What is BCC Email (Blind Carbon Copy)?

BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) is an email feature that people use to add a little bit of privacy to their group messages. Everyone can see the email, but the recipient list is kept secret.

What is BCC email and how is it different from regular email?

Senders use the BCC field (which stands for Blind Carbon Copy) to keep their recipient list private. Unlike the regular CC field which shows you everyone on the email, BCC delivers the group message to everyone without revealing who’s on the list. When you receive one of these messages the only addresses you can see are your own, and that of the original sender.

Solving the Reply-All Problem

We’ve all gotten stuck in a huge “reply-all loop” at one time. Someone CC’s a group of people, one person hits the reply-all button, and suddenly everyone’s inboxes are flooded with messages. BCC is a great way of preventing this ’ since the list of recipients is known only to the sender, only they can receive replies.

How to Use BCC in Your Emails

Gmail

1. Click Compose.
2. Click the gray Bcc link, which is to the right of you@youremail.com.
3. Enter the email addresses of your recipients next to the label Bcc.

Yahoo! Mail

The Bcc option is a bit hidden in the latest version of Yahoo! mail. To get to it, you have to first use Cc.

1. Click Compose
2. Click Cc, which is to the right of the “To” field.
3. Click Bcc.
4. Enter everyone’s addresses next to the label Bcc.
5. Click Hide Cc if you’re not going to use that field.

Outlook 2011 Windows & Mac

1. Start composing a new email.
2. Click Options.
3. Click Bcc.
4. Fill out the Bcc field which has now appeared.

Outlook 2007

1. Compose a new email.
2. Click Options (next to “Message” and “Insert”).
3. Click the Show Bcc icon.
4. Type email addresses into the new Bcc field.

Outlook 2003

1. Start a new email message.
2. Click View → Bcc Field.
3. The Bcc field will appear. Enter everyone’s addresses there.

Outlook Web Access

1. Click New Message.
2. Use the Bcc field, which is already visible.

Apple Mail

1. Click File → New Message.
2. Click View → Bcc Address Field.
3. The Bcc field will appear. Enter email addresses there.

Airmail

1. Click File → New Message or press CMD+N.
2. Click the Arrow icon to the left of the “To” field.
3. The Bcc field (and a few others) will slide down.

Now when fire off your email from one of these programs, the people who get the messages won’t be able to see anyone else on the list and you don’t have to worry about huge group messages being generated from reply-alls.