How Do I Get the Email Headers from Outlook Classic?

Quick Answer

Double-click the email so it opens in a separate window.

Then go to:

File → Properties → Internet headers

Click inside the Internet headers box, press Ctrl + A to select everything, then Ctrl + C to copy it.

You can then paste the headers into an email and send them to whoever is investigating the message.

If you have received a suspicious email, your IT or cybersecurity provider may ask you to send them the email headers.

Email headers contain technical information about where the message came from and how it was delivered.

Important: Please collect the email headers from the original email you received, not from a forwarded copy.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open Outlook Classic.

2. Find the email you need to check.

3. Double-click the email so it opens in its own window.

   

4. Click File in the top-left corner.

   

5. Click Properties.

   

6. At the bottom of the Properties window, find the box labelled Internet headers.

7. Click inside the Internet headers box.

   

8. Press Ctrl + A to select all of the text.

9. Press Ctrl + C to copy the email headers.

10. Click Close to close the Properties window.

11. Create a new email.

    

12. Click inside the message body and press Ctrl + V to paste the headers.

13. Send the email to the person who requested the headers.

Why Might We Ask for Email Headers?

Email headers can help us investigate:

• Where an email actually came from

• Whether the sender may have been spoofed

• Which mail servers handled the message

• Email authentication results

• Delivery problems

• Suspicious or phishing emails

Important

If the email looks suspicious, do not click any links or open any attachments.

If we have only asked you for the email headers, simply follow the steps above and send the copied information to us.