marketer from Webmaster Forum suggests that Gmail might be detecting the zip file as a potential virus carrier, leading to the removal of the href tag. TechGuru advises scanning the zip file with multiple antivirus tools and hosting it on a reputable platform.

Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that ISPs like Gmail may strip links they deem suspicious to protect their users. This includes links to zip files, especially if they are hosted on domains with low reputation or if the email content triggers spam filters.

Email marketer from Litmus shares that Gmail caches links for performance reasons. If a cached link is later flagged as malicious, Gmail can globally update it, potentially removing the href attribute from links to zip files considered unsafe.

Email marketer from Neil Patel Blog explains that Gmail rewrites links for tracking purposes. This may sometimes interfere with specific link types, including those leading to downloadable zip files.

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests it might be a specific setting. Ken also questions if myshopify.com is a domain that customers can use for content, and if so, that may be the issue.

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that Google Workspace blocks remotely hosted archive files like zips and gz. Free Gmail might not allow archive file attachments.

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that to improve email deliverability, one should ensure their sending domain has a good reputation. If Gmail identifies the domain hosting the zip file as suspicious, it may strip the links.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Gmail often blocks zipped attachments or links to zipped files due to their potential for containing malware. Even if the zip itself is harmless, the presence of a zip can trigger aggressive spam filtering.

Expert from Email Geeks shares that they are able to send a link to a remotely hosted zip file from a GWS account to a regular Gmail account without any issues. They also mention sending it from their Email API to Gmail, Yahoo, and WebDE successfully.

Documentation from Stack Overflow explains that Gmail sanitizes HTML code to prevent XSS attacks. Links with unusual or potentially harmful attributes can be stripped, including those directing to downloadable files, especially if the domain is untrusted.

Documentation from OWASP explains that Gmail is designed to prevent Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. By removing certain attributes from links, Gmail ensures that malicious scripts cannot be executed through email content, which can affect download links.

Documentation from IETF details that the `Content-Disposition` header can sometimes cause issues. If the header suggests the file is an attachment that should be directly downloaded, Gmail might scrutinize or remove the link to prevent potential harm to the user.

Documentation from Google Support explains that Gmail has security measures to prevent malicious content. This may include removing or modifying links to executable files or archives like zip files to protect users.

Documentation from RFC Editor explains that incorrect MIME types can cause issues. If the MIME type for the zip file is not correctly specified, Gmail might misinterpret the file type and remove the link as a security precaution.