Proton
Email tracker protection

At Proton Mail, we believe that reading emails should be as private as our end-to-end encryption makes sending them.

Today, we’re happy to introduce enhanced tracking protection, a feature that will provide an additional layer of privacy to your inbox. Now you can read your emails without letting advertisers watch you, build a profile on you, or serve you ads based on your mail activity.

By default, Proton Mail on the web now protects your privacy by:

  • Blocking tracking pixels commonly found in newsletters and promotional emails, preventing senders from spying on your mail. 
  • Hiding your IP address from third parties so your location remains private. 

With enhanced tracking protection, you can continue to use your Proton Mail address to subscribe to newsletters and register for online accounts everywhere while enjoying a better, more private email-reading experience. 

How does email tracking work?

Email tracking is a form of digital surveillance that has become a serious concern(new window) in recent years. Over 40% of emails sent and received daily(new window) are tracked. It works by embedding a tiny, invisible spy pixel in an email sent to you, logging details about your mail activity. Every time you open the email, the spy pixel collects information such as:

  • When you opened an email
  • How many times you have opened an email
  • The device(s) involved
  • Your location and IP address

The gathered data is sent to the email sender, all without your consent. Email trackers can sometimes even expose your information to third parties(new window), allowing them to track you across the web and connect your online activity to your email address(new window), further shaping your invisible online profile. 

Use Proton Mail for a cleaner, more private inbox 

At Proton Mail, our vision is to build a better internet where privacy is the default. As part of this vision, we’ve built enhanced tracking protection to keep your personal data safe. The feature is enabled by default on our web app, so you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that your emails are always protected. 

You can also learn more about spy pixels and how we block them from your emails

Once again, we thank you for being a valuable member of the Proton community!

Related articles

A computer monitor, a box of case files, and a lock representing law firms that protect their information security
A simple guide to law firm cybersecurity. See how to protect business and client data, prevent breaches, and stay compliant with encryption.
The cover image for a Proton Pass blog about brushing scams, which shows a package with a warning sign above it
A brushing scam means your personal data has leaked online. Learn how to protect yourself with hide-my-email aliases and dark web monitoring.
An encryption lock breaking
Apple turned off its end-to-end encryption in the UK in response to a government notice. We look at what this means and how people in the UK can protect their data.
Image showing Google, Apple, and Meta as apps that allow surveillance
Big Tech companies - Apple, Google, and Meta - have built a mass surveillance machine that the government can easily tap into.
Proton symbol for protecting user privacy after Apple disabled ADP in the UK
Apple dropped ADP for UK users, leaving data unprotected by end-to-end encryption. See why E2EE matters and how to keep your data safe.
The cover image for a Proton Pass blog about how to find your saved passwords on Android, which shows a phone screen, an Android icon, and three password fields
If you're using an Android device, here's how you can find the saved passwords on your phone and how Proton Pass can help you organize them more securely.