A blind copy hides recipient addresses from other people on the email
When you send an email with blind copy (BCC), the people you put in the BCC field receive the message, but their addresses stay hidden from everyone else on the email — including the people in the To and CC fields. The recipients in the To and CC fields cannot see who is in BCC, and the BCC recipients cannot see each other either.
This is different from CC (carbon copy), where everyone on the email can see all the other recipients. BCC is useful when you need to send the same message to multiple people who do not know each other, or when you want to keep someone's involvement private.
Most email programs — Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, Yahoo Mail — include a BCC field. It is usually hidden by default, so you have to turn it on before you can use it.
Key Takeaways
- BCC recipients get the email but their address is invisible to everyone else on the message, including other BCC recipients.
- The To and CC fields can see each other, but neither can see who is in BCC.
- You must manually show the BCC field in most email programs — it is hidden by default.
- BCC is appropriate for sending the same message to a large group of people who do not know each other, such as a mailing list or event invitations.
- Using BCC to hide recipients without their knowledge can damage trust and may violate workplace or organizational policies.
How to turn on the BCC field in your email program
The BCC field is usually hidden to prevent accidental use. To show it, the steps depend on which email program you use.
In Gmail: Open a new email. Click the "To" field. A small arrow or toggle appears next to "To" and "CC" — click it to reveal BCC.
In Outlook (desktop): Open a new email. Click the "Options" tab at the top. In the "Show Fields" group, click "Bcc". The field now appears on your compose window.
In Outlook (web): Open a new email. Click the three dots (more options) near the top right. Select "Show Bcc". The field appears below the CC field.
In Apple Mail: Open a new email. Go to the View menu at the top of your screen. Select "Show BCC Header". The field now appears in your compose window.
In Yahoo Mail: Open a new email. Click "CC" at the top of the compose area. A dropdown menu shows "Add BCC" — click it.
When BCC is the right choice
Use BCC when you are sending the same message to a group of people who do not have a reason to know who else received it. A common example is an event invitation sent to many people who do not all know each other — you do not want to expose everyone's email address to the whole group.
BCC is also appropriate when you are sending a message to a large mailing list. If you put 50 people in the To field, everyone sees all 50 addresses. Using BCC keeps the list private and makes the email cleaner to read.
Another legitimate use is when you want to keep someone's involvement confidential. For example, if you are forwarding a complaint to your manager and also want your HR department to see it, you might put your manager in To and HR in BCC so the original sender does not know HR is involved.
Some workplaces use BCC to send copies of important emails to a compliance or legal team without alerting the other recipients. This is standard practice in regulated industries.
When BCC can create problems
Using BCC to hide someone's involvement without their knowledge can damage trust. If people later find out they were BCC'd without knowing it, they may feel deceived — especially if the email was about them or their work.
Many organizations have policies about when BCC is acceptable. Some workplaces prohibit using BCC to hide a manager or HR person from an employee, because it can feel like surveillance. Check your workplace handbook or ask your manager if you are unsure whether BCC use is appropriate in your situation.
BCC also creates a record problem. If someone forwards the email later, the BCC recipients are not included in the forward — only the original To and CC recipients. This can cause confusion if people assume everyone who received the original message is still in the conversation.
The difference between To, CC, and BCC
| Field | Who sees it | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| To | Everyone on the email sees the To addresses | Primary recipients who are expected to read and act on the message |
| CC | Everyone on the email sees the CC addresses | People who need to see the message but are not the main recipient; everyone knows they are included |
| BCC | Only the BCC recipients see their own address; no one else knows they are there | People who need the message but their involvement should be hidden from other recipients |
Common mistakes with BCC
The most common mistake is forgetting to put the actual recipient in the To or CC field. If you only use BCC, the email appears to have no recipients and may not send at all, depending on your email program. Always put at least one address in To or CC.
Another mistake is using BCC to hide a reply-all situation. If you BCC someone on an email and the original sender hits reply-all, the BCC recipient does not get the reply. This breaks the conversation and can cause confusion about who knows what.
People also sometimes BCC themselves by accident when they meant to CC someone. Double-check the addresses before you send, especially if you are using BCC for the first time in a while.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can BCC recipients see each other?
No. BCC recipients cannot see who else is in the BCC field. Each BCC recipient only sees their own address. They also cannot see the CC field or any other BCC addresses.
If I reply to a BCC email, do the other BCC recipients see my reply?
No. When you reply to an email you received via BCC, your reply goes only to the sender (the To field) and anyone in the CC field. The other BCC recipients do not see your reply unless the sender forwards it to them.
Can someone tell if they were BCC'd on an email?
Not from the email itself. The BCC field does not appear in the message headers that recipients see. However, if the email is forwarded or if someone replies-all, the BCC recipients will not be included, which might tip them off that they were BCC'd originally.
Is it illegal to BCC someone without telling them?
It is not illegal in most cases, but it may violate workplace policies or laws in specific situations. Some industries have rules about recording or monitoring communications. Check your workplace handbook or consult your HR department if you are unsure.
What happens if I put someone in BCC and they are also in the To field by mistake?
They will receive the email twice — once as a To recipient and once as a BCC recipient. Most email programs will flag this as a duplicate and may warn you before you send. If you catch it before sending, remove them from one field.