Use our free Email Header Analyzer to understand where an email came from, which mail servers handled it, and whether its authentication checks passed. Paste the complete raw email header into the tool and receive a clear report within seconds.
An email header contains technical information that email services use to deliver and authenticate messages. It can show the sender address, return path, message date, delivery servers, authentication results and other useful details. The header follows the Internet Message Format defined in RFC 5322 from the Internet Engineering Task Force.
Our email header checker works in your browser. It does not require an account, login or software installation. The header stays on your device during analysis, which makes the tool suitable for checking personal, business and support emails.
Email Header Analyzer
Paste a complete raw email header to inspect authentication, delivery routing, timing and possible spoofing signals.
Gmail users: open an email → More ⋮ → Show original → Copy original.
Header analysis is diagnostic, not proof that a message is safe or malicious. Headers can be forged or incomplete. Never open suspicious links or attachments based only on this report.
What Does This Tool Do
The Email Header Analyzer reads raw email headers and presents the technical information in a simple format. You do not need to understand complex mail server syntax to use it.
The tool identifies important fields such as From, To, Subject, Date, Message ID and Return Path. It can display the Received fields that show the mail servers involved in delivery. It can also read reported SPF, DKIM, DMARC and ARC results when those results appear in the supplied header.
SPF checks whether the sending server is authorised by the sender domain. DKIM uses a digital signature to help verify the message source and detect changes to the signed content. DMARC connects domain alignment with SPF and DKIM results and lets a domain owner publish a policy for messages that fail authentication.
The tool can highlight warning signs, but it cannot guarantee that an email is safe or malicious. A header may be incomplete, altered or forged before it reaches a trusted mail server. Always check suspicious messages carefully and avoid opening unknown links or attachments.
Main Features
- Free email header analysis without registration or login.
- Browser based processing that does not upload your header to a remote server.
- Readable overview of the sender, recipient, subject, date, return path and message ID.
- SPF result detection from Authentication Results and Received SPF fields.
- DKIM result detection from Authentication Results fields.
- DMARC result detection from Authentication Results fields.
- ARC result detection when ARC related fields are present.
- Received server analysis that shows the reported delivery route.
- IP address detection from Received fields.
- Delivery timing analysis between available mail server timestamps.
- Warning when the From domain and Return Path domain do not match.
- Warning when SPF, DKIM or DMARC reports a failure.
- Warning when an originating IP field appears in the header.
- Complete table of parsed email header fields.
- Copyable analysis report for technical support or record keeping.
The tool does not perform live DNS queries, DKIM signature verification, IP reputation checks or geolocation. It reports the information contained in the header and explains common signals in a useful way.
How to Use the Analyzer
Step 1: Open the email that you want to inspect.
Step 2: Find the option that displays the original message or full email source. Gmail users can open the three dot menu and select Show original. Other email services may use names such as View source, View message details or Download original.
Step 3: Copy the complete raw header. Include fields such as Received, From, Return Path and Authentication Results. Copying only the visible message text will not provide enough information.
Step 4: Paste the header into the Email Header Analyzer input box.
Step 5: Select Analyze Headers. The tool will process the available fields in your browser.
Step 6: Review the message overview, authentication results, delivery route and security notes.
Step 7: Use the Copy Report button if you need to send the findings to an email administrator, hosting provider or technical support team.
A result marked as pass is generally a positive signal for the reported check. A result marked as fail needs attention. A result marked as not found does not automatically mean that the email is unsafe. Some mail systems remove, rename or do not add certain authentication fields.
Common Use Cases
You can use this free email header analyzer when an email appears to come from a familiar person or company but something feels unusual. Compare the visible From address with the Return Path domain and review the authentication results.
The tool can help website owners investigate contact form messages, order notifications and customer support emails. It can show whether a message passed the authentication checks reported by the receiving mail server.
Email administrators can use the analyzer when investigating delayed messages. The Received fields may show the mail servers involved and the available timestamps may help identify a long delivery interval.
Small businesses can use the report when reviewing suspected phishing emails, invoice fraud or account takeover attempts. The report can provide useful information for a security team, hosting company or mail administrator.
Developers can use the analyzer while testing an email delivery setup. It can help confirm whether expected fields appear in outgoing messages and whether the receiving system reports SPF, DKIM or DMARC results.
The tool can also help students and new email administrators understand how messages travel across the internet. Each Received field represents information added by a mail server during message handling. The order can look confusing because the newest server entry usually appears at the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an email header analyzer
An email header analyzer is a tool that reads the technical metadata attached to an email. It can show sender information, delivery servers, authentication results, timestamps and other fields that are not normally visible in an email application.
How do I analyze an email header
Open the original message or email source in your email service, copy the complete raw header and paste it into this tool. Select Analyze Headers to view the results.
Does this tool read my email message
The analyzer focuses on the header text that you paste into the input box. It does not need the email body to perform its basic analysis. For privacy, remove any information that you do not want to include before pasting the header.
Is an email with SPF, DKIM and DMARC pass safe
Passing authentication checks is a useful positive signal, but it does not prove that the message is safe. A legitimate domain can be compromised, and a harmful message can pass authentication when it is sent through an authorised system. Review the sender, message content, links and attachments as well.
What does SPF fail mean in an email header
SPF fail usually means the receiving mail server reported that the sending server was not authorised for the domain used in the email envelope. This may indicate spoofing, a misconfigured email service or an unauthorised sender.
What does DKIM pass mean
DKIM pass means the receiving server reported a valid DKIM result for the message. It usually indicates that the message was signed by an authorised domain and that the signed content was not changed after signing.
What does DMARC fail mean
DMARC fail means the receiving server reported that the message did not satisfy the required relationship between the visible From domain and the SPF or DKIM identity. It can indicate spoofing, forwarding problems or incorrect domain configuration.
Why do the From address and Return Path differ
The visible From address shows the address presented to the recipient. The Return Path is used for delivery failure messages. They may differ when a newsletter, help desk or marketing platform sends mail for another organisation. A difference deserves review, but it is not proof of fraud.
Can an email header reveal the sender IP address
Some headers contain an IP address from a sending or relay server. Many modern mail services hide the original user IP address. An IP address in a header can be useful for investigation, but it may not identify the actual person who sent the email.
Can this tool trace an email to a person
No. The analyzer can show reported routing information, but it cannot identify a person with certainty. Servers can hide, remove or modify information, and an IP address normally identifies a network or service rather than a specific individual.
Are email headers private
Email headers can contain addresses, server names, message IDs and sometimes network information. Do not publish a complete header publicly unless you have removed private details. This tool processes the supplied header in your browser, but you should still avoid sharing the resulting report carelessly.
Why does the tool show not found
The requested field may not exist in the header, or the email service may have removed it. A missing field is not automatically a sign that the email is malicious. It simply means that the analyzer could not find that information in the text provided.
Disclaimer: Results from this tool are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that every result is complete or error-free. Always verify important findings using additional methods before making security, technical, or business decisions.
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