The blind copy field hides a recipient from everyone else on the email

A blind copy, or BCC, is a way to send an email to someone without letting the other recipients know they received it. When you put an address in the BCC field, that person gets the email, but their name does not appear in the message at all — not in the To line, not in the CC line, nowhere. The people in the To and CC fields cannot see that a BCC recipient exists.

In Outlook, the BCC field is hidden by default. You have to turn it on before you can use it. Once you do, it stays visible for that email, and you can add as many BCC recipients as you need.

Key Takeaways

  • The BCC field is hidden in Outlook until you click the BCC button to show it.
  • BCC recipients receive the email but do not appear anywhere on the message that other people see.
  • You can add multiple BCC recipients by typing addresses separated by semicolons.
  • Once you turn on BCC for one email, you will need to turn it on again for the next email you compose.

Show the BCC field in a new email

Open Outlook and click the New Email button (or press Ctrl+N on Windows, Command+N on Mac). A blank email window opens with the To and CC fields visible.

Look for the BCC button. On Windows, it is in the ribbon at the top of the email, usually near the CC field. On Mac, click the Options button in the ribbon, then select BCC. The BCC field now appears below the CC field in your email.

Type the email address or addresses you want to blind copy into the BCC field. If you are adding more than one person, separate each address with a semicolon and a space. The field works the same way as To and CC — you can also start typing a name and Outlook will suggest contacts that match.

Send the email with BCC recipients

Fill in the To and CC fields as you normally would. Add your subject line and message. The BCC recipients will receive the email, but the people in the To and CC fields will not see that anyone was blind copied.

Click Send. The email goes out to everyone — To, CC, and BCC — but only the BCC recipients know they were included. The others see only the To and CC lines.

Turn off BCC for your next email

When you close that email and start a new one, the BCC field disappears again. This is by design — Outlook assumes you do not need it for every message. If you want to use BCC again, you will click the BCC button again in the next email you compose.

If you find yourself using BCC often, you can change this setting so the field stays visible all the time. On Windows, go to File, then Options, then Mail, then Compose Messages. Check the box that says "Show BCC." On Mac, this option is in Outlook Preferences under Compose.

Common reasons to use BCC

BCC is useful when you want to keep someone informed without making it obvious to the main recipients. For example, you might BCC your manager on an email to a client so your manager can see the conversation without being part of it. Or you might BCC yourself on an email you are sending to a group, so you have a copy in your Sent folder but the group does not know you kept one.

BCC is also the right choice when you are sending the same email to many people who do not know each other. Instead of putting all their addresses in the To field (which shows everyone's email to everyone else), you can put your own address in To and BCC all the recipients. That way, each person receives the email but cannot see the other recipients' addresses.

What happens if you accidentally use CC instead of BCC

If you put someone in the CC field instead of BCC, everyone on the email — everyone in To, CC, and any BCC field — can see that person's address. There is no way to unsend an Outlook email once it leaves your Sent folder, so the visibility is permanent. This is why it matters to choose the right field before you send.

If you realize the mistake before you hit Send, delete the address from the CC field and move it to BCC instead, then send. If you have already sent it, there is nothing to do — just remember for next time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can BCC recipients see each other?

No. BCC recipients cannot see other BCC recipients, and they cannot see who is in the To or CC fields. They only see their own address in the BCC field on their copy of the email.

What if I BCC someone and they reply to the email?

Their reply goes only to whoever they choose to reply to — usually the person in the From field. The BCC does not create a group conversation. If they click Reply All, their reply still goes only to the original sender and anyone in the To or CC fields, not to other BCC recipients.

Is there a limit to how many people I can BCC?

Outlook itself has no hard limit, but your email provider might. Most providers allow dozens of BCC recipients without issue. If you are sending to hundreds of people, check with your IT department or email provider first.

Does BCC work the same way in Outlook on the web?

Yes. In Outlook.com or Outlook on the web, click the three dots (more options) in the email compose window, then select "Show BCC." The field appears and works the same way as in the desktop version.