diff --git a/src/controller.cpp b/src/controller.cpp
index 5171f0b10..916b33c35 100644
--- a/src/controller.cpp
+++ b/src/controller.cpp
@@ -439,4 +439,14 @@ void Controller::revertToDefaultConfig()
     config->save();
 }
 
+bool Controller::isImageShown(const QString &eventId)
+{
+    return m_shownImages.contains(eventId);
+}
+
+void Controller::markImageShown(const QString &eventId)
+{
+    m_shownImages.append(eventId);
+}
+
 #include "moc_controller.cpp"
diff --git a/src/controller.h b/src/controller.h
index f6027aac5..3865e2e58 100644
--- a/src/controller.h
+++ b/src/controller.h
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@ public:
      */
     Q_INVOKABLE void revertToDefaultConfig();
 
+    Q_INVOKABLE bool isImageShown(const QString &eventId);
+    Q_INVOKABLE void markImageShown(const QString &eventId);
+
 private:
     explicit Controller(QObject *parent = nullptr);
 
@@ -128,6 +131,7 @@ private:
     QStringList m_accountsLoading;
     QMap<QString, QPointer<NeoChatConnection>> m_connectionsLoading;
     QString m_endpoint;
+    QStringList m_shownImages;
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
     void invokeLogin();
diff --git a/src/neochatconfig.kcfg b/src/neochatconfig.kcfg
index c1ef7bfa0..6f59d8a67 100644
--- a/src/neochatconfig.kcfg
+++ b/src/neochatconfig.kcfg
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@
       <label>Show deleted messages in the timeline</label>
       <default>false</default>
     </entry>
+    <entry name="HideImages" type="bool">
+      <label>Hide images in the timeline</label>
+      <default>false</default>
+    </entry>
     <entry name="ShowLinkPreview" type="bool">
       <label>Show preview of the links in the chat messages</label>
     </entry>
diff --git a/src/settings/NeoChatGeneralPage.qml b/src/settings/NeoChatGeneralPage.qml
index 70d18724f..b20bb4797 100644
--- a/src/settings/NeoChatGeneralPage.qml
+++ b/src/settings/NeoChatGeneralPage.qml
@@ -193,6 +193,23 @@ FormCard.FormCardPage {
                 NeoChatConfig.save();
             }
         }
+
+        FormCard.FormDelegateSeparator {
+            above: showAvatarChangeDelegate
+            below: hideImagesDelegate
+        }
+
+        FormCard.FormCheckDelegate {
+            id: hideImagesDelegate
+            text: i18nc("@label:checkbox", "Hide image and video events by default")
+            description: i18nc("@info", "When this option is enabled, images and videos are only shown after a button is clicked.")
+            checked: NeoChatConfig.hideImages
+            enabled: !NeoChatConfig.isHideImagesImmutable
+            onToggled: {
+                NeoChatConfig.hideImages = checked;
+                NeoChatConfig.save();
+            }
+        }
     }
     FormCard.FormHeader {
         title: i18nc("Chat Editor", "Editor")
diff --git a/src/timeline/ImageComponent.qml b/src/timeline/ImageComponent.qml
index d66f95272..29fb9d109 100644
--- a/src/timeline/ImageComponent.qml
+++ b/src/timeline/ImageComponent.qml
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ Item {
 
         anchors.fill: parent
 
-        active: !root.mediaInfo.animated
+        active: !root.mediaInfo.animated && !_private.hideImage
         sourceComponent: Image {
             source: root.mediaInfo.source
             sourceSize.width: mediaSizeHelper.currentSize.width * Screen.devicePixelRatio
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ Item {
 
         anchors.fill: parent
 
-        active: root?.mediaInfo.animated ?? false
+        active: (root?.mediaInfo.animated ?? false) && !_private.hideImage
         sourceComponent: AnimatedImage {
             source: root.mediaInfo.source
 
@@ -101,8 +101,8 @@ Item {
 
     Image {
         anchors.fill: parent
-        source: root?.mediaInfo.tempInfo.source ?? ""
-        visible: _private.imageItem.status !== Image.Ready
+        source: visible ? (root?.mediaInfo.tempInfo.source ?? "") : ""
+        visible: _private.imageItem && _private.imageItem.status !== Image.Ready && !_private.hideImage
     }
 
     QQC2.ToolTip.text: root.display
@@ -124,11 +124,23 @@ Item {
             anchors.centerIn: parent
 
             width: parent.width * 0.8
+            visible: !_private.hideImage
 
             from: 0
             to: 1.0
             value: _private.imageItem.progress
         }
+
+    }
+
+    QQC2.Button {
+        anchors.centerIn: parent
+        text: i18nc("@action:button", "Show Image")
+        visible: _private.hideImage
+        onClicked: {
+            _private.hideImage = false;
+            Controller.markImageShown(root.eventId);
+        }
     }
 
     TapHandler {
@@ -180,5 +192,7 @@ Item {
 
         // The space available for the component after taking away the border
         readonly property real downloaded: root.fileTransferInfo && root.fileTransferInfo.completed
+
+        property bool hideImage: NeoChatConfig.hideImages && !Controller.isImageShown(root.eventId)
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/timeline/VideoComponent.qml b/src/timeline/VideoComponent.qml
index fe764b29d..fcd062da1 100644
--- a/src/timeline/VideoComponent.qml
+++ b/src/timeline/VideoComponent.qml
@@ -93,6 +93,12 @@ Video {
     fillMode: VideoOutput.PreserveAspectFit
 
     Component.onDestruction: root.stop()
+    Component.onCompleted: {
+        console.warn("state", root.state)
+        if (NeoChatConfig.hideImages && !Controller.isImageShown(root.eventId)) {
+            root.state = "hidden";
+        }
+    }
 
     states: [
         State {
@@ -167,6 +173,21 @@ Video {
                     root.play();
                 }
             }
+        },
+        State {
+            name: "hidden"
+            PropertyChanges {
+                target: mediaThumbnail
+                visible: false
+            }
+            PropertyChanges {
+                target: videoControls
+                visible: false
+            }
+            PropertyChanges {
+                target: hidden
+                visible: true
+            }
         }
     ]
 
@@ -184,7 +205,7 @@ Video {
         anchors.fill: parent
         visible: false
 
-        source: root.mediaInfo.tempInfo.source
+        source: visible ? root.mediaInfo.tempInfo.source : ""
         fillMode: Image.PreserveAspectFit
     }
 
@@ -225,6 +246,23 @@ Video {
         }
     }
 
+    Rectangle {
+        id: hidden
+        anchors.fill: parent
+
+        visible: false
+        color: "#BB000000"
+
+        QQC2.Button {
+            anchors.centerIn: parent
+            text: i18nc("@action:button", "Show Video")
+            onClicked: {
+                root.state = "notDownloaded";
+                Controller.markImageShown(root.eventId);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     QQC2.Control {
         id: videoControls
         property bool stateVisible: false