To send a Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) in Outlook, you first need to reveal the BCC field within your email composition window, then add your recipients, compose your message, and send it. BCC is a valuable feature for maintaining recipient privacy and managing email communication effectively.
What is BCC and Why Use It?
BCC, which stands for Blind Carbon Copy, allows you to send a copy of an email to recipients without other recipients on the email (those in the 'To' or 'CC' fields, and even other BCC recipients) being able to see their email addresses. This keeps the BCC recipients private.
Key benefits of using BCC include:
- Privacy: Protects the email addresses of individuals from being exposed to a large group of recipients.
- Reduced Reply-All Chains: Prevents unnecessary "reply all" messages from spamming everyone on the list.
- Professionalism: Ideal for sending group emails where recipients don't necessarily know each other, such as newsletters or announcements.
- Discretion: Allows you to discreetly inform someone of an email conversation without involving them directly in the visible thread.
Step-by-Step: Adding a BCC Recipient in Outlook
The process for displaying the BCC field can vary slightly depending on how your Outlook message window opens.
For Messages Opening in a New Window
When you click "New Email" and the message opens in its own dedicated window:
- Open a New Email: Click New Email from the Home tab.
- Access Options: In the new message window, navigate to the Options tab on the ribbon.
- Show BCC: In the "Show Fields" group, select Bcc. The Bcc field will now appear below the Cc field in your message header.
For Messages Opening in the Reading Pane
If you have Outlook configured so that a new message opens directly within the Reading Pane (i.e., not a separate window):
- Open a New Email: Click New Email from the Home tab.
- Display BCC from Ribbon: Within the Reading Pane where your message is being composed, look for the Bcc button directly on the ribbon. Select it to reveal the Bcc field.
Completing Your BCC Email
Once the BCC field is visible:
- Add Recipients: In the now visible Bcc box, type the email addresses of the recipients you want to blind carbon copy. Separate multiple addresses with semicolons.
- Add 'To' and 'Cc' Recipients (Optional but Recommended): You should still add at least one recipient in the To field. This can be your own email address if you truly want to hide all other recipients from each other, or the primary recipient(s) of the message.
- Compose Your Message: Write your email subject and body as usual.
- Send: When you are finished, click Send.
Troubleshooting: BCC Field Not Visible?
If you're having trouble finding the BCC field, ensure you've followed the steps for your specific message window type. Once you've activated the BCC field, Outlook usually remembers your preference for future emails from the same account. If it disappears, simply repeat the steps to reveal it.
When to Use BCC vs. CC vs. To
Understanding the difference between To, CC, and BCC is crucial for effective email communication.
| Field | Purpose | Visibility to Other Recipients | Common Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| To | Primary recipients, direct action or response expected. | All recipients (To, CC, BCC) see who is in the 'To' field. | Direct communication, initiating a conversation, primary stakeholders. |
| CC | Secondary recipients, for informational purposes, no direct action required. | All recipients (To, CC, BCC) see who is in the 'CC' field. | Keeping colleagues informed, managers, related parties. |
| BCC | Hidden recipients, for confidential informational purposes. | Only the sender and the individual BCC recipient know they received the email. Others cannot see BCC addresses. | Mass emails (newsletters), discreetly informing someone, preserving privacy for large groups, tracking without exposing contacts. |
For more detailed information, you can refer to Microsoft Support on CC and BCC.
Best Practices for Using BCC
- Always include a 'To' recipient: Even if it's just your own email address, avoid sending an email with only BCC recipients, as some email systems might flag it as spam.
- Inform recipients (if necessary): If you regularly BCC people, especially in professional contexts, it might be good practice to let them know beforehand or explain why they are being BCC'd if they ever query it.
- Use for large groups: BCC is ideal for mailing lists or group announcements where recipients don't need to see each other's contact information.
- Avoid misuse: Don't use BCC to surreptitiously involve someone in a conversation in a way that could be perceived as deceitful or unprofessional. Transparency is often best.
Email Management
