How to Extract Full Email Headers
Complete guide to extracting and analyzing email headers
Table of Contents
How to Extract Full Email Headers
Extracting full email headers allows you to troubleshoot delivery issues, verify authentication, track email routing, and analyze delivery problems. Header extraction tools parse email files or source code to extract all header fields.
Our email header analyzer supports various email formats (.eml, .msg) and email source code, providing comprehensive header analysis including authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), routing path, RFC compliance, and formatted header output for easy troubleshooting.
Regular header extraction helps diagnose delivery issues, verify authentication results, and understand email routing problems.
Extraction Methods
1. Email File Upload
Upload email files (.eml, .msg) to extraction tools. Tools automatically parse email structure and extract all headers.
2. Email Source Code
Paste email source code (raw email data) into extraction tools. Tools parse email format and extract header fields.
3. Email Client View
Most email clients allow viewing raw headers, but extraction tools provide better formatting and analysis capabilities.
4. Command Line Tools
Use command-line email parsing tools for batch extraction or automated processing of multiple emails.
5. API Integration
Integrate header extraction into automated workflows using API-based extraction tools.
Email Formats
Header extraction tools support various email formats:
.eml Files
Standard email file format containing raw email data including headers, body, and attachments. Most extraction tools support .eml files.
.msg Files
Microsoft Outlook email file format. Some tools support .msg files directly, while others may require conversion.
Email Source Code
Raw email source code can be pasted directly into extraction tools for parsing and header extraction.
Multipart Messages
Tools handle multipart MIME messages, extracting headers from the main message and all parts.
Using Extraction Tools
Our email header analyzer provides comprehensive header extraction and analysis:
1. Upload or Paste
Upload email files (.eml, .msg) or paste email source code into the tool.
2. Automatic Parsing
Tool automatically parses email structure and extracts all header fields with proper formatting.
3. View Headers
View extracted headers in formatted display for easy reading and analysis.
4. Download Headers
Download extracted headers as text file for further analysis, sharing, or documentation.
5. Analyze Structure
Analyze email structure including all headers, MIME information, and message metadata.
Analyzing Headers
After extracting headers, analyze them for various purposes:
1. Authentication Verification
Check Authentication-Results, Received-SPF, and DKIM-Signature headers to verify SPF, DKIM, DMARC authentication.
2. Delivery Tracking
Analyze Received headers to track email routing, identify delays, and understand delivery path.
3. Troubleshooting
Use headers to diagnose delivery issues, identify server problems, and understand email routing.
4. Security Analysis
Review headers for security indicators, routing anomalies, and authentication failures.
5. Spam Analysis
Analyze headers for spam characteristics, authentication issues, and routing problems.
