Forwarding Full Mail Headers

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Context

When investigating email issues, IS&T staff such as Security, MIT StopIt and the IS&T Service Desk may ask you to forward the full headers of email messages you receive.

Message headers can help IS&T staff investigate:

• unwanted or dubious messages
• duplicate messages
• delayed message delivery
• if a message appearing to come from MIT is sent from an MIT account
• other unusual email behavior

Follow the instructions below to learn how to view and forward full mail headers with your mail client. If you are using a mail client not listed here, please contact the Service Desk.

When you send the headers, be sure to include a description of the problem or behavior you're seeing, and any background information that you think may be relevant.

Instructions

outlook.office.com

1. Open up a web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.)
2. Log into https://outlook.office.com/
3. Right-click the appropriate message > View > View message details
4. Select all text in the pane
5. Copy all the text
6. You can now paste (Command-V) the copied text into an email reply

Outlook 2016 and 2019 for Mac

1. Make sure the message is not opened.
2. Right-click on the email from the inbox or folder where it resides.
3. In the menu that appears select View Source. A text file opens with the headers and source code of the message.
4. Command-A to select all text in the text file.
5. Command-C to copy all the text.
6. You can now paste (Command-V) the copied text into an email.

Outlook 2016 and 2019 for Windows

1. Double-click the message to open it in a new window.
2. Select the File tab, and then click Properties.
3. The data is next to Internet headers.

Outlook 2010 for Windows

1. Start MS Outlook 2010 and double-click the message to get it in its own window.
2. Click File to access the Backstage view, select the Info section, and click the Properties button
3. In the Message Options dialog box, the headers appear in the Internet headers box.
4. Right click in the Internet Headers box and choose Select All.
5. Right click again in the Internet Headers box and choose Copy.
6. You can now paste the copied text into an email.

Outlook 2007 for Windows

1. Start MS Outlook 2007 and double click the message to get it in its own window.
2. Go to the Message tab, and in the Options group (which is the fourth block over) click the Dialog Box Launcher (a little button with an arrow on it).
3. In the Message Options dialog box, the headers appear in the Internet headers box.
4. Right click in the Internet Headers box and choose Select All.
5. Right click again in the Internet Headers box and choose Copy.
6. You can now paste the copied text into an email.

Apple Mail

1. Start Apple Mail.
2. Go to the View menu and select Message and then Long Headers.
3. Go to the Edit menu and choose Select All
4. Go to the Edit menu again and choose Copy
5. You can now paste the copied text into an email.

Mozilla Thunderbird

1. Start Mozilla Thunderbird.
2. Go to the View menu and select Headers and then All.
3. Go to the Edit menu and choose Select All
4. Go to the Edit menu again and choose Copy
5. You can now paste the copied text into an email.

Google Mail (Gmail)

1. Open the individual message.
2. At the top-right corner of the message window, click the down arrow next to Reply, or select More options.
3. Click Show original. A new browser window will open showing full header information.
4. Go to the Edit menu and choose Select All
5. Go to the Edit menu again and choose Copy
6. You can now paste the copied text into an email.