Disabling the 'Protect Mail Activity' on Mail App Doesn't Disable the 'Load Content Directly'

[Alvin777]

Hello Apple friends.

Disabling the 'Protect Mail Activity' on Mail App doesn't disable the 'Load Content Directly' and this has been going on for more than a year now since upgrading to this OS (the buggiest OS in Apple's history by far). How can it be fixed?

Thank you in advance. Have a very blessed, upcoming sunday.


'Load Content Directly' keeps popping up

even though it was already disabled in the preferences

 

[wdhpgx]

It looks like the warning in the mail window says, "Your network preferences prevent content from loading privately." The description in the preferences reads, "Mail Privacy Protection works by hiding your IP address and loading remote content privately..."

It looks to me like:

• Checking the box in preferences has it "load remote content privately"
• Not checking the box has it "not load remote content privately"
• The warning says "preferences prevent content from loading privately"
• Having the box not checked has it "not load remote content privately" and this is consistent with the warning message of "preferences prevent content from loading privately"

My takeaway is that:

• If you want it to "load remote content privately", then check the box
• If you don't want it to "load remote content privately", then don't check the box, and the warning will tell you that it "can't load remote content privately"

That said, I'm not familiar at all with any of this "loading remote content privately" stuff, or how it works, or why it's there, or etc. It just sounds like the warning is indeed consistent with the preferences setting.

I can't say that I've ever seen a "Load Content Directly" show up in my window. It looks like I have my preferences set to:

• protect mail activity: unchecked
• hide ip: checked
• block all remove content: checked

My guess is that having "block all remove content" checked is what has it never prompt me for "Load Content Directly".

 

[svenmany]

Seems like a bug. The "Protect Mail Activity" is designed to make web requests in the background so that the sites contacted can't know if and when you are interacting or viewing their emails. The message you're seeing says that it failed to do that and you have to initiate the download of content yourself. But, it shouldn't even be trying to do it since you have it deselected.

The "Hide IP address" is somewhat unrelated. It simply causes web requests to be relayed through Apple's servers so that sites don't learn your IP address.

However, the error message does use the word "privately" rather than the phrase "in the background", so maybe my understanding is off. If you deselect "Hide IP address" does the problem go away?

 

[svenmany]

and the usual question whenever people see that message - Do you have VPN software or some other privacy centric software installed?

 

[Alvin777]

and the usual question whenever people see that message - Do you have VPN software or some other privacy centric software installed?

Hi. I have Avast anti-virus and I have the macOS firewall ON. I have the same things but it didn't happen in macOS Big Sur (only when I updated to Monterey). I wonder if there's a Terminal way to make it always load stuff without asking permission?

 

[svenmany]

Hi. I have Avast anti-virus and I have the macOS firewall ON. I have the same things but it didn't happen in macOS Big Sur (only when I updated to Monterey). I wonder if there's a Terminal way to make it always load stuff without asking permission?

These email features are new with Monterey.

I’ve done a lot of testing (months ago) on the effect the packet filter firewall has on private relay. (This is not the firewall that you configure in system preferences.) Even the slightest configuration invariably breaks it and gets you the message you’re seeing. I suspect Avast is using that firewall.

 

[bogdanw]

Almost a year after Monterey’s launch, iCloud Private Relay is still beta. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212614
“Note: iCloud Private Relay is not available in all countries or regions and is currently in beta in iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey.”
Many of Monterey’s connectivity issues have been caused, and are being caused, by this “feature” and its “sub-features”, like Limit IP Address Tracking, Protect Mail Activity, Hide IP Address
https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/change-privacy-preferences-mlhlae4a4fe6/15.0/mac/12.0
https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/privacy-sfri35610/16.0/mac/12.0
I’ve just disabled them all.