What Are Email Headers?
Every email carries a set of hidden metadata called headers that record the complete journey of the message from sender to recipient. While you normally only see From, To, Subject and Date, there are often dozens of additional headers containing crucial security and routing information.
How to View Raw Email Headers
- Gmail: Open the email → click the three-dot menu (⋮) → Show original
- Outlook: Open the email → File → Properties → Internet headers
- Apple Mail: View menu → Message → All Headers
- Thunderbird: View menu → Message Source
Understanding the Received Headers
The most important headers for tracing an email are the Received headers. Each mail server that handles the email adds a Received header. Reading them from bottom to top gives you the delivery path — from the originating server to your inbox. The IP address in the bottom-most Received header is often the sender's real IP (though major providers like Gmail hide this).
SPF, DKIM and DMARC
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) verifies that the sending server is authorised to send email for the domain. DKIM uses cryptographic signatures to prove the email has not been modified in transit. DMARC ties SPF and DKIM together and tells receiving servers what to do if checks fail.
If an email fails SPF or DKIM checks, it may be spoofed — appearing to come from a domain it did not actually originate from.
Analyze Email Headers Free
Paste your raw headers into our Email Header Analyzer to see the delivery path, authentication results and sender details in a clear visual format.
