Email Headers

Email headers are the informational details that are included at the top of an email message. They provide essential information about the sender, recipient, and the email itself. Email headers typically consist of several fields, including the From, To, CC (carbon copy), BCC (blind carbon copy), Subject, Date, and other technical details.

The From field in the email header displays the name and email address of the sender. It helps recipients identify who the email is from. The To field indicates the recipient’s email address or addresses. The CC field allows the sender to include additional recipients who should be aware of the message, while the BCC field allows for discreetly including recipients without others being aware of their inclusion.

The Subject field provides a brief summary of the email’s content, allowing recipients to quickly understand the purpose or topic of the message. The Date field shows when the email was sent, providing a chronological record of communication.

Additionally, email headers contain technical information such as the Message-ID, which is a unique identifier assigned to each email; the MIME-Version, which specifies the format of the email; and the Content-Type, which indicates the type of content included in the email (e.g., text, HTML, attachments).

Email headers are not typically visible to recipients unless they specifically choose to view them.