Viewing the header information differs from client to client. Below are instructions for some of the most commonly-used clients and ISPs. All of these instructions assume that:
- Your email client is open.
- You have a copy of the email.
Please note that these instructions were accurate at the time of publication (July, 2019) and minor changes may have been introduced in later mail client versions.
- If you have deleted the email then you may need to restore it from the trash before you can view the headers.
- If you forward the email it will affect the header, so you have to get the header from the original email you received.
Desktop mail clients
Make sure the function to view headers is visible as follows:
- Open the email.
- Click View in the top menu.
- Click Customize Toolbars.
- Drag the All Headers / Full Headers / Long Headers icon to your toolbar.
- Save the changes.
From the email you can now click All Headers / Full Headers / Long Headers to display the content.
- Double-click the email to open it.
- Click File.
- Click Properties.
The headers should be visible at the bottom of the window.
- Open the email.
- Select the Message Tab.
- Go to Options.
- Click the Dialog Box Launcher.
- Click Properties.
The headers should be visible in the Internet Headers section.
- Open the email in a new window (double-click it).
- Select the View menu.
- Click Options.
The headers should be visible in the Internet Headers section.
- Open the email in a new window (double-click it).
- Select View in the menu.
- Click Headers.
Select All.
The headers should now be visible. You can also press CTRL + U to show headers in a separate window.
Webmail clients
- Open the email.
- Open the More menu using the three dots icon next to the Reply button.
- Click Show Original.
The headers should now be visible in a new tab.
- Open the email.
- Open the More actions menu using the three dots icon next to the Forward button.
- Click View Message Source.
The headers should now be visible in a new tab.
- Open the email.
- Open the More menu using the three dots icon at the top, next to the Spam button.
- Click View raw message.
The headers should now be visible in a new tab.
- Open the email.
- Open the More menu at the top.
- Click View headers.
The headers should now be visible in a new tab.