Emails show as opened with Google Image Proxy IPs even when recipients haven't opened them because Google and other email clients use image proxies for security, privacy, and performance. These proxies pre-fetch images, triggering open tracking pixels automatically, regardless of actual user interaction. Factors such as Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), firewalls, anti-virus scanners, and email security solutions like Proofpoint (though Proofpoint doesn't directly interact with Google's Image Cache) also contribute by pre-loading or scanning images. Consequently, traditional open rates based on pixel tracking are increasingly unreliable, reflecting machine interactions rather than genuine human engagement.

Emails are often reported as opened with a Google Image Proxy IP address even when the recipient hasn't opened them because Google Image Proxy pre-fetches images in emails for security, privacy, and performance reasons. This pre-fetching triggers open tracking pixels, leading to inflated or inaccurate open rates. Additionally, other factors like Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), firewalls, and security scanners also contribute to this phenomenon by automatically loading images, further distorting open rate metrics.

Emails are registering as opened with Google Image Proxy IPs even when recipients haven't opened them due to Google and other services using image proxies for security and caching. These proxies fetch images automatically, triggering open tracking pixels, resulting in inflated open rates. Proofpoint, while offering email security, operates separately from Google's Image Proxy and does not directly interact with or load images into the Google Image Cache.

Emails are showing as opened with Google Image Proxy IPs even when recipients haven't opened them primarily because Google uses image proxies for enhanced security and improved user experience by pre-fetching images. This pre-fetching triggers 'open' notifications, regardless of actual user interaction. Litmus highlights that these image caching techniques, along with broader privacy changes, negatively impact the accuracy of open rates. Microsoft's documentation further underscores this issue by explaining privacy settings in Outlook that prevent automatic image loading, impacting open tracking until user permission is granted.