How to block click-tracking links
Click-tracking is separate from open-tracking: a sender can rewrite a link so it contacts an intermediary before reaching the destination, creating a click signal along that route. Blocking an open pixel does not address this separate mechanism. Mailshade locally detects supported click-tracking redirect patterns. When the URL contains a destination that can be verified locally, the warning offers that direct destination or the original tracked URL; for a recognized opaque route, it warns without inventing a direct URL. Choosing an available direct destination avoids the recognized redirect request. This works in opted-in Gmail, Outlook, Office 365, Superhuman, Yahoo Mail and ProtonMail. This guide explains how redirect tracking works, how to spot it, and what the choice means.
How click-tracking works
Instead of linking directly to example.com, an email can link to an intermediary path that records or correlates a request before redirecting to the destination.
How to spot a tracked link
- Hover a link and the visible URL is a tracking domain, not the expected destination site.
- The path is an opaque token rather than a readable page path.
How Mailshade handles supported patterns
Mailshade detects supported redirect formats locally. When a direct destination can be verified from the original URL, it presents that destination alongside the original and you decide which to open. A recognized opaque route stays labelled as the original URL rather than being decoded speculatively.
Limits matter
Mailshade does not claim to resolve every redirect on the internet. It handles supported local patterns, keeps the choice visible, and does not send the link to a resolution service.
FAQ
Is click-tracking different from open-tracking?
Yes. Pixel-based open tracking uses a remote image request; click-tracking uses an intermediary link request. Mailshade cancels browser requests matching reviewed tracker-pixel endpoints and separately warns on supported redirect patterns.
How does Mailshade stop click-tracking?
It detects supported redirect patterns locally. If the URL contains a destination that can be verified, Mailshade offers it beside the original tracked URL; choosing direct avoids the recognized redirect. Opaque routes remain warnings with the original URL rather than a guessed destination.
Will unwrapping links break where they go?
When a destination can be verified locally, Mailshade shows it before navigation and keeps the original URL as an explicit alternative. Opaque formats are not decoded speculatively, and no remote resolution service is used.
Does click-link unwrapping work outside Gmail?
Yes. The local warning and direct-or-original choice run across opted-in Gmail, Outlook, Office 365, Superhuman, Yahoo Mail and ProtonMail.
How much does Mailshade cost?
Core link warnings remain free after a 14-day Pro trial. Paid Pro starts at $3.99 per month or $19 one-time; pricing is at mailshade.org and the source is open under AGPL-3.0.