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How to View the Source of a Message in Apple Mail

Use Mail Source Code to Avoid Spam

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 10, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Email Yahoo! Mail Gmail

What to Know

In the Mail app, open an email > View > Message > Raw Source.The code contains the sender's IP address, email client, relay path, and more. This article explains how to open the source code for an email in the Apple Mail app on Mac OS X Lion (10.7) and later.

How to View the Source of a Message in Apple Mail

Behind every email is the hidden source code that contains information about the message: who sent it, how it traveled, and other information. In Mail, you can take a look at the source code data for any email quickly. Here's how to see it. Open an email in the Mail app on your Mac. Select View > Message > Raw Source from the menu to open the source code in a separate window. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Option+Command+U. The source code will open in a new window. You can find a wealth of information in the source code, including: the sender's IP addressthe relay path the email took to reach youthe sender's email client If you suspect a message is spam, you can use this data to confirm you shouldn't click any links in it. Some red flags are outdated email clients and IP addresses from countries other than the one the sender claims to be from. To save the source code to your desktop or print it out for further study, use Save as or Print in the File menu. 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 Full Message Headers in Mozilla Thunderbird How to Save and Use Messages as Templates in Apple Mail How to View the Source of a Message in Gmail How to View the HTML Source in Google Chrome How to Send a Web Page With the Mac's Email Program How to Show Message Sizes in Apple Mail How to Send a Message Quickly in Apple Mail How to View the Source of a Message in Mozilla Thunderbird How to Import Outlook Contacts Into Apple Mail How to View a Message in HTML With Express and Live Mail How to Use AOL Mail Through an Email Client How to Group Messages by Thread in Mac Mail Program macOS Mail: How to Keep Emails on the Server How to Load Images in a Message in Evolution Hide the Preview Pane and Delete Mail Without Opening It How to Turn Off Highlighted Messages in Apple Mail 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