How to Find and Use BCc (Blind Courtesy Copy)

I recently received an email claiming I should stop “harping” about using BCc. I giggled.

This site is focused on ethical business and technology etiquette, so I guess one could say I do “harp.” For the record, my harping is based on conversations with other business folks and website visitors, and I do my best to discuss many of the topics from different angles.

BCc Harping

I was then scolded for not mentioning how to find the BCc in their email program. How can I recommend that readers do something without telling them how?

They could have used the Help tab in their software. Or visited their email software provider’s support pages, right? But not knowing where the BCc is located is all on me. Point taken and resolved today.

Oh, by the way, no scolding is required. If any of my site visitors want a topic covered in more detail or from a different angle, all they have to do is ask (nicely), and I am more than happy to accommodate.

BCc is a Privacy Tool

BCc is primarily used to prevent your contacts’ email addresses from being exposed to people they may not know. Yes, it can also be used to “hide” who you are copying on an email, but more often than not, folks who do that do so for less-than-professional reasons.

Here are the basics of using what was initially known as the Blind Carbon Copy tool, now more commonly called Blind Courtesy Copy. Blind means that other recipients do not see the names or addresses of recipients listed in the BCc field.

Where is the BCc? How do you find it?

Some email programs do not make the BCc option easy to find or see at a glance. In my email program, all I have to do is right-click the Cc field to check whether the Bcc option is available for that particular email.

The BCc may not be as easy to find in other programs, and you may have to search for it. So here’s what you do.

Gmail (Web)

Click Compose.
Click the Bcc link (to the right of the To field). The BCC field appears below.

Gmail (Mobile App – iOS & Android)

Tap Compose.
Tap the down arrow (v) next to the To field.
The Cc and Bcc fields expand — enter addresses in Bcc.

Outlook on the Web (Outlook.com / Microsoft 365)

Click New mail.
Click Bcc (to the right of the To field).

To always show Bcc: Settings (gear) → Mail → Compose and reply → check Always show Bcc.

Outlook Desktop (Windows – Classic & New)

Open a new message.
Go to the Options tab → click Bcc (or Show fields → Show Bcc in newer versions).
Once enabled, it usually stays visible for future messages.

Outlook for Mac

Open a new message.
Click Bcc at the end of the To line (or use Options → Bcc).

To always show Bcc: Outlook → Settings → Composing → check Show BCC field by default.

Outlook Mobile App (iOS & Android)

Tap New email or reply.
Tap the down arrow next to the To field to expand Cc/Bcc.

Apple Mail (Mac)

Open a new message.
Go to View → Bcc Address Field (it stays visible afterward until you turn it off).

Apple Mail (iPhone/iPad)

Tap Compose.
Tap the Cc/Bcc field (it expands into separate Cc and Bcc lines).
Enter addresses in the Bcc field.

Yahoo Mail (Web)

Click Compose.
Click Bcc / Show BCC / CC/BCC (next to or near the To field).

Yahoo Mail (Mobile App)

Tap Compose.
Tap the To field or the arrow next to it, then select the Bcc line.

Mozilla Thunderbird

Open a new message.
Click the Bcc button (next to the To field) to add the field.
(Tip: In Account Settings → Copies & Folders, you can check the Bcc option and leave the address blank so the field shows by default.)

Proton Mail (Web)

Click New message.
Click CC BCC (next to the To field) to reveal the Bcc line.

Proton Mail (Mobile App)

Tap Compose.
Tap the downward arrow next to the To field to show Cc and Bcc.

Zoho Mail (Web)

Click New Mail / Compose.
Click the Cc/Bcc button (next to the To field). The Bcc field appears.
(You can also permanently show it via Settings → Mail → Compose → check Show BCC in Compose.)

Quick tip that works in almost every client: Put your own email address in the To field and put the actual group in Bcc. This keeps the recipient list private and avoids the “undisclosed recipients” display, which can look spammy and less professional.

Additional Considerations…

Do you still use @yahoo.com, @hotmail.com, or @gmail.com? Why are you using those freebie accounts for your business email? Stop that right now.

Use your website’s domain email, or get a domain and use it for email. It is inexpensive and helps you build your brand.

When to use BCc

The primary use of BCc should be when emailing many contacts who do not know each other. You do not want to publish their email addresses without permission or expose them to strangers.

For more, please read my article: Don’t Brush Off Privacy!

Learn and Respect Privacy

After all, you must learn to use all the features of your email software. That’s on you. Furthermore, each user is responsible for understanding the technology they are using and engaging in an informed and courteous manner.

Part of that includes avoiding unnecessary exposure of your contacts’ email addresses to strangers.

(I hope I wasn’t too “harpy.”)

How to Find and Use BCc (Blind Courtesy Copy)