diff --git a/res/css/views/messages/_MImageBody.scss b/res/css/views/messages/_MImageBody.scss
index 86bc022829..8e650eaff4 100644
--- a/res/css/views/messages/_MImageBody.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/messages/_MImageBody.scss
@@ -59,3 +59,36 @@ limitations under the License.
     color: $imagebody-giflabel-color;
     pointer-events: none;
 }
+
+.mx_HiddenImagePlaceholder {
+    position: absolute;
+    left: 0;
+    top: 0;
+    bottom: 0;
+    right: 0;
+
+    // To center the text in the middle of the frame
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+    text-align: center;
+
+    cursor: pointer;
+    background-color: $header-panel-bg-color;
+
+    .mx_HiddenImagePlaceholder_button {
+        color: $accent-color;
+
+        img {
+            margin-right: 8px;
+        }
+
+        span {
+            vertical-align: text-bottom;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+.mx_EventTile:hover .mx_HiddenImagePlaceholder {
+    background-color: $primary-bg-color;
+}
diff --git a/res/css/views/messages/_MStickerBody.scss b/res/css/views/messages/_MStickerBody.scss
index e4977bcc34..162ee7da86 100644
--- a/res/css/views/messages/_MStickerBody.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/messages/_MStickerBody.scss
@@ -22,3 +22,14 @@ limitations under the License.
     position: absolute;
     top: 50%;
 }
+
+.mx_MStickerBody_hidden {
+    max-width: 220px;
+    text-decoration: none;
+    text-align: center;
+
+    // To center the text in the middle of the frame
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+}
diff --git a/res/img/feather-customised/eye.svg b/res/img/feather-customised/eye.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fd06bf7b21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/res/img/feather-customised/eye.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="18" height="14" viewBox="0 0 18 14">
+    <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="#03B381" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" transform="translate(1 1)">
+        <path d="M0 6s3-6 8.25-6 8.25 6 8.25 6-3 6-8.25 6S0 6 0 6z"/>
+        <circle cx="8.25" cy="6" r="2.25"/>
+    </g>
+</svg>
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/MImageBody.js b/src/components/views/messages/MImageBody.js
index de19d0026f..e89c6d2bc9 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/MImageBody.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/MImageBody.js
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ export default class MImageBody extends React.Component {
             imgLoaded: false,
             loadedImageDimensions: null,
             hover: false,
+            showImage: SettingsStore.getValue("showImages"),
         };
     }
 
@@ -86,9 +87,19 @@ export default class MImageBody extends React.Component {
         }
     }
 
+    showImage() {
+        localStorage.setItem("mx_ShowImage_" + this.props.mxEvent.getId(), "true");
+        this.setState({showImage: true});
+    }
+
     onClick(ev) {
         if (ev.button === 0 && !ev.metaKey) {
             ev.preventDefault();
+            if (!this.state.showImage) {
+                this.showImage();
+                return;
+            }
+
             const content = this.props.mxEvent.getContent();
             const httpUrl = this._getContentUrl();
             const ImageView = sdk.getComponent("elements.ImageView");
@@ -120,7 +131,7 @@ export default class MImageBody extends React.Component {
     onImageEnter(e) {
         this.setState({ hover: true });
 
-        if (!this._isGif() || SettingsStore.getValue("autoplayGifsAndVideos")) {
+        if (!this.state.showImage || !this._isGif() || SettingsStore.getValue("autoplayGifsAndVideos")) {
             return;
         }
         const imgElement = e.target;
@@ -130,7 +141,7 @@ export default class MImageBody extends React.Component {
     onImageLeave(e) {
         this.setState({ hover: false });
 
-        if (!this._isGif() || SettingsStore.getValue("autoplayGifsAndVideos")) {
+        if (!this.state.showImage || !this._isGif() || SettingsStore.getValue("autoplayGifsAndVideos")) {
             return;
         }
         const imgElement = e.target;
@@ -280,6 +291,12 @@ export default class MImageBody extends React.Component {
                 });
             }).done();
         }
+
+        // Remember that the user wanted to show this particular image
+        if (!this.state.showImage && localStorage.getItem("mx_ShowImage_" + this.props.mxEvent.getId()) === "true") {
+            this.setState({showImage: true});
+        }
+
         this._afterComponentDidMount();
     }
 
