Trace an email with its full header

You can check the full header of an email you received from a Gmail account to know where it's from.

View & copy the full header of an email

Gmail

1. From a browser, open Gmail.
2. Open the email you want to check the headers for.
3. Next to Reply , click More Show original.
   • In a new window, the full header shows.
4. Click Copy to clipboard.

Other mail services

AOL

1. Log in to your AOL account.
2. Open the email you want to see the headers for.
3. In the "Action" menu, select View Message Source.

The headers will show in a new window.

Excite Webmail

1. Log in to your Excite account.
2. Open the email you want to see the headers for.
3. Click View Full Headers.

The headers will show in a new window.

Hotmail

1. Log in to your Hotmail account.
2. Click Inbox.
3. Right-click the email you want to see the headers for.
4. Click View Message Source.

The headers will show in a new window.

Yahoo! Mail

1. Log in to your Yahoo! Mail account.
2. Select the email you want to see the headers for.
3. Click More  View Raw Message.

The headers will show in a new window.

Apple Mail

1. Open Apple Mail.
2. Open the email you want to see the headers for.
3. Click View  Message  All Headers.

The headers will show in the window below your inbox.

Mozilla

1. Open Mozilla.
2. Open the email you want to see the headers for.
3. Click View   Message Source. 

The headers will show in a new window.

Opera

1. Open Opera.
2. Click the email you want to see the headers for so it shows in the window below your inbox.
3. Right click the body of the email.
4. Click View All Headers and Message.

The headers will show in the window below.

Outlook

1. Open Outlook.
2. Open the email you want to see the headers for.
3. Click File  Properties.

The headers will show in the "Internet headers" box.

Outlook Express

1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Right click the email you want to see the headers for.
3. Click Properties.
4. Click the Details tab.

The headers will show in the box that pops up.

Analyze an email header

1. On your computer, open Gmail.
2. Open the email that you want to analyze.
3. Next to Reply , click More Show original.
   • In a new window, the full header shows.
4. Click Copy to clipboard.
5. Open Google Admin Toolbox Messageheader.
6. In the box, paste your header.
7. Click Analyze the header above.

Check if an email is delayed

1. On your computer, open Gmail.
2. Open the email that you want to check.
3. Next to Reply , click More   Show original.
   • In a new window, the full header shows.
4. Next to "Created at," check the delivery time.