Question 1

How do I get the raw email headers from Gmail?

Accepted Answer

Open the email in Gmail, click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top right, select 'Show original'. The page that opens shows the full raw headers. Click 'Copy to clipboard' or select all text and paste it into the analyzer.

Question 2

What does 'Authentication-Results: dkim=pass' mean?

Accepted Answer

It means the receiving server verified the DKIM cryptographic signature on the email and it matches the public key published in your DNS. This confirms the email was not modified in transit and was signed by the claimed domain.

Question 3

What is ARC (Authenticated Received Chain)?

Accepted Answer

ARC is a protocol that preserves email authentication results through forwarding. When an email is forwarded, SPF typically fails because the forwarding server's IP is not in the original sender's SPF record. ARC allows the forwarder to vouch for the original authentication status.

Question 4

Why is there a large delay between hops in my email headers?

Accepted Answer

Large delays (e.g., 30+ seconds) between mail server hops usually indicate: (1) the receiving server was performing a DNS blacklist check, (2) greylisting (temporary rejection to filter spam), (3) the server was under load, or (4) network routing issues between servers.