@@ -321,13 +338,19 @@ export default class MImageBody extends React.Component {
             // By doing this, the image "pops" into the timeline, but is still restricted
             // by the same width and height logic below.
             if (!this.state.loadedImageDimensions) {
-                return this.wrapImage(contentUrl,
-                    <img style={{display: 'none'}} src={thumbUrl} ref="image"
-                        alt={content.body}
-                        onError={this.onImageError}
-                        onLoad={this.onImageLoad}
-                    />,
-                );
+                let imageElement;
+                if (!this.state.showImage) {
+                    imageElement = <HiddenImagePlaceholder />;
+                } else {
+                    imageElement = (
+                        <img style={{display: 'none'}} src={thumbUrl} ref="image"
+                             alt={content.body}
+                             onError={this.onImageError}
+                             onLoad={this.onImageLoad}
+                        />
+                    );
+                }
+                return this.wrapImage(contentUrl, imageElement);
             }
             infoWidth = this.state.loadedImageDimensions.naturalWidth;
             infoHeight = this.state.loadedImageDimensions.naturalHeight;
@@ -356,19 +379,26 @@ export default class MImageBody extends React.Component {
             placeholder = this.getPlaceholder();
         }
 
-        const showPlaceholder = Boolean(placeholder);
+        let showPlaceholder = Boolean(placeholder);
 
         if (thumbUrl && !this.state.imgError) {
             // Restrict the width of the thumbnail here, otherwise it will fill the container
             // which has the same width as the timeline
             // mx_MImageBody_thumbnail resizes img to exactly container size
-            img = <img className="mx_MImageBody_thumbnail" src={thumbUrl} ref="image"
-                style={{ maxWidth: maxWidth + "px" }}
-                alt={content.body}
-                onError={this.onImageError}
-                onLoad={this.onImageLoad}
-                onMouseEnter={this.onImageEnter}
-                onMouseLeave={this.onImageLeave} />;
+            img = (
+                <img className="mx_MImageBody_thumbnail" src={thumbUrl} ref="image"
+                     style={{ maxWidth: maxWidth + "px" }}
+                     alt={content.body}
+                     onError={this.onImageError}
+                     onLoad={this.onImageLoad}
+                     onMouseEnter={this.onImageEnter}
+                     onMouseLeave={this.onImageLeave} />
+            );
+        }
+
+        if (!this.state.showImage) {
+            img = <HiddenImagePlaceholder style={{ maxWidth: maxWidth + "px" }} />;
+            showPlaceholder = false; // because we're hiding the image, so don't show the sticker icon.
         }
 
         if (this._isGif() && !SettingsStore.getValue("autoplayGifsAndVideos") && !this.state.hover) {
@@ -454,3 +484,22 @@ export default class MImageBody extends React.Component {
         </span>;
     }
 }
+
+export class HiddenImagePlaceholder extends React.PureComponent {
+    static propTypes = {
+        hover: PropTypes.bool,
+    };
+
+    render() {
+        let className = 'mx_HiddenImagePlaceholder';
+        if (this.props.hover) className += ' mx_HiddenImagePlaceholder_hover';
+        return (
+            <div className={className}>
+                <div className='mx_HiddenImagePlaceholder_button'>
+                    <img src={require("../../../../res/img/feather-customised/eye.svg")} width={17} height={12} />
+                    <span>{_t("Show image")}</span>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/MStickerBody.js b/src/components/views/messages/MStickerBody.js
index 6a4128dfa7..ed82d49576 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/MStickerBody.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/MStickerBody.js
@@ -14,21 +14,27 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-'use strict';
-
 import React from 'react';
 import MImageBody from './MImageBody';
 import sdk from '../../../index';
 
 export default class MStickerBody extends MImageBody {
-    // Empty to prevent default behaviour of MImageBody
-    onClick() {
+    // Mostly empty to prevent default behaviour of MImageBody
+    onClick(ev) {
+        ev.preventDefault();
+        if (!this.state.showImage) {
+            this.showImage();
+        }
     }
 
