How to Override Envelope Return Address in PHP Mail

To address the concern of setting the envelope return address using PHP's mail() function, this answer provides a straightforward solution.

The mail() function accepts optional fourth and fifth parameters. While the fourth parameter is used for setting headers, the fifth parameter can be utilized to pass options directly to the underlying sendmail command. By specifying -f [your_desired_email_address] in the fifth parameter, you can override the default envelope MAIL FROM address.

For instance, to set the envelope return address as [email protected], the code snippet below can be used:

mail('[email protected]', 'subject!', 'body!', 'From: [email protected]', '-f [email protected]');

This approach aligns with a "better, simpler, and more PHP appropriate" way of modifying the envelope MAIL FROM address, as it allows for direct control over the sendmail options and provides a clean integration with the PHP mailer.