How to check if Email exists or not using command line

In this article,  TipsMake  will show you how to use the command line to check if a specific email address exists, without sending an email. The easiest method is to send a test mail to that email address and if the test mail does not bounce back, you can assume that the incoming email address is real.

Ping an email address to confirm!

When you send an email to someone, the mail goes to the SMTP server, which then looks for an MX ( Mail Exchange ) record on the email recipient's domain.

For example, when you send an email to hello@gmail.com, the mail server will try to find the MX records for the gmail.com domain. If the records exist, the next step is to determine whether the username for that email (the username hello in the example) is present.

Using a similar algorithm, we can verify email addresses from our computers without necessarily sending a test message.

Suppose we try to verify whether the address billgates@gmail.com exists or not?

Step 1. Enable telnet in Windows. Or if you already have PuTTY utility then skip this step.

Step 2. Open command prompt and type the following command:

nslookup –type=mx gmail.com

This command will extract and list the domain's MX records as shown below. Replace gmail.com with the domain name of the email address you are trying to verify.

gmail.com MX preference=30, exchanger = alt3.gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com

gmail.com MX preference=20, exchanger = alt2.gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com

gmail.com MX preference=5, exchanger = gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com

gmail.com MX preference=10, exchanger = alt1.gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com

gmail.com MX preference=40, exchanger = alt4.gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com

Step 3 . As you can see, it is normal to have multiple MX records for a domain.

Determine if the email address exists

Pick any server mentioned in the MX record, probably the one with the lowest option level number (in the above example, gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com) and send a test message to that server from your computer.

To do so, go to the command prompt window and type the commands listed below:

3a : Connect to mail server:

telnet gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com 25

3b : Send "hello" to another server:

HELLO

3c : Authenticate your identity with some fictional email address

mail from:labnol@labnol.org

3d : Enter the email address of the recipient you want to verify:

rcpt to:billgates@gmail.com

The server's response to the 'rcpt to' command will tell you whether the email address is valid or not. You will get an "OK" response if the address exists, or a 550 error with the message:

abc@gmail.com — The email account that you tried to reach does not exist.

abc@gmail.com - The email account you tried to access does not exist.

support@gmail.com — The email account that you tried to reach is disabled.

support@gmail.com - The email account you are trying to access has been disabled.

And so, If the email address is valid, you can do a reverse lookup for the owner of that address.

How to check if email exists using command line

For the tech-savvy, the Command Line provides a simple way to verify an email address. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Open Terminal (Command Line)

1. For macOS or Linux: Open the Terminal app.
2. For Windows: Open Command Prompt or PowerShell.

Step 2: Access the SMTP server

Enter the command to connect to your email provider's SMTP server. For example:

telnet smtp.example.com 25

Replace smtp.example.com with the SMTP server of the email service provider you want to test.

Step 3: Initialize the session

Enter the following command to start the session:

HELO yourdomain.com

Replace yourdomain.com with your domain name.

Step 4: Enter the MAIL FROM command:

Enter the command to declare the sending email address:

MAIL FROM:

Step 5: Enter the RCPT TO command:

Enter the command to check the email address that needs verification:

RCPT TO:

Replace email@example.com with the email address you want to check.

Step 6: Check the response:

1. If the email address exists, the server returns status code 250.
2. If the email address does not exist, the server will return status code 550 or similar.

Note that this method requires some technical knowledge and may not work with all email servers due to security measures.

Using Verifalia tool

Verifalia is a powerful and easy to use email verification tool. Here are the steps to use Verifalia:

1. Upload email list: Log in to Verifalia and upload the email list to be tested.
2. Check Email: Select the check option and start the verification process.
3. Get Report: Once the process is complete, get a detailed report on the validity of each email address, including why the email was invalid if any.

Verifalia offers a simple and intuitive interface, supporting many advanced features, ideal for both large businesses and individuals who want to maintain clean and effective email lists.

How to check if email exists using Verify-Email

Another popular tool is Verify-Email. This service checks the syntax of the email address, the domain name, and the presence of a mailbox to ensure validity. It is a quick and efficient way to verify one or more email addresses.

To use Verify-Email, you can follow these steps:

1. Visit Verify-Email website: Open your browser and visit the official Verify-Email website.
2. Enter the email address to verify: In the main interface of the website, you will see a box to enter the email address. Enter the email address you want to verify in this box.
3. Start Check: Click the "Check" or "Verify" button to start the checking process.
4. View results: After a few seconds, the tool will display the test results. If the email address is valid, you will see a confirmation message. If not, the tool will provide a reason why the email address is invalid, such as a syntax error, a non-existent domain, or an inactive mailbox.

Verify-Email is an easy-to-use tool, ideal for both individuals and businesses looking to maintain accurate and efficient email lists.

Using Email-Checker tool

Email-Checker is an easy-to-use tool that verifies email addresses in real-time. It performs a deep check on the email address to ensure it is active and able to receive messages. Once the check is complete, the results are displayed, indicating whether the email is valid or not and providing a reason why if it is invalid.

Email-Checker works by checking the important elements of an email address. First, it verifies the email syntax to ensure that the address is entered in the correct format. Then, it checks the email domain to see if it exists and can receive emails. Finally, Email-Checker performs a mailbox presence check to ensure that the mailbox is active and can receive messages.

QuickEmailVerification

QuickEmailVerification provides a fast and accurate email verification service, which is truly a useful tool in today's digital age. This service not only checks for syntax errors, but also evaluates the validity of the domain name and the presence of an email box.

With the ability to detect potential errors and provide solutions, it helps users maintain a cleaner and more efficient email list. This tool is perfect for users who need quick, immediate results and detailed reports that provide deeper insights into each tested email, helping them make informed decisions about their email marketing strategy.

ClearOut Tool

ClearOut is a comprehensive email auditing tool that helps ensure that your email list is free of invalid addresses. It offers bulk auditing and provides detailed information about the status of each email address. To use ClearOut, you can follow these steps:

1. Log in to ClearOut: Go to the ClearOut website and log in to your account.
2. Upload email list: Select the file containing the email list to check and upload it to the system.
3. Start Verification: Click the "Start Verification" button to begin the verification process. ClearOut will automatically check each email address in the list.
4. View Report: Once the audit is complete, you'll receive a detailed report on the status of each email address. This report will show you which email addresses are valid, invalid, or need further review.

Use MyEmailVerifier to check if an email exists

MyEmailVerifier is a reliable tool for verifying the existence of email addresses, ensuring that your email list contains only valid addresses. It provides real-time checks and accurate results, making it easy to maintain a clean email list. MyEmailVerifier is user-friendly, suitable for both individuals and businesses.

Using MyEmailVerifier, you will receive detailed reports on the status of each email address on your list, helping you know which addresses are valid and which are invalid. This not only improves the efficiency of your communication but also increases your email deliverability. MyEmailVerifier is the ideal solution for maintaining an accurate and up-to-date email list, optimizing your email marketing strategy and increasing your recipient response rates.

MailTester Tool

MailTester is a simple yet effective email address verification tool. It checks the domain and mailbox presence of the email address, providing fast and reliable results. This tool is perfect for individuals and small businesses who want to verify a few email addresses.

Using these tools, you can ensure that your email list is accurate and up-to-date, improving your email deliverability and overall communication effectiveness. Whether you are a marketer, business owner, or individual, these email auditing tools will help you maintain a clean and valid email list.

The above steps are quite simple to follow. Good luck!

Source: TipsMake share

Jessica Tanner

Update 11 February 2025