How to Determine an IP Address in an Email

by Kate Craig

Overview

Sometimes it is important to know exactly who sent an email and where the email originated, but not all senders make their information transparent, especially if they are spamming their recipients. Because the IP address can be manipulated, it doesn't guarantee that the information you see is accurate, and because all email client accounts are different, the steps may vary for your specific carrier.

Step 1

Log into your email account.
Step 2

Open the email you want to track if it's in AOL or Gmail. If you want to track an email in Hotmail or Yahoo, right-click on the subject line of the email.
Step 3

Click on the downward arrow beside "Reply" in Gmail and select "Show Original." In AOL, click "Action" and select "Message Source" from the drop-down menu. For Hotmail, from the drop down menu that appears after you've right-clicked over the subject, click "View Message Source." For Yahoo users, after you've right-clicked over the subject line of your email, select "View Full Headers," from the drop-down menu.
Step 4

Look for the words "Received From." The IP address will follow these words. The IP address should look something like: [68.132.28.1].
Step 5

Choose the last "Received From" option if there is more than one.

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Report e-mail spammers to ftc.gov/spam.
Report e-mail spammers to ftc.gov/spam.
This method is not foolproof and does not guarantee that you're viewing the correct IP address for the sender. Sometimes only a court order will enable you to get that information.
This method is not foolproof and does not guarantee that you're viewing the correct IP address for the sender. Sometimes only a court order will enable you to get that information.