Explaining Email Return Receipts and Disposition-Notification-To

Disposition-Notification-To Email Header

The “Disposition-Notification-To” email header is used to request a return receipt or read receipt from the recipient’s email client. When this header is present, the recipient’s email client may send a notification back to the sender indicating that the email was received, opened, or processed in some way.

How It Works:

• The “Disposition-Notification-To” header specifies the email address where the notification should be sent.
• Example:

  Disposition-Notification-To: sender@example.com
  

• When the recipient’s email client processes the email, it may prompt the user to send a return receipt to the address specified in the “Disposition-Notification-To” header.

Key Points:

1. Request, Not a Guarantee:
   • The “Disposition-Notification-To” header does not guarantee that the sender will receive a return receipt.
   • The recipient’s email client and their preferences control whether a receipt is sent. Many email clients allow users to:
     • Automatically send receipts.
     • Prompt the user for permission to send a receipt.
     • Ignore the request altogether.
   • User Control:
     • Many email clients, such as Outlook, Gmail, and Thunderbird, provide users with the option to disable sending return receipts.
     • Some users may choose not to send receipts to maintain privacy or for other reasons.
   • Client Support:
     • Not all email clients support the “Disposition-Notification-To” header. If an email client doesn’t support it, no receipt will be sent regardless of the sender’s request.
   • Use Cases:
     • This header is often used in business or formal communication where confirmation of receipt is important, such as legal documents, proposals, or urgent notices.

Difference Between Disposition-Notification-To and Return-Receipt-To:

• “Disposition-Notification-To”: Specifically requests a receipt related to the disposition of the message (e.g., whether it was read).
• “Return-Receipt-To”: An older and less commonly used header that requests a receipt when the message is delivered to the recipient’s inbox. This header is largely deprecated and less supported.