What’s Apple’s privacy approach to open tracking (MPP)?

Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), introduced in iOS 15, fundamentally disrupts open tracking by pre loading email content including tracking pixels. When Apple Mail users enable MPP, Apple's servers fetch images and content regardless of whether the user actually opens the email.

This means open tracking pixels fire for MPP users even when emails go unread, inflating apparent open rates while providing no actual engagement insight. Senders cannot distinguish between genuine opens and MPP pre fetches based on traditional pixel tracking.

The privacy benefit for users is significant: senders cannot track when, where, or on what device emails are opened. For marketers, MPP requires shifting metrics focus from opens to clicks, conversions, and other engagement signals that require actual user action rather than passive image loading.