Email Headers: What They Are & How To Read Them


What are email headers used for?

Email headers are usually used to see information such as who has sent and received a message, where the message has passed through a server, and what kind of errors may have prevented the email from reaching its intended destination. For email deliverability, headers can provide helpful information about positive or negative interaction with a message.

Since the header contains the email’s routing information, you can view exactly which servers, ISPs, and email platforms the message has been through. You can easily see if the email message was secure and if it reached its recipient without errors or changes. If the message encountered a problem on its way to its destination, or was never delivered at all, a tech-savvy user can review the header and figure out exactly what affected the message. Did Harry’s email go to Aberfoth Dumbledore, instead of Albus? 🤔

After identifying issues, the user can then fix problems that help new emails get where they need to go.

Due to their ability to quickly help solve many delivery issues, headers are a valuable resource for organizations concerned with deliverability and the technical process of sending an email. That’s why it is important, if you are beginning an email campaign, to correctly configure your delivery systems beforehand and send a few test emails. With the right tools in place, you will be able to give yourself a leg up in deliverability before your email even leaves your outbox.

What are the standard parts of an email header?

Email headers provide you with information you may want or need. The standard parts of an email header are below:

  • From: This section refers to the name and email address of the sender, which is the origin of the email.
  • To: This section refers to the name and email address of the recipient. If there is more than one recipient, the name and email address of each recipient will appear in this section.
  • Date: This section refers to the day and time the email was sent.

 
Elsewhere in the header, we can also find the following technical sections:

  • Subject: This section refers to the subject line used in the email message.
  • Return-Path: If an error is found while the email is being sent or, for any reason, the email cannot reach the intended inbox, the mail will be sent to the address specified in this section. It will generally be send back to the sender — via the “return path” — specified in the “from” section.
  • Received: This section refers to all of the places the message has been specifically delivered to. For each successful point of receipt, we can see the IP address and the different authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM-signature, DMARC) that have (or have not) been validated by the different servers.
  • Message-ID: This section refers to the unique identifier of each specific email message.
  • MIME-version: When present, MIME-version (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) refer to programs that support email attachments outside of the main message, like static images and video and audio components.
  • Content-type: This section refers to the different content types in each message (text, jpeg, etc.).

 

How do you find an email header in your email client?

There are many popular webmail providers used by both businesses and individuals, and all of them contain email headers for each message. Below, you can see instructions for finding headers on several popular email clients.

Email headers in Gmail

In Google Mail, you can click on the three dots in the top right corner of any email message in your account (next to the reply arrow), and then click the “show original” option. This will show you the header.

Email headers in Outlook (Hotmail) 2016 and 2019

In Microsoft Outlook, you can double click the email to see it in a separate window. Then, click “file” and then click “properties.” You can see the header information in the “internet headers” section at the bottom of the screen.

Email headers in Yahoo! Mail

In Yahoo Mail!, open the message and click the “more” button above it. Then, click “view raw message.” This will show you the header.

Email headers in Apple Mail

In Apple Mail, you can open the message and select the “view” option in the menu pane. Then, choose the “message” option and finally click on the “raw source” option. This will display your message’s email header.

What should you remember about email headers?

Email headers may seem unfamiliar to those who have never viewed them, whether you’re a business veteran or a powerful wizard. However, they are a quick and easy way to find out detailed information about your emails’ journey and if they are being properly delivered. They are an important part of good deliverability strategy, and becoming familiar with them will help you launch successful email campaigns and view their results.

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