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How to View the Source of a Message in Gmail

Discover the technical details behind your email messages

By Heinz Tschabitscher Heinz Tschabitscher Writer University of Vienna A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 11, 2022 Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Email Gmail Yahoo! Mail

What to Know

Open message > select three dots > Show Original.For desktop only. Viewing the full message source is not supported in the Gmail mobile app. This article explains how to access the source code of a message in Gmail to view information not included in the email.

How to View the Source Code of a Gmail Message

The source code of the email shows the email header information and often the HTML code that controls how the message is displayed. This means you get to see when the message was received, the server that sent it, and lots more. Open the message for which you want to see the source code. Locate the top of the email where the subject, sender details, and timestamp are located. Next to that is the Reply icon and the three stacked dots for the menu. Select the three stacked dots icon to reveal the additional options. Select Show original from that menu to open a new tab that displays the email's source code. The original source code of the message opens in a new tab. At the top, you'll find vital details for the message and how it was sent. Below that is the plain text that was exchanged between email servers. Email messages contain information that servers use to ensure that the message makes it to the correct place. You can use the browser's search function to find the beginning of the actual message. Because the message is HTML, it should begin with an HTML tag. Open the search with Ctrl+F. Then, search for DOCTYPE to go to the beginning of the message content. To download the original message as a TXT file, select Download Original. Or, select Copy to clipboard to copy all the text so that you can paste it anywhere you like. You can view the full source code of an email only while using the desktop version of Gmail or Inbox. The mobile Gmail app does not support viewing the original message. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to View the HTML Source in Google Chrome How to View Full Message Headers in Mozilla Thunderbird A Guide to Viewing Full Email Headers in Gmail How to View a Message in HTML With Express and Live Mail How to View the Source of a Message in Apple Mail How to View the Source of a Message in Mozilla Thunderbird How to Recall an Email in Outlook Viewing the HTML Source Code in Safari How to Select All Messages in Gmail How to View the Source Code of a Web Page Find the Sent Timestamp on Gmail Messages How to Quote Text From an Original Email When Replying in Yahoo Mail How to Access an Email Message Source in Outlook.com How to Insert Source Code Into a Word Document Learn How to Properly Redirect an Email in Outlook How to Use Gmail's Confidential Mode Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies