Finding the BCC field in Outlook

BCC stands for blind carbon copy. When you put someone's address in the BCC field, that person receives the email, but the other recipients cannot see that they received it. The BCC field is hidden by default in Outlook, so you have to turn it on before you can use it.

Open Outlook and start a new email by clicking "New Email" or pressing Ctrl+N. Look at the top of the compose window where you see "To:" and "Cc:". Just above the "To:" field, you will see a small link that says "Bcc" — click it. The BCC field will now appear between the "Cc:" field and the message body.

Once you have clicked "Bcc" once, it stays visible for all future emails you write in that session. If you close Outlook and open it again, you may need to click "Bcc" again, depending on your version.

Key Takeaways

  • The BCC field is hidden by default in Outlook — click the "Bcc" link above the "To:" field to make it appear.
  • Anyone in the BCC field receives the email but their address is invisible to everyone else on the message, including other BCC recipients.
  • Use BCC when you need to send the same email to multiple people who should not see each other's addresses, such as a mailing list or a group of job candidates.
  • Never use BCC to secretly copy someone on an email without the sender's knowledge — that is deceptive and can damage trust.

When to use BCC instead of CC

CC (carbon copy) shows all recipients that someone else received the email. BCC hides that fact. Choose BCC when the recipients do not need to know who else is receiving the message, or when sharing everyone's email address would be inappropriate.

Common situations for BCC include sending a newsletter to a large group, forwarding a job posting to multiple candidates, or notifying several people about a decision without creating a long visible recipient list. BCC is also useful when you are sending the same message to people from different organizations who should not see each other's contact information.

Do not use BCC to secretly copy your boss, a lawyer, or anyone else without the sender's knowledge. That creates a hidden record and breaks trust. If you think a message needs a witness, tell the sender upfront that you are copying someone.

Typing addresses into the BCC field

Click inside the BCC field and type the email address or addresses you want to add. If you are adding multiple people, separate each address with a semicolon (;) or a comma (,) — Outlook accepts both. You can also paste a list of addresses if you have them copied from somewhere else.

As you type, Outlook will suggest contacts from your address book. Click a suggestion to add that person, or keep typing to enter an address manually. You can add as many addresses as you need in the BCC field.

If you want to add someone who is already in your contacts, you can also click inside the BCC field and then click "To" or "Cc" at the top of the compose window — this opens your contact list, and you can select names from there. Drag them into the BCC field, or select them and click the BCC button if one appears.

Sending the email with BCC recipients

Once you have typed your message and added all the BCC addresses, click "Send" as you normally would. The email goes out to everyone in the To, Cc, and BCC fields. The people in the To and Cc fields will see each other's addresses, but they will not see anyone in the BCC field.

The BCC recipients will receive the email exactly as written, with no indication that they were BCC'd. They will see the To and Cc fields as they appear to everyone else, but their own address will not show anywhere on the message.

Checking your sent folder after using BCC

When you open the email in your Sent folder later, you will see the To and Cc fields, but the BCC field will be blank or hidden. This is normal — Outlook does not store the BCC information in your sent copy for privacy reasons. If you need to remember who you BCC'd on a particular message, you have to write it down separately or keep a note in a document.

Some organizations keep records of BCC'd emails for compliance or legal reasons, but as an individual user, you will not see that information in Outlook itself.

Troubleshooting BCC problems

If the BCC field does not appear when you click "Bcc", try closing the compose window and starting a new email. If it still does not show, check that you are using the full version of Outlook (not Outlook on the web in a browser). The web version has a slightly different interface — look for "Bcc" in the "To" field area, or click the three dots (...) menu to find more options.

If an email bounces back saying a BCC address is invalid, that address does not exist or is misspelled. Check the address carefully and try again. If you are copying from a list, make sure there are no extra spaces or special characters.

If you accidentally sent an email to the wrong BCC address, you cannot unsend it the way you can with a regular email. Outlook's recall feature does not work reliably, especially if the recipient has already opened the message. The best practice is to double-check all addresses before you click Send.

BCC in Outlook on the web

If you use Outlook in a web browser instead of the desktop app, the BCC field works the same way but looks slightly different. Click in the "To" field and start typing an address. You will see a small link that says "Cc" and "Bcc" appear below the field — click "Bcc" to add that field to the compose window.

From there, type addresses into the BCC field the same way you would in the desktop version. The send process is identical, and the BCC recipients will not see each other's addresses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can BCC recipients see each other?

No. BCC recipients cannot see other BCC recipients' addresses, and they cannot see the To or Cc fields either. Each BCC recipient sees only their own address in the message header, along with the sender's address.

What happens if I reply to an email I was BCC'd on?

Your reply goes only to the sender, not to everyone on the original message. The other BCC recipients do not see your reply unless the sender forwards it to them. This is one reason BCC is useful for one-way announcements rather than group conversations.

Is it legal to BCC someone without telling the sender?

No. Secretly copying someone on an email without the sender's knowledge is deceptive and can violate workplace policies or laws depending on your location. Always tell the sender if you are copying a third party, or ask permission first.

Can I BCC myself to keep a copy of an email I send?

You can, but Outlook already saves a copy in your Sent folder automatically. BCC'ing yourself is unnecessary unless you want a copy in a specific folder or account. A simpler method is to drag the sent email to a folder after you send it.

Why would I use BCC instead of just sending separate emails?

BCC is faster when you are sending the same message to many people at once. It also ensures everyone receives identical wording. Sending separate emails takes longer and increases the chance of sending different versions by mistake.