Allow Automatic Image Download in Email

Discover how to automatically download Staffbase Email and Employee Email (Classic) images in Microsoft Outlook on Windows.

Staffbase Email
Employee Email (Classic)

The desktop version of Outlook on Windows relies on junk email filters and/or security zones in the internet properties to manage how it handles hosted content in emails. Since creating and maintaining global Safe Senders Lists might not be easily scalable, we’ve created some instructions for you to follow so that images in Staffbase emails will always download automatically by creating an exception for the domains they’re hosted on.

Depending on your Staffbase hosting infrastructure and product lines, you can add the respective Staffbase hosting domains (Staffbase Email / Employee Email (Classic)) to the trusted sites and configure Outlook to download images automatically from the trusted zone:

Staffbase Email

  • Web application URL, for example, myapp.staffbase.com or your custom domain

Employee Email (Classic)

  • For Employee Email on US hosting infrastructure, add:
    • https://*.bl-1.com
    • https://*.bananatag.com
  • For Employee Email on EU hosting infrastructure, add:
    • https://*.de.bl-1.com
    • https://*.de.bananatag.com
  • If you have both Front Door Intranet and Employee Email product lines, add:
    • Your Front Door Intranet domain
    • The respective domains for US or EU hosting infrastructure for Employee Email

You can also configure this setting for all managed devices using GPO.

  1. In your computer, navigate to Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Internet Options.
  1. Under Internet Properties, navigate to Security > Trusted sites > Sites.


The Trusted sites dialog opens.

  1. In Add this website to the zone, provide the domain you want to include.
  1. Click Add.
  2. Repeat steps 3 and 4 till you have added all the domains.
  3. Click Close after you have added all the domains.
  4. Under Security level for this zone, adjust the toggle to Medium.
  5. Click OK.

You have added the domains as trusted sites.

If you’re using a newer version of Outlook switch to Classic Outlook.

  1. In Microsoft Outlook, navigate to File > Options > Trust Center.
    The Trust Center dialog opens.

  2. In the left navigation panel, navigate to Automatic Download.

  3. Under Pictures, select the checkbox for Permit downloads from Web sites in this security zone: Trusted Zone.

  1. Click OK.

You have added the domains to the Trust Center in Outlook.

You can now send a test email from Staffbase to confirm that images are automatically downloading. If you need further assistance, contact Staffbase Support or your Customer Success Manager.

To add domains to the Trusted Sites list via Group Policy Object () in a Windows domain environment, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open Group Policy Management Console (GPMC):
  • On a machine with the necessary administrative tools, press Windows + R, type gpmc.msc, and hit Enter.
  1. Create or Edit a Group Policy Object (GPO):
  • Right-click on the Organizational Unit (OU) where you want to apply the policy, then select Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here or select an existing GPO to edit.
  • Ensure you are applying the GPO to the correct OU(s)
  1. Rename the GPO (if creating a new one):
  • Give it a descriptive name, like Add Trusted Sites.
  1. Edit the GPO:
  • Right-click on the newly created GPO and select Edit.
  1. Navigate to the Internet Explorer Settings:
  • In the Group Policy Management Editor, go to:
    • User Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> Internet Control Panel -> Security Page.
  1. Configure Trusted Sites:
  • Look for the setting named Site to Zone Assignment List.
  • Double-click on it to open its properties.
  1. Enable the Policy:
  • Select Enabled. In the Show Contents dialog, you can add entries for the sites.
  • Add staffbase.com and assign it to the Trusted Sites zone by entering the following:
    • Staffbase Email
      • Value Name: Web application URL, for example, myapp.staffbase.com or your custom domain
      • Value: 2 (which corresponds to Trusted Sites).
    • Employee Email (Classic)
      • Value Name: https://*.bl-1.com
      • Value: 2 (which corresponds to Trusted Sites).
      • Value Name: https://*.bananatag.com
      • Value: 2 (which corresponds to Trusted Sites).
  1. Apply and Close:
  • Click OK, then close the Group Policy Management Editor.
  1. Refresh Group Policy:
  • You can either wait for the next policy refresh cycle or run the command gpupdate /force on the client machines to apply the new policy immediately.
  1. Verify the Change:
  • Check on a client machine to ensure that the domains have been added to the Trusted Sites list.