What Blind CC Does and Why You'd Use It
Blind CC (BCC) lets you send an email to someone without the other recipients seeing their address. When you put an address in the BCC field instead of the To or CC field, that person gets the email, but their name and address stay hidden from everyone else on the message — including the main recipient and anyone in the CC line.
The most common reason to use BCC is to protect privacy when you're sending the same message to a group of people who don't know each other. For example, if you're inviting ten friends to an event, using BCC means each person sees only their own address, not a list of nine other people. This prevents someone from copying all those addresses for their own use later.
BCC is also useful when you want to keep yourself informed about a conversation without the other people knowing you're reading it. If you BCC your own email address on a message to a client, you'll get a copy but the client won't see that you did.
Key Takeaways
- The BCC field is hidden by default in Outlook — you have to show it first before you can use it.
- Anyone in the BCC field receives the email but their address remains invisible to all other recipients.
- BCC is the right choice when sending the same message to multiple people who should not see each other's email addresses.
- Once you show the BCC field in one message, it stays visible for future emails in that same session.
How to Show the BCC Field in Outlook on Windows
Open Outlook and start a new email by clicking the "New Email" button or pressing Ctrl+N. A blank message window will open with the standard fields: To, CC, and Subject.
Look at the top of the message window where it says "To" and "CC". Just to the left of those words, you'll see a small arrow or dropdown. Click on "Options" in the ribbon menu at the top of the message window. In the "Show Fields" group, click the checkbox next to "Bcc". The BCC field will now appear between the CC field and the Subject line.
Type the email address or addresses directly into the BCC field, just as you would in the To or CC field. If you're adding multiple addresses, separate them with semicolons. You can now fill in the To and CC fields as normal, write your message, and send it. The people in the BCC field will receive it, but no one else will know they did.
How to Show the BCC Field in Outlook on Mac
Open Outlook and create a new message. In the message window, look at the top ribbon and click "Options". You'll see a checkbox labeled "Bcc". Click it to show the BCC field.
The BCC field will appear in the header area of your message. Type the addresses you want to hide into this field, using semicolons to separate multiple addresses. Fill in the rest of your message as normal and send it.
What Happens After You Send a BCC Email
Once you send the message, the people in the To and CC fields will receive it and see only their own addresses in the header — they will not see the BCC field or any addresses in it. The people in the BCC field will receive the exact same email content, but they will also not see the BCC field or know who else received a copy.
Outlook keeps a copy of the sent message in your Sent folder. When you open that copy later, you will see all three fields: To, CC, and BCC. This is for your own record only. The recipients never see this information.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using BCC
The biggest mistake is forgetting that BCC is hidden from everyone except you. If you put someone in BCC and then mention them by name in the email body ("Thanks to Sarah for the suggestion"), the main recipient will be confused because they won't see Sarah's address in the header. Keep your message wording neutral so it makes sense to all recipients.
Another common error is putting the same person in both the To field and the BCC field by accident. They'll receive two copies of the email. If you're sending to a group, decide in advance who should see the full recipient list (To and CC) and who should not (BCC), then stick to that decision.
Do not use BCC to hide the fact that you're monitoring someone's email without their knowledge in a work setting. Many workplaces have policies about this, and it can damage trust if discovered. BCC is a tool for protecting privacy, not for secret surveillance.
When BCC Is Better Than CC
Use CC when you want everyone to know that a third person is receiving the message and can see the full conversation. Use BCC when you want to send a copy to someone without the main recipient knowing about it, or when you're sending to a group and want to protect their privacy from each other.
If you're forwarding a message to someone and want to keep it quiet, BCC is the right choice. If you're looping in a manager or colleague as a matter of transparency, CC is more appropriate because it's visible and honest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I BCC someone on a reply to an existing email?
Yes. Open the reply message, show the BCC field using the same steps as a new email, and add the address. The person will receive your reply but the original sender won't see that you did.
What if I BCC someone and they reply to the email?
Their reply will go only to the original sender and anyone in the To and CC fields — not to the BCC recipients. The BCC person receives the original message only, not the conversation that follows.
Does the BCC field work the same way in Outlook web version?
Yes. In Outlook on the web, click the three dots (more options) in the message header and select "Show Bcc". The field will appear and works exactly the same way as the desktop version.
Can I set BCC as a default so it always shows?
No. Outlook does not have a setting to make BCC permanently visible. You'll need to show it each time you start a new message, though it will stay visible for all messages in that session.
Is it obvious to someone if they're in the BCC field?
No. They receive the email normally and see no indication that they were BCC'd. They only know if you tell them or if they notice their address isn't in the visible header.