Unlock the Secrets of Email Headers in Outlook

So you want to unravel the hidden messages concealed in email headers, huh? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Today, I’m going to show you how to become a master of decoding email headers in Outlook. Get ready to dive into a world of mystery and intrigue!

Okay, let’s start with the basics. First, what exactly is an email header? Think of it as the digital envelope of an email. It contains all the nitty-gritty details about how the email was delivered, like its origin, destination, and the path it took along the way.

Now, you might be wondering, “Why would I want to see the email header?” Well, my friend, email headers can be a goldmine of information. They can help you verify the authenticity of an email, reveal its true sender, and even track its journey through cyberspace. Pretty cool, huh?

To get a glimpse into the email header, simply open the email in your Outlook application. Then, look for the “File” tab at the top left corner of the screen. Click on it, and a drop-down menu will appear. You’ll find the magical “Properties” option there – go ahead and give it a click!

A new window will pop up, revealing the fascinating world of the email header. Brace yourself, because things might get a little technical. But fear not, I’m here to guide you through it!

In this window, you’ll see a bunch of text that might look like a foreign language to you – that’s the email header in all its glory. Now, take a deep breath, and focus on the key details I’m about to point out.

First, there’s the “Internet Headers” section. It gives you a summary of the email’s journey across the vast digital landscape. Pay attention to the “Received” fields – they show you the servers through which the email passed. You can even trace back the email’s path by following these fields from bottom to top.

Next, you have the “Return-Path” field. It reveals the original sender of the email – a useful piece of information if you ever doubt the authenticity of a message.

Finally, keep an eye out for the “X-Originating-IP” field. It displays the IP address of the device from which the email was sent. This little gem can come in handy if you need to track down the true source of an email.

And there you have it – the secrets of email headers in Outlook are now within your grasp. With this newfound knowledge, you can navigate through the virtual labyrinth of the digital world like a pro.

So go ahead, put on your detective hat, and start unraveling the mysteries hidden within those email headers. Who knows what you might discover? Happy sleuthing, my friend!

Did you know that email headers have two sides? Well, maybe not exactly two types, but they do have two parts. One side is simple and easy to understand – it contains important information like names, date, and subject. Anyone can read and make sense of this part.

The other side, however, can be a bit tricky if you don’t know about coding or programming terms. But before we get into that, let me tell you how you can see the header in Microsoft Outlook.

Outlook 2007

Many people still use older versions of Outlook because they work perfectly fine, even by today’s standards. So, if you’re using Outlook 2007, here’s how you can display the header:

If you’re using the 2007 version, here’s how you can find and view the email header:

1. First, open Outlook.
2. Next, go to your message.
3. Find the Message tab under Options.
4. Click on the Dialog Box Launcher.
5. Then, go under Message Options.
6. Finally, locate the Internet headers box.

In Outlook 2007, you’ll see the email headers in the Internet headers dialogue box.

Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016

Here’s what you need to do in the newer versions of Outlook:

1. To begin, open Outlook.
2. Locate an email that you wish to view, and open it.
3. For a closer look at the email, double click on it to open it in a new tab.
4. Next, click on the “File” option.
5. A dropdown menu will appear – select “Properties”.
6. At the bottom of the window, you’ll find the “Internet headers” box.

Differing from older versions of Outlook, the Internet headers box in versions 2010, 2013, and 2016 contains text that is copyable. To copy the text, simply triple click to select the entire content or right click and choose the “Select all” option. This will allow you to conveniently paste the copied text wherever you desire for easier reading.

Office 365

For users of the Office 365 suite, the process of displaying email headers is identical to that of Outlook 2010, 2013, and 2016.

Hey, here’s another way you can use Office 365.

1. Login to your account.
2. Head to your inbox.
3. Open an email.
4. Click the down arrow.
5. Select “View message details.”

When the new window pops up, it’ll show you all the header information from that email.

More Info Hidden in Headers

Email headers have way more info than just the sender, recipient, and date. What you see here is just the basics, but it’s always good to check.

If you want to dig deeper and find out who sent the email and how it found its way to you, you can check the full header of the email. In the full header, you’ll see a complete list of IP addresses that the email passed through before reaching you.

This is a manual way of spotting spam, but it’s not foolproof.

1. Login to your account.
2. Head to your inbox.
3. Select an email.
4. Click the three dots icon to open the menu.
5. Choose “View message source.”

This is basically the same as Gmail’s “Show Original” or Yahoo’s “Show Source.” The exact wording might be different in Outlook.

In most cases, this will open a new box with a bunch of text, including code and other information. If you use Ctrl + F and search for “Received: from,” you’ll usually find the IP addresses the email passed through.

Normally, there should only be one. If you see more, chances are the email went through a proxy server. But remember, this won’t help you find the original sender’s IP address for sure.

Use Third-Party Apps to Make Sense of Full Headers

There are many third-party apps that can simplify the full header information for you. Unfortunately, most of them aren’t free. Here’s how they usually work: you copy the whole header, paste it into the app, and let it analyze the data.

After the analysis, you’ll get a simplified version of relevant information like sender IPs, countries the email passed through, timestamps, and whether any of those IPs or domain names are suspicious.

But even with these apps, you might not always be able to track down the original sender. If you’re dealing with pros who send spam, finding the original source is almost impossible, even with top-notch tracking programs.

How Often Do You Check If Emails Are Legit?

A lot of folks have become too relaxed about security. They expect email service providers to automatically sort out the bad stuff, flag it, and stick it in the spam folder.

But the reality is, some spam emails can slip past those filters, so you never really know when you might become a phishing target. Do you regularly check the email headers of new senders? If so, do you do it manually or rely on any third-party apps to make sense of full email headers? Let us know!