Blind carbon copy (Bcc) is a function offered by Outlook that enables you to send a “hidden” copy of your message to select addresses. This is useful, for instance, if you want to send an email to multiple people.

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Unlike addresses in the “To” or “Cc” fields, addresses in the “Bcc” field are hidden from other re­cip­i­ents of your message. This feature helps you keep your business re­la­tion­ships con­fi­den­tial and safe­guards the contact details of people you are sending emails to.

Read our step-by-step tutorial to learn how to add the Bcc field in Outlook so you can send blind carbon copies of emails.

How to use the Bcc field in the Outlook desktop ap­pli­ca­tion

The Bcc field is available in all versions of the Outlook desktop ap­pli­ca­tion. By default, however, the Bcc field is hidden in the Outlook versions of Microsoft 365 and Outlook 2021, Outlook 2019 and Outlook 2016.

Take the following steps to activate the Bcc field for new messages, email replies or for­ward­ing:

New email with Bcc

  1. Click on New Email to open a new email window.
  2. Switch to the Options tab.
  3. Click on the Bcc button in the Show Fields section.
Image: Outlook: Outlook 2016: The Bcc button in the Options tab
The Bcc field is only displayed in the Outlook desktop ap­pli­ca­tion when you activate it.

Once it’s activated, the Bcc field will appear as a new address line under “To” and “Cc”.

Image: Outlook: Email window with Bcc
Email window with the activated Bcc field
Note

When you activate the Bcc field in the Outlook desktop ap­pli­ca­tion, it will au­to­mat­i­cal­ly appear when you write new messages. The Bcc button is high­light­ed. To de­ac­ti­vate it, all you have to do is click the button again.

Replying or for­ward­ing with Bcc

  1. Click on Reply or Forward to write a reply or forward a message.
  2. Click on the Pop Out button to open the message in a new window.
Image: Outlook: The Pop Out button in the Message tab
You can use the Pop Out button to write replies or forward emails in a new window.
  1. Click on the Bcc button in the Show Fields section.
Image: Outlook: The BCC button in the Message tab
The Bcc button is located in the Show Fields tab.
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How to use the Bcc field in the online version of Microsoft 365 and Outlook on the web

The blind carbon copy feature is also available online in both Microsoft 365 and Outlook on the web. In Outlook on the web, the Bcc field is hidden by default.

Follow the steps below to display the Bcc field in Outlook on the web and Microsoft 365.

  1. Sign in to Outlook on the web or Microsoft 365.
  2. Click on New Email, Reply or Forward.
  3. Activate the Bcc field by clicking on the button with the same name, located in the upper right corner next to the To field.
Image: Outlook online version: The BCC button in the Message tab
User interface of Outlook on the web/Microsoft 365 without the Bcc field included

The Bcc field is displayed as a new address line below To and Cc.

Image: Outlook on the web: User interface with the activated Bcc field
Outlook web app with activated Bcc field

How to view Bcc re­cip­i­ents in sent messages

Email addresses entered in the Bcc field aren’t shown to message re­cip­i­ents, re­gard­less of whether they are in the To, Cc or Bcc field. Only the person who sent the message is able to view the Bcc addresses later on.

If you want to view Bcc addresses after you have sent an email, open the Sent Items folder. Here you’ll find the Bcc re­cip­i­ents in the email header of the email you sent.

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