If the broken images are embedded in the content try: 'View ' > 'Message Body As' > "Original HTML" If these are attachments try: 'View' > 'Display Attachments Inline' re: '''remote content images''' You would see a message below the headers but above the actual email. 'To protect your privacy, thunderbird has blocked remote content in this message' It is advisable that you do not set the default to always 'Allow remote content in messages' in Options, but instead choose to set this on a per email or email address basis. More info: * http://kb.mozillazine.org/Images_in_messages_do_not_appear Re: privacy and why theses remote content images are blocked: * https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/remote-content-in-messages