How to bcc someone in outlook

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Last updated: April 4, 2026

Quick Answer: To BCC someone in Outlook, click the 'BCC' field in the message window before sending. If you don't see it, you may need to enable it through the 'Options' tab. Then, simply add the recipient's email address to the BCC field.

Key Facts

BCC stands for 'Blind Carbon Copy'.
Recipients in the BCC field are hidden from all other recipients, including those in the 'To' and 'CC' fields.
It's useful for privacy and when sending to large groups who don't know each other.
Outlook typically shows the BCC field by default, but it can be hidden.
The BCC field is accessible from the 'Options' tab in the message composition window.

What is BCC in Email?

BCC, which stands for Blind Carbon Copy, is a feature in email clients like Microsoft Outlook that allows you to send a copy of an email to someone without the primary recipients knowing. Unlike the 'To' and 'CC' (Carbon Copy) fields, where all recipient email addresses are visible to everyone, the email addresses entered in the BCC field are hidden from all other recipients. This means that if you send an email to person A (in the 'To' field) and person B (in the BCC field), person A will not see person B's email address, and person B will not see person A's email address. Person B will also not see that person A received the email.

Why Use BCC?

The BCC field serves several practical purposes:

Privacy: When sending an email to a group of people who do not necessarily know each other, using BCC protects their email addresses from being exposed. This is crucial for maintaining privacy and preventing spam.
Professionalism: In business contexts, sending a mass email with all recipients visible in the 'To' or 'CC' field can appear unprofessional and spam-like. BCC ensures a more polished presentation.
Distribution Lists: If you're sending an announcement or newsletter to a large list of subscribers, BCC is the standard way to do it to respect their privacy and prevent them from seeing who else received the message.
Keeping Track: You can BCC yourself on an email to keep a personal copy in your inbox for your records, separate from the sent items folder.

How to BCC Someone in Outlook (Desktop App)

The process for adding a BCC recipient in the Outlook desktop application is straightforward:

Open Outlook and Compose a New Email: Click on 'New Email' to start a new message.
Locate the BCC Field: By default, the BCC field might not be immediately visible in the recipient composition area. You'll typically see fields for 'To' and 'CC'. To reveal the BCC field, navigate to the 'Options' tab at the top of the message window. In the 'Show Fields' group, click on 'BCC'.
Add BCC Recipients: Once the BCC field is visible, click into it and start typing the email address of the person you wish to BCC. You can add multiple addresses, separated by semicolons.
Fill in Other Fields: Add your recipient(s) in the 'To' and/or 'CC' fields as usual, and write your subject and email body.
Send the Email: Click the 'Send' button. The recipients in the 'To' and 'CC' fields will receive the email, but they will not see the email addresses listed in the BCC field. The BCC recipient(s) will receive the email and will be able to see who was in the 'To' and 'CC' fields, but not who else was BCC'd.

How to BCC Someone in Outlook on the Web (Outlook.com)

The steps for Outlook on the web are very similar:

Compose a New Email: Click on 'New mail' or 'Reply'/'Forward' to open the message composition window.
Show the BCC Field: Look for the 'BCC' link, usually located to the right of the 'CC' field, at the top of the recipient fields. Click on it.
Add BCC Recipients: The BCC field will appear. Click into it and type the email addresses you want to add, separating multiple addresses with semicolons.
Complete Your Email: Fill in the 'To' and 'CC' fields, subject line, and the body of your message.
Send: Click 'Send'.

Important Considerations for BCC

Accidental Exposure: Always double-check that you have added the correct addresses to the BCC field before sending, especially when privacy is a concern.
Reply All: When a recipient replies to an email where they were BCC'd, their reply typically only goes to the original sender (the 'To' and 'CC' recipients). They will not automatically BCC all the original recipients. If they choose to 'Reply All', it will only go to the original sender and anyone else who was in the 'To' or 'CC' fields.
Confusing for Recipients: While BCC is useful, sometimes recipients who are BCC'd might feel excluded if they don't understand why they received the email privately. It's often good practice to add a brief note in the email body if you are BCCing someone who might wonder why they were included.

By understanding and utilizing the BCC field correctly, you can enhance the privacy, professionalism, and effectiveness of your email communications in Outlook.