How to view email headers in Outlook: A complete guide
12 September 2024
Contents of article
Have you ever received a suspicious email in Outlook and questioned its legitimacy? Maybe you wanted to find out more about the sender or their IP address. The answer lies in reviewing email headers.
In this complete guide, we'll walk you through how to view email headers in Outlook and understand their significance. By the end, you'll have a better understanding of email headers in Outlook and how to use them for effective email management.
What are Outlook email headers?
Outlook email headers, also known as Outlook message headers or internet headers, are a set of metadata attached to an email. These headers contain information about the sender, recipient, subject, and routing of an email. They're usually hidden from view and can only be accessed through specific steps.
Why should you view Outlook email headers?
There are several reasons why you might want to view email headers in Outlook:
To verify the authenticity of an email: Email headers can reveal if an email is actually from the sender it claims to be from or if it's been spoofed.
To track the origin and route of an email: Email headers can help identify where an email originated from and which servers it passed through before reaching your inbox.
To troubleshoot delivery issues: If you're experiencing problems receiving emails, viewing the email headers can provide insights into any potential issues with delivery.
How to view email headers in Outlook
Viewing email headers in Outlook is straightforward, though the steps can vary depending on the version you're using. Here's a comprehensive guide for different Outlook versions:
Outlook 365
Open Outlook 365.
Choose the email you want to view the headers.
Click on the ellipsis (...) button in the reading pane.
Choose View > View message details.
Copy the header information, save it to a TXT file or Word document, and close the window.
Outlook for Windows
Open your Outlook application.
Choose the email with the headers you want to view.
Click on the Properties button.
Look for the Internet headers section at the bottom.
Copy the header information, save it to a TXT file or Word document, and close the window.
Outlook for Mac
Open Outlook on your Mac.
Choose the email you want to view headers for.
Click on it while holding the Ctrl key.
Choose View Source from the context menu.
Copy the header information, save it to a TXT file or Word document, and close the window.
How to interpret email headers
Email headers can be complex and may contain several lines of code that might not make sense to most users. However, understanding some key elements can help you interpret email headers accurately:
Standard elements of Outlook email headers
From: The sender's name and email address.
To: Your name and email address, the recipient.
Date: The date and time the email was sent.
Subject: The subject line of the email.
Reply-To: The email address that should be used if the recipient decides to reply to the email.
Additional elements of Outlook email headers
Received: A list of all servers and networks that the email has passed through.
Return-path: Used to specify the address that should receive any return messages or bounce notifications.
Authentication-results: Indicates if the sender's domain is authorized to send emails on its behalf. This is based on:
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records: Used to detect forged sender addresses.
DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) signatures: Used for email authentication and to prevent spoofing.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): A policy that specifies how emails from a particular domain should be handled if they fail SPF or DKIM checks.
MIME-Version: This highlights the version of the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) protocol being used and that the email is MIME-formatted. MIME allows emails to include multimedia content such as text in different character sets, images, and attachments.
Message-ID: A unique identifier assigned to a specific email message. It includes around 50 letters and numbers.
Content-Type: This specifies how the content in the email is formatted such as plain text or HTML.
Precedence: This header can be used to specify the priority of an email, sometimes indicating bulk or auto-generated messages, which can affect how the email is processed by the recipient's server.
Tips for reading email headers
Reading email headers can be overwhelming, but here are a few tips to help you navigate the information more effectively:
Look for inconsistencies: Check if the sender's domain matches their email address. Any discrepancies could indicate that the email is fraudulent.
Pay attention to the last "Received" line: This will tell you where the email originated from and if it has been routed through any suspicious servers or networks.
Check the authentication results: If an email fails SPF, DKIM, or DMARC checks, it is likely not from a legitimate source.
Review the return-path and authentication-results sections: These provide insights into whether the sender's domain is authorized to send emails and if there are any issues with authentication.
Follow the trail of Received headers: These show the different servers and networks an email has passed through, helping you track its origin and route.
Conclusion
Viewing email headers in Outlook is useful for checking the authenticity and source of emails and solving delivery issues. Email headers in Outlook show details like the sender’s IP address, the email's journey through servers, and the processing timestamps. Learning how to access and read these headers helps you manage your inbox better and protect against scams or fraud.
Check out our other guides below to see how you can get more from your Outlook emails, from top tips to ensuring your email signatures are consistent on all devices.
