Ever received an email that didn’t look quite right? An email that may have gone to spam, or it claimed to be from someone you trust?
That’s where email headers come in. They’re like an email’s digital “DNA,” revealing the full journey your message took before reaching your inbox.
This guide explains what email headers are and why they’re important.
What Is an Email Header?
An email header is the hidden section of an email that contains detailed information about its origin, route, and delivery.
It includes technical data such as:
- Who sent the email
- Who it was sent to
- When it was sent
- The servers it passed through
- The authentication results (SPF/DKIM/DMARC)
Think of it as your message’s delivery receipt and tracking number rolled into one, showing every stop your email made between sender and receiver.
Why Are Email Headers Important?
Email headers are essential for:
- Troubleshooting Delivery Issues
- Such as messages bouncing, being delayed, or marked as spam.
- Verifying Authenticity
- Helping confirm whether an email truly came from who it claims to be.
- Tracking Messa Paths
- To identify suspicious or spoofed senders.
- Improving Email Security
- Allowing admins or support teams to detect phishing or malware.
TIP: For everyday users, headers help spot suspicious patterns before clicking on harmful links or attachments, making things safer for you and helping protect you from falling for spoofing or phishing attacks.
Full Email Headers vs. Partial Email Headers
There are two types of headers you might encounter, and there are different times when you would need to use either.
| Type | Description | When to Use |
| Full Headers | Contains all routing and authentication information (SPF/DKIM/DMARC results, relay servers, timestamps, etc.). | When troubleshooting delivery problems or verifying authenticity. |
| Partial Headers | Contains only basic info like “From,” “To,” “Subject,” and “Date.” | For everyday reading or general verification. |
TIP: When contacting 1-grid Support about email issues, always include the full email header so that our team can investigate effectively.
Basic Fields of an Email Header
Here’s what you’ll usually find in a full header and what each part means:
| Field | Description |
| From: | The sender’s email address (can be spoofed, so verify against authentication results). |
| To: | The recipient’s email address. |
| Subject: | The subject line of the message. |
| Date: | The timestamp of when the email was sent. |
| Return-Path: | The address used for bounce messages which is useful for identifying spoofed senders. |
| Received: | Shows each server that handled the message along its route. Reading this helps trace the origin. |
| Message-ID: | A unique identifier that is assigned to each email. |
| Authentication-Results: | The address used for bounce messages, which is useful for identifying spoofed senders. |
Email Header Example
Here is what the typical email header looks like. What you are looking for in the header is the IP address, sometimes conveniently identified as the “Originating IP”. We can trace it to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) with the date and time of the e-mail using the IP address of the sender’s computer.
Return-Path: <example@domain.com>
Received: from mail.domain.com (mail.domain.com [192.168.1.10])
by mailreceiver.com with ESMTPS id 123456789
for <you@youremail.com>;
Tue, 10 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0200 (SAST)
Authentication-Results: spf=pass; dkim=pass; dmarc=pass
From: Example Sender <example@domain.com>
To: You <you@youremail.com>
Subject: Welcome to 1-grid!
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2025 11:59:59 +0200
Message-ID: <abcd1234@mail.domain.com>
Here’s what this tells us:
- The message was sent securely (ESMTPS).
- SPF, DKIM, and DMARC all passed, indicating that it’s a legitimate sender.
- The timestamps show when and where the message was processed.
TIP: If any of these authentication checks fail, it means the email might be spoofed or compromised.
When to Use Email Headers
- To check why an email bounced or was delayed.
- To confirm whether an email was sent through MailChannels or another relay.
- To identify spoofed senders or phishing attempts.
- To assist support agents in resolving email routing problems faster.
When to Contact 1-grid Support
If you notice:
- Repeated failed deliveries
- Spoofed or suspicious-looking “From” addresses
- Authentication results failing (SPF/DKIM/DMARC)
Contact 1-grid Support with:
- The full email header
- The time and date of the email
- The sending and receiving addresses
We’ll review it and guide you through fixing authentication or delivery issues.
FAQs
What are email headers used for?
They show technical details about how and where an email was sent, which is useful for troubleshooting and verifying authenticity.
Can I hide or change my email headers?
No, most email clients automatically generate them. Making manual changes can cause delivery issues, or being flagged as spam can be caused by manual changes.
What do SPF, DKIM, and DMARC mean in headers?
They’re authentication checks confirming whether the message really came from the sender’s domain.
Why does my email say “via MailChannels”?
1-grid uses MailChannels for outbound mail filtering to protect deliverability and reduce spam flags.
Additional Resources
How to Trace an Email IP Address for Email Header Analysis
Everything You Need To Know About IP Addresses
How to Avoid MailChannels Blocks
MailChannels Error Codes and How to Fix Them
Resolving a MailChannels Spam Block “550 5.7.1” Error
MailChannels FAQs
Everything You Need to Know About Domain Name Systems (DNS)
Updating My Password FAQs
Top 10 Common Email Issues and How to Resolve Them
Setting Up Email in Outlook via Windows Control Panel
How to Set Up Email on Android for Your 1-grid Email Accounts
Settings to Configure Your 1-grid Email Accounts Across Devices
Resolving Email Error Messages When Sending to Gmail Accounts
SpamTitan: How to Blacklist an Email Address or Domain
What Is Email Spoofing? How It Works and How to Protect Yourself
How to Spot a Scam Email
Email Headers FAQs
Email FAQs
How to Enable DKIM and SPF on Your Mail Domain
Why SSL? The Purpose of Using SSL Certificates
What is a Domain Name Server (DNS)?
How to Update Your Domain’s Nameservers at 1-grid
SpamTitan FAQs
Need Additional Support?
We’re Here to Help:
Understanding email headers doesn’t have to feel like a technical puzzle with this easy-to-understand guide. Stuck? Contact our Support Team for clarity and guidance (https://1grid.co.za/contact-us/). We’re ready to see how we can help!