Decoding Email Mysteries: A Comprehensive Guide to Message Header Analysis

Have you ever wondered why an email took so long to arrive, or mysteriously landed in your spam folder? The answer might lie within the email's message header. Message headers are like a digital breadcrumb trail, containing valuable metadata about an email's journey and characteristics. Understanding how to analyze these headers can be a powerful tool for troubleshooting email issues and gaining insights into email delivery pathways.

What are Email Message Headers?

Email message headers contain technical information about the email, including the sender, recipient, subject, date, and importantly, the route the message took across different servers. Think of it as the email's passport, stamped at each stop along its journey. This data is crucial in diagnosing delivery delays, identifying spam triggers, and understanding the overall path an email took.

Why Analyze Message Headers?

Analyzing message headers can answer critical questions about your email's journey:

• Delivery Time: Why did the message take so long to arrive? Headers reveal the time spent at each server hop, pinpointing potential bottlenecks.
• Spam Filtering: Why did the message end up in the junk/spam folder? Header information can reveal if the email triggered spam filters at any point in its journey.
• Routing Information: What hops did the message take to arrive at my inbox? The header traces the path of the email, showing each server it passed through.

Using a Message Header Analyzer

Tools like the Message Header Analyzer within Microsoft Remote Connectivity Analyzer can simplify header analysis. These tools parse the complex information into a user-friendly format, highlighting potential issues like delivery delays or unusual routing. Simply paste the message header into the analyzer, and it will break down each hop, providing detailed information about each step.

Obtaining Message Headers: Recipient's Perspective

It's important to analyze the recipient's copy of the message header, as the sender's version might not contain the complete information. To obtain the headers, the recipeint must forward the original email as an attachment or extract the message headers.

Steps to View Message Headers in Different Email Clients

Here's how to view message headers in popular email clients:

• Outlook (2007, 2010, 2013):
  1. Open the message.
  2. Go to File > Properties or click the Dialog Box Launcher (lower-right corner of the Tags group).
  3. Find the headers in the Internet headers area.
  • For more information, see View e-mail message headers.
• Outlook Web App (OWA):
  • Exchange Server 2007: Open the message and click "Message Details."
  • Exchange Server 2013 OWA: Download the Message Headers Analyzer app from the Office app store.
• Windows Mail (Desktop):
  1. Right-click the message in the inbox and select Properties.
  2. Click the Details tab.
• Thunderbird (IMAP):
  1. Double-click to open the message.
  2. Navigate to View > Message Source.
• Outlook.com:
  1. Right-click a message.
  2. Click View message source.
• Apple Mail:
  1. Select the message.
  2. Go to View > Message > Long Headers.
• Gmail:
  1. Open the message.
  2. Click the down arrow next to Reply and select Show Original.

Alternative Solutions When Headers Are Unavailable

If a message never reaches its destination, obtaining headers isn't possible. In such cases, utilize message-tracking features offered by Microsoft Exchange Server or Microsoft Exchange Online. These systems log all handled messages. Consult your help desk or system administrator for assistance.

Conclusion

Message header analysis can be a powerful skill for diagnosing email delivery issues and understanding email pathways. By using message header analyzers and understanding how to access headers in various clients, you can demystify the email journey and troubleshoot problems effectively.