Email Header Analyzer
Paste raw email headers below to analyze the routing path, geolocation, and IP reputation.
What Is an Email Header Analyzer?
An Email Header Analyzer is a diagnostic tool that examines the hidden technical information contained in every email message. These headers reveal how an email travelled from the sender to your inbox, the mail servers that handled it, and whether important authentication checks such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC passed successfully.
Whether you're troubleshooting email delivery problems, investigating phishing attempts, or verifying the authenticity of business communications, analysing email headers provides valuable insights that aren't visible in the email body.
Simply paste the complete email header into the analyzer above to receive an instant breakdown of routing information, authentication results, originating IP addresses, and other technical details that help identify potential delivery or security issues.
Common Uses
- ✔ Investigate phishing and suspicious emails
- ✔ Verify SPF, DKIM and DMARC authentication
- ✔ Troubleshoot email delivery failures
- ✔ Trace the route an email travelled
- ✔ Identify sending mail servers
- ✔ Review originating IP information
- ✔ Diagnose email security issues
- ✔ Support IT and cybersecurity investigations
Understanding Your Email Header Analysis
After analysing your email header, you'll see technical information about how the message travelled across the internet. Understanding these fields helps you verify legitimate emails, troubleshoot delivery issues, and identify spoofing or phishing attempts.
SPF Authentication
Sender Policy Framework (SPF) verifies whether the sending mail server is authorised to send emails on behalf of the domain. A Pass result improves trust, while a Fail may indicate spoofing or a configuration issue.
DKIM Signature
DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) confirms that the email contents have not been modified during delivery. A valid DKIM signature helps prove message integrity and authenticity.
DMARC Policy
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) combines SPF and DKIM to determine how unauthorised emails should be handled. Proper DMARC enforcement significantly reduces phishing attacks.
Originating IP Address
The originating IP shows where an email first entered the mail delivery process. This information can help identify suspicious locations, compromised mail servers, or unexpected sending sources.
Received Mail Servers
Every mail server adds a Received entry to the header. Reading these entries reveals the complete delivery path from the sender to your inbox and helps diagnose routing delays.
Security Indicators
Failed authentication checks, mismatched domains, unknown servers, or suspicious IP addresses may indicate phishing, spoofing, or other email security risks requiring further investigation.
Email Header Analyzer FAQs
Find answers to common questions about email headers, authentication records, and how our free Email Header Analyzer helps identify delivery issues and suspicious emails.
What is an email header?
An email header is the technical metadata attached to every email message. It contains information about the sender, recipient, mail servers, timestamps, routing path, authentication results, and other delivery details that are normally hidden from the email body.
What does this Email Header Analyzer check?
The analyzer reviews important header information including SPF, DKIM, DMARC authentication, Received mail servers, Return-Path, Message-ID, originating IP address, routing information, and other indicators that help identify delivery problems or suspicious emails.
Can this tool detect phishing emails?
The tool helps identify signs commonly associated with phishing and email spoofing, such as failed authentication checks, unusual sending servers, or suspicious routing paths. However, results should always be considered alongside the email content and sender information.
Is my email data stored?
No. The Email Header Analyzer is designed to analyse only the header information you submit. Your email content is not required, and no permanent storage of your submitted headers is intended.
How do I copy an email header?
Most email providers such as Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail allow you to view the original message source or message headers. Copy the complete header and paste it into the analyzer above.
Who should use an Email Header Analyzer?
This tool is useful for IT administrators, cybersecurity professionals, email administrators, developers, businesses, and anyone investigating suspicious emails or troubleshooting email delivery issues.