     // MStickerBody doesn't need a wrapping `<a href=...>`, but it does need extra padding
     // which is added by mx_MStickerBody_wrapper
     wrapImage(contentUrl, children) {
-        return <div className="mx_MStickerBody_wrapper"> { children } </div>;
+        let onClick = null;
+        if (!this.state.showImage) {
+            onClick = this.onClick;
+        }
+        return <div className="mx_MStickerBody_wrapper" onClick={onClick}> { children } </div>;
     }
 
     // Placeholder to show in place of the sticker image if
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/LinkPreviewWidget.js b/src/components/views/rooms/LinkPreviewWidget.js
index cfa096a763..d93fe76b46 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/LinkPreviewWidget.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/LinkPreviewWidget.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import createReactClass from 'create-react-class';
 import { linkifyElement } from '../../../HtmlUtils';
+import SettingsStore from "../../../settings/SettingsStore";
 
 const sdk = require('../../../index');
 const MatrixClientPeg = require('../../../MatrixClientPeg');
@@ -102,6 +103,9 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
 
         // FIXME: do we want to factor out all image displaying between this and MImageBody - especially for lightboxing?
         let image = p["og:image"];
+        if (!SettingsStore.getValue("showImages")) {
+            image = null; // Don't render a button to show the image, just hide it outright
+        }
         const imageMaxWidth = 100; const imageMaxHeight = 100;
         if (image && image.startsWith("mxc://")) {
             image = MatrixClientPeg.get().mxcUrlToHttp(image, imageMaxWidth, imageMaxHeight);
diff --git a/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/PreferencesUserSettingsTab.js b/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/PreferencesUserSettingsTab.js
index 6528c86f19..30f46754b7 100644
--- a/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/PreferencesUserSettingsTab.js
+++ b/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/PreferencesUserSettingsTab.js
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ export default class PreferencesUserSettingsTab extends React.Component {
         'showJoinLeaves',
         'showAvatarChanges',
         'showDisplaynameChanges',
+        'showImages',
     ];
 
     static ROOM_LIST_SETTINGS = [
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index 5a683ce92d..43d6bd570d 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@
     "Low bandwidth mode": "Low bandwidth mode",
     "Allow fallback call assist server turn.matrix.org when your homeserver does not offer one (your IP address would be shared during a call)": "Allow fallback call assist server turn.matrix.org when your homeserver does not offer one (your IP address would be shared during a call)",
     "Send read receipts for messages (requires compatible homeserver to disable)": "Send read receipts for messages (requires compatible homeserver to disable)",
+    "Show previews/thumbnails for images": "Show previews/thumbnails for images",
     "Collecting app version information": "Collecting app version information",
     "Collecting logs": "Collecting logs",
     "Uploading report": "Uploading report",
@@ -1036,6 +1037,7 @@
     "Download %(text)s": "Download %(text)s",
     "Invalid file%(extra)s": "Invalid file%(extra)s",
     "Error decrypting image": "Error decrypting image",
+    "Show image": "Show image",
     "Error decrypting video": "Error decrypting video",
     "Agree": "Agree",
     "Disagree": "Disagree",
diff --git a/src/settings/Settings.js b/src/settings/Settings.js
index c82b7a0c71..102efaa75a 100644
--- a/src/settings/Settings.js
+++ b/src/settings/Settings.js
@@ -413,4 +413,9 @@ export const SETTINGS = {
         ),
         default: true,
     },
+    "showImages": {
+        supportedLevels: LEVELS_ACCOUNT_SETTINGS,
+        displayName: _td("Show previews/thumbnails for images"),
+        default: true,
+    },
 };