How to Bcc in Outlook (and When You Should)

Bcc, short for blind carbon copy, is one of those email features that saves you from an embarrassing mistake: sending a group email that shows everyone's address to everyone else. In Outlook the Bcc line is hidden until you switch it on, which is why so many people can't find it. Here's how to show it, when to use it, and the side effect that can send your Bcc emails straight to junk.

Show the Bcc field in new Outlook

1. Open a new message, or reply to one.
2. Select the Options tab.
3. Choose Show fields, then Show Bcc.
4. Type the names or addresses you want to copy blindly into the Bcc line.

Show the Bcc field in classic Outlook

In classic Outlook, open a new message and select Bcc on the Options tab. If the message opens in the reading pane instead of its own window, the Bcc button is on the ribbon there. Once it's switched on, the Bcc box keeps appearing on new messages until you turn it off again.

To, Cc and Bcc explained

Field	Who sees the address	Use it for
To	Everyone on the email	The people you need to act or reply
Cc	Everyone on the email	People who should be kept informed
Bcc	Only you, the sender	Copying people without revealing their address

Microsoft puts it simply: a Bcc recipient gets a copy of the email without their name being visible to the other recipients. They can see who it was sent To and Cc, but nobody can see them.

When Bcc is the right choice

• Group announcements to clients or suppliers who don't know each other. Keeping addresses private is simply good manners, and good data protection practice.
• Job announcements to several candidates, an example Microsoft itself gives, so applicants' identities stay private.
• Stopping a reply-all storm. Reply with only your own address in To and the whole group in Bcc, asking people to reply to you directly.
• Keeping addresses away from spammers. Hidden addresses can't be copied out of a forwarded email.

The catch: Bcc emails can land in junk

Here's the insight most people never hear. Microsoft warns that using Bcc is a favourite technique of spammers, so many junk email filters flag messages that use the Bcc box. If your recipient hasn't added you as a safe sender, your carefully written email may go straight to their junk folder. Microsoft's advice is to make sure the person is expecting your message first.

For anything important, such as a client update or a booking confirmation, I'd send it individually or use a dedicated email tool instead of a big Bcc list.

Watch the recipient limits

Bcc addresses still count. Microsoft notes that your email provider may limit each message to a maximum number of addresses, giving 100 as an example, and the names in the Bcc box count towards that total. If you're emailing a large group, check your provider's limit or split the list.

Don't Bcc a distribution list people filter on

Some people use rules to sort email into folders based on the group name in the To or Cc line. Microsoft points out that if you put the distribution list in Bcc, their rules won't spot it and the message won't be filed where they expect. Use Bcc for privacy, not for lists that people rely on for sorting.

Can recipients tell they were Bcc'd?

A Bcc recipient sees the email in their inbox like any other, but their name isn't on the visible To or Cc lines, which is a clue it was blind copied. Other recipients can't see Bcc'd people at all. As the sender, you can always open the message in your Sent Items to check who was on the Bcc line.

Bcc on your phone

In the Outlook app on Android or iPhone, start a new email and tap the Cc/Bcc line (or the arrow next to the To field) to reveal the Bcc box. It works exactly like the desktop version: anyone you add there gets the email without the others seeing their address. If you send a lot of group emails from your phone, it's worth checking where the field hides on your app, because it's easy to miss on a small screen.

A polite Bcc etiquette checklist

• Never Bcc someone into a private conversation the others think is just between them.
• Tell people in the email if a group has been Bcc'd, so nobody wonders who else received it.
• Use Bcc for privacy, not secrecy.
• Remove yourself from Bcc'd replies by asking people to reply to you directly.

A better option for regular group emails

If you find yourself Bcc'ing the same list every month, it's time for a dedicated email tool. Microsoft itself suggests mail merge as an alternative, which sends the same message to each person individually. For newsletters and marketing, an email platform handles unsubscribes and deliverability far better than Outlook. My roundup of AI email marketing tools is a good place to start, and my welcome sequence swipe file gives you words to send once you've switched.

My verdict

Options, Show fields, Show Bcc in new Outlook, or the Bcc button in classic Outlook. Use it to protect people's addresses on group emails, warn important recipients first because Bcc can trigger junk filters, and switch to a dedicated email tool for anything you send to a list regularly.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Bcc in Outlook?

In new Outlook, open a message and select Options, Show fields, Show Bcc. In classic Outlook, select Bcc on the Options tab.

Can Bcc recipients see each other in Outlook?

No. Bcc recipients can't see each other, and other recipients can't see them.

Why did my Bcc email go to junk?

Microsoft says many junk filters flag messages that use Bcc, because spammers use it. Ask recipients to add you as a safe sender.

Is there a limit to how many people I can Bcc?

Your email provider may limit addresses per message, and Bcc addresses count towards that total.

How do I see who I Bcc'd in Outlook?

Open the message in your Sent Items folder. Only the sender can see the Bcc names.