Inspect the headers of a queued Exim message
Build a paste-ready command, then review its compatibility and effects before running it.
exim -Mvh <message-id>Complete required fields to copy the generated command.
read-onlyno known side effects Compatibility
LinuxVerified for Linux using posix, bash, zsh syntax.
Operational knowledgereview due 2027-01-19
Requirementseximexim must be installed and available on PATH.
Version supportexim Current supported releasesVerified for linux using posix, bash, zsh syntax; consult compatibility notes for platform-specific differences.
Expected signalsFrom: ops@example.comRepresentative successful output; values vary with the selected target and system state.
Known errorsexim: command not foundexim is missing or is not available on PATH.
Verifyexim -Mvh {{messageId}}The output matches the expected target and exits without an error.Rollback noteNot required: this command is read-only and does not change system state.
Command breakdown
01eximExim executableStarts Exim’s command-line interface.
02MMessage operationSelects an administrative operation on an existing queued message.
03vViewRequests a read-only view of the selected message data.
04hHeadersChooses the message header section as the content to display.
05<message-id>Queue identifierReplace this placeholder with the Exim ID of the queued message.
The letters M, v, and h form the single Exim option -Mvh.
Example input
exim -Mvh 1tC7Kg-0003Yp-NC
Example output
From: ops@example.com
To: alerts@example.net
Subject: Nightly backup report
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2026 02:14:08 +0200
Illustrative output — exact values vary by system and data.
Runbooks
Official